A suspenseful paranormal series... Between Jobs by W.R. Gingell (Excerpt & #Giveaway))


I've been a fan of this author since reading Spindle back in 2015. I really need to catch up on her books and have most of them. This is her newest series and one that I know I'll love, especially since I've been in the mood for some paranormal lately. You can grab the first two books at Audible here and here. Check out an excerpt and enter a giveaway below...

Between Jobs
(The City Between #1)
By W.R. Gingell
Adult Paranormal Suspense
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 244 Pages
May 31st 2018

Summary

When you get up in the morning, the last thing you expect to see is a murdered guy hanging outside your window. Things like that tend to draw the attention of the local police, and when you’re squatting in your parents’ old house until you can afford to buy it, another thing you can’t afford is the attention of the cops.

Oh yeah. Hi. My name is Pet.

It’s not my real name, but it’s the only one you’re getting. Things like names are important these days.

And it’s not so much that I’m Pet.

I am a pet.

A human pet: I belong to the two Behindkind fae and the pouty vampire who just moved into my house. It’s not weird, I promise—well, it is weird, yeah. But it’s not weird weird, you know?

(Affiliate link included.)

Excerpt from Between Jobs

It was a weird experience, shopping with a vampire. Maybe it would have been less weird if he hadn’t been a Korean vampire. Maybe it would have been easier if I could communicate with him—or at least if he could communicate with me. I was certain he understood everything I said, but I didn’t have a clue what he was saying, and he wasn’t trying very hard to make sure I did, either. If he particularly wanted something he inexorably steered the shopping trolley in that direction with one finger on the side of it, no matter how hard I tried to go in any other direction.
After a bit, I gave up and let him pull the trolley along wherever he wanted to go. I would have shaken some garlic at him if it wasn’t for the fact that he threw a whole punnet in the trolley as we went through the fruit and veg section anyway.
“Sure you’re a vampire?” I asked sourly.
Ne,” JinYeong said, and went for the onion as well.
“And who’s gunna peel all that garlic, I’d like to know?” I demanded. Or chop it, if it came to that.
JinYeong shrugged and smiled complacently.
“That’s what I thought,” I said, even more sourly, and steered the trolley down the dog food aisle. I could see the cold section at the end of it, where I would find the bacon I needed to make my bacon and mushroom pasta. It looked bright and cool down there, through the oddly twilit aisle, and it occurred to me that some of the lights in the dog food aisle must be on the blink. I looked up at the fluorescent tubes, but they weren’t there—instead, there was the much gentler glow of small lights in straight, fluorescent-tube-length lines dotting a ceiling far higher than it should have been.
“What—?” I said.
Beside me, JinYeong made a surprised sound and keeled over.
I didn’t so much catch him as I was squashed by him, but I remembered in time that I was supposed to be making myself indispensable to my three psychos. I grabbed the shoulders of his coat to stop him hitting his head on the shelving.
Down the end of the aisle—had it been that far away or that indistinct before?—three men approached us. It must have been my imagination that gave them four arms each, but I knew I wasn’t imagining the knives they had in each of their four hands because one exactly the same was sticking out of JinYeong’s chest, the silver-embossed characters on its hilt glowing softly at me. And now someone’s four-armed self only had three knives.
“What?” panted someone’s voice again, and it must have been mine, because JinYeong didn’t speak English and there was nobody else nearby. Well, nobody but the four-armed men who were sprinting at us down the length of the aisle, and if they really did have four arms I was pretty sure they wouldn’t be speaking English, either.
I yelped and hauled JinYeong’s prone body back toward the end of the aisle, careless of the damage to his pants legs, but the edge of the end shelving caught the ankle of my jeans and sent me tumbling backwards with my armful of vampire and cloth before I could clear the aisle. There was a moment of startled comprehension that I was probably going to die, then something swept past us both in a streak of white, cold, fury, meeting the charge of the four-armed men.
I struggled to sit up, my elbows hooked under JinYeong’s armpits, and suddenly there was Zero’s broad back and leathery scent, planted directly between us and our attackers.
Over his shoulder, Zero said crisply, “Pull the knife out. He’ll be fine.”
I pulled it out before I could think about it—at once. At least, I thought it was at once, but between seeing my hand wrapped around the hilt of the knife, and seeing that blade oozing with dark blood, free from JinYeong’s torso, there was a big, blank moment. There must have been, because when I looked up from the bloody blade Zero’s face was right behind it, and there was something black and sticky and wet on his face, too.
“Stay behind me,” he said.
I thought he was talking to me, but JinYeong coughed up a small spurt of blood and sat up, dragging me with him. He said, slightly hoarsely, “Ye, Hyung.”

Other Books in the Series


About the Author


W.R. Gingell is a Tasmanian author who lives in a house with a green door. She loves to rewrite fairytales with a twist or two–and a murder or three–and original fantasy where dragons, enchantresses, and other magical creatures abound. Occasionally she will also dip her toes into the waters of SciFi. You can visit her Amazon Author Page HERE.

W.R. spends her time reading, drinking an inordinate amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.


Giveaway

1 winner will receive audiobooks of BETWEEN JOBS and BETWEEN SHIFTS, the first two books in The City Between series (audiobook codes will be given through Tantor)
Provided by the author
Ends June 17, 2019

Have you read any of this author's books? Are you a paranormal fan? What did you think of the excerpt?

A story of redemption... The Crossing at Cypress Creek by Pam Hillman (Guest Post)


Welcome! I'm welcoming Pam Hillman to my blog today as
she talks a little about her newest release. Check it out below...

The Crossing at Cypress Creek
(Natchez Trace #3)
By Pam Hillman
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 432 Pages
June 4th 2019 by Tyndale House Publishers

Summary

Sailing and soldiering around the world has taken Caleb O’Shea far from his native Ireland, so he never imagined that a promise to see a fellow crewman safely home would practically land him on his brother’s doorstep. After spending years away from his family, Caleb isn’t certain what kind of reception he will receive when he steps foot in Natchez, Mississippi. The one thing he knows for sure is that he won’t stay long.

Since her sister was kidnapped by river pirates six months ago, Alanah Adams has taken special care to avoid drawing attention to herself. Those living in the rough-and-tumble settlement of Cypress Creek might even think she’s addled. But when she stumbles into Caleb and his friends in Natchez, she appears to be the picture-perfect lady.

Caleb only catches glimpses of the mysterious and beautiful Alanah before she disappears. But a chance encounter with her at his brother’s logging camp near Cypress Creek leaves him uncomfortable at the thought of the young woman traversing the dangerous area alone. At a crossroads in his life, Caleb must decide whether he wants to give up the worldly adventures he’s been seeking for one closer to home.

(Affiliate links included.)

Guest Post:
Redeem the Substance
by Pam Hillman

Much like meeting strangers for the first time, when I started planning my Natchez Trace series, I didn’t know my characters at all, especially the characters who would not make appearances until the second or third book. At that point, I was focused on the hero and heroine in the first book.

When I gave my editor a few lines about Caleb O’Shea, the hero in The Crossing at Cypress Creek, I said he was a dark-haired, dark-eyed Irishman who’d left his family behind in Ireland and spent the last few years crisscrossing the globe as a mercenary and merchant seaman. It didn’t occur to me that he might be following in the footsteps of the Prodigal.

When it began to look like we might have a viable series proposal, my editor asked for a spiritual tie-in for the entire series. Suddenly, I was stumped. I chose and discarded half a dozen ideas, not exactly pleased with any of them. Then I looked at my notes one last time, and it hit me. The three heroes in my series represented the father, the elder son, and the younger son from the story of the Prodigal.

But again, how could this be? To those of us familiar with the story of the Prodigal, the younger son asks his father for “the portion of goods that falleth to me.” Of course, his father divided his estate and not long after, the younger son went into a far country and “wasted his substance with riotous living”.

The O’Sheas were penniless Irishmen, so how could Caleb be an 18th-century party boy? I wasn’t sure either, but I knew he was a prodigal. Caleb O’Shea had no money to waste, but he wasted much of his youth in unknown parts of the world away from his family. He wasted his talents, his compassion, his desire for health, hearth, and home.

Did you know that “possessions, means, and wealth” are way down the list of definitions for the word substance? You don’t have to be a rich playboy or debutante to waste your substance. For many of us middle-class Americans, it’s not monetary riches we waste, but we waste our time instead of helping others. We waste our God-given talents on meaningless pursuits.

But when all is said and done, the Father is watching and waiting, and it’s never too late to redeem the substance.

Other Books in the Series

Linked to my review (book one) and to Amazon (book two).

About the Author


Award-winning author Pam Hillman writes inspirational fiction set in the turbulent times of the American West and Gilded Age. Her novel Claiming Mariah won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart award. She lives in Mississippi with her husband and family. Visit her website at www.pamhillman.com.



Have you read any of the books in this series or by this author? Do you like stories that retell the story of the prodigal son?

A story of struggle and heart... The Crossing at Cypress Creek by Pam Hillman (Review)

The Crossing at Cypress Creek
(Natchez Trace #3)
By Pam Hillman
Christian Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 432 Pages
June 4th 2019 by Tyndale House Publishers

Summary

Sailing and soldiering around the world has taken Caleb O’Shea far from his native Ireland, so he never imagined that a promise to see a fellow crewman safely home would practically land him on his brother’s doorstep. After spending years away from his family, Caleb isn’t certain what kind of reception he will receive when he steps foot in Natchez, Mississippi. The one thing he knows for sure is that he won’t stay long.

Since her sister was kidnapped by river pirates six months ago, Alanah Adams has taken special care to avoid drawing attention to herself. Those living in the rough-and-tumble settlement of Cypress Creek might even think she’s addled. But when she stumbles into Caleb and his friends in Natchez, she appears to be the picture-perfect lady.

Caleb only catches glimpses of the mysterious and beautiful Alanah before she disappears. But a chance encounter with her at his brother’s logging camp near Cypress Creek leaves him uncomfortable at the thought of the young woman traversing the dangerous area alone. At a crossroads in his life, Caleb must decide whether he wants to give up the worldly adventures he’s been seeking for one closer to home.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

THE CROSSING AT CYPRESS CREEK is one of those stories that is tough in spots to read because of the terrible choices men make and those who suffer due to those choices. Countered against this grit and darkness are these good men and families who are honorable, and those who trust in their faith in God and the love of their families. It's a faith-based story with complex characters and a tough situation, with danger at every turn, but with hope towards a better end. 

I really liked these characters! Caleb and Alanah were both well drawn characters with flaws, fears, strengths, and hopes. They both have struggled with their faith and with finding their place—or at least finding home and being able to settle instead of fighting for survival each day. I loved how Caleb was never fooled by Alanah and how they both learned to trust in each other. Love crept up on them slowly and without their say so, which made it fun to watch when they tried to deny their growing feelings for each other.

There were also other characters from prior books in this series. I think reading the other books would have enhanced this story, but wasn't necessary to follow or enjoy it. I read the first book and enjoyed it quite a bit, so it was fun to see those characters appear here.

I do have to say that the covers for this series are so lovely, including the one for this book. I did feel they were a little misleading, because this story is full of grit, some pretty brutal violence, and a really rough road for both characters. Of course, there is also family, forgiveness, redemption, and love. Just don't be fooled thinking this will be a lighter read. It's full of complex characters, struggle, and triumph.

I did have a few issues with the story. I felt some of the violence was overly brutal. I didn't quite need the visuals to understand the depravity of the villains or the historical setting. I also felt the religious element was really strong, almost radical in Alanah's uncle. Then there was the ending that was tied off a little too perfectly. These were just a few things that rubbed me wrong as I read.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, I liked this story. The parts with Caleb, his brothers, Alanah and her sister and Lydia, as well as some of the other relationships were joyful and sweet. I especially loved the romance. Other parts were fairly brutal, but definitely played counter to the sweet moments making them even sweeter.

Content: Some gritty settings, references to rape and murder, drinking, and some brutal violence.
Source: I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

Check out a guest post from the author here and my review of the first book in this series, The Promise of Breeze Hill, here.

If you're a fairy tale fan... Golden Gown by Sarah E. Boucher (Guest Post & #Giveaway)



Welcome to my tour stop! I love fairy tales and I always love seeing how an author can retell a story and make it their own. Below I'm sharing this author's post about her publishing experience and the tour giveaway. There's also a Facebook event page and some ebook deals. Check them out...

Golden Gown
By Sarah E. Boucher
YA Fantasy, Fairy Tale
Paperback & ebook, 266 Pages
May 3rd 2019

Summary

Elyse has lost everything; her parents, her family home, and the village where she is loved and respected. Still grieving, she arrives in a new town where she must prove her skills as a seamstress. Overnight, she creates a gown stunning enough to catch the princess’s eye and win the community’s approval. With every eligible maiden clamoring for her designs, Elyse must do everything in her power to appease them. No one can ever know that in the moments when she doubts her abilities, a mysterious stranger with a talent for tailoring and a penchant for damsels in distress comes to her aid. If anyone ever discovers the truth, her reputation will be ruined.

Golden Gown is a blending of the classic fairy tales Rumpelstiltskin and The Shoemaker and The Elves. The magic of pure love woven through the tale will touch the hearts of all of its readers.

(Affiliate link included.)

Facebook Event Page & Deals!

Check out the Facebook Event Page for fun stuff and giveaways here.

During the Blog Tour, Becoming Beauty and Midnight Sisters will be $.99 each on Kindle!

Being a Hybrid Author
By Sarah E. Boucher 

I was nothing more than a wide-eyed idealist when I started publishing books five years ago. When a local publishing house accepted Becoming Beauty, I remember completely freaking out. Seriously, there was stomping and whooping and hollering. The same thing happened when I saw the cover art for the first time. I was euphoric. However, a couple of years later when the same publishing house passed on Midnight Sisters, I breathed a sigh of relief and jumped right into the world of self-publishing.

Here’s why:

Publishing a book is about as intuitive as bringing home a new baby from the hospital. Sure, it’s cute. Sure, you adore it. But as soon as that new baby smell wears off, you’re left questioning your ability to do what needs to be done.

Oh, and you’re tired. So, so tired.

I’m sure some people come to the publishing game with a lot more experience than I did, but as I’ve connected with aspiring authors, I’ve come to realize that few people know much rests on their own shoulders as soon as they enter into a publishing contract. Working with editors and cover artists to make your baby novel the most beautiful thing it can be and then marketing it is completely overwhelming when you have no idea what you’re doing.

I was definitely overwhelmed.

The first time I interacted with an editor, I didn’t know if I was allowed to say, “No, that’s not really what I wanted,” or if I just had to roll with it. I learned pretty early on that when editors make suggestions, following those suggestions generally strengthens the story as a whole. (That being said, I remember the day when I put my foot down and said, “Oh yes, dude editor, please bestow all your knowledge about beaded slippers.” I knew he would not win that argument!)

Marketing was the same story. I remember asking, “Who’s going to run a blog tour?” (Because I’d been to an indie writers conference and I had at least one intelligent question to ask. Hooray!) And the answer was that if I wanted a blog tour, they’d give me contact information for bloggers, but I’d be either hiring my own blog tour company or managing everything myself. Luckily, I’d taken great notes during that particular indie writers class, so I just did it myself.

And I learned that I was pretty good at it.

You live and you learn, right? Just as baby number three is no less exhausting than baby number one, you have a few tricks up your sleeve at that point. That’s what happened to me. I’d connected with a lot of writers on social media and chatted authors up at various writer conferences and I began to see that many of them had had experiences similar to mine whether they were traditionally published or self-published.

The bottom line is authors are expected to do most of the work. In other words, get used to changing dirty diapers, sweetie.

However, as soon as I realized that, I looked at my friends who were self-published. They’d chosen to do all the work themselves from the beginning. As soon as I realized that I’d be doing most of the heavy lifting anyway, I began to see the allure of publishing what you want according to your own schedule. As I was waiting to hear if the publishing house wanted Midnight Sisters, I began to quietly build a self-publishing team with editors, proofreaders, cover artists, and marketing gurus.

Thank heavens I had friends who had paved the way for me, because when Midnight Sisters was back in my hands, I was excited to take on the whole process.

I will always be grateful to that small publishing company for taking an interest in a no-name writer with a hopelessly flawed manuscript. I learned so much from that first experience with publishing. Today, I’m pleased to be my own woman. If my books fail or succeed, I have no one to blame but myself.

And I kind of love that.

Other Books by the Author

 Linked to my reviews.

About the Author


Sarah E. Boucher is a lover of fairy stories, romance, anything BBC and Marvel, and really, really cute shoes. On weekdays she wears respectable shoes and serves as Miss Boucher, the Queen of Kindergarten. On school holidays she writes stories about romance and adventure. And wears impractical super cute shoes.

Sarah is a graduate of Brigham Young University. She lives and works in northern Utah. Midnight Sisters is her second novel. Visit Sarah at SarahEBoucher.com or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Amazon, or Goodreads.

Tour-Wide Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Do you like fairy tale retellings? What do you like about this one?

I Can't Wait for... Song of the Abyss by Makiia Lucier (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday) #CWW #WOW


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

I still need to read the first book in this series, Isle of Blood and Stone, but I have heard fabulous things about both. I love that this is a standalone as they're so rare, especially in fantasy (sometimes it's just too much pressure to commit to an five plus book series). I also love the cover (do you see the octopus?), and most importantly, the description totally sounds like my kind of thing. It's my pick this week...

Song of the Abyss
(Tower of Winds #2)
By Makiia Lucier
YA Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook, 368 Pages
August 27th 2019 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary

Ancient grievances, long-held grudges, and dangerous magic combine in this sweeping standalone fantasy perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Rachel Hartman.

They came in the night as she dreamt, in her berth, on a ship sailing home to del Mar. After, they would be all Reyna thought about: two carracks painted scorpion black. No emblem on either forecastle, no pennants flying above the mainmasts to hint at a kingdom of origin.

Never a good sign.

As the granddaughter of a famed navigator, seventeen-year-old Reyna has always lived life on her own terms, despite those who say a girl could never be an explorer for the royal house of St. John del Mar. She is determined to prove them wrong, and as she returns home after a year-long expedition, she knows her dream is within reach. No longer an apprentice, instead: Reyna, Master Explorer.

But when menacing raiders attack her ship, those dreams are pushed aside. Reyna's escape is both desperate and dangerous, and when next she sees her ship, a mystery rises from the deep. The sailors--her captain, her countrymen--have vanished. To find them, Reyna must use every resource at her disposal . . . including placing her trust in a handsome prince from a rival kingdom.

Together they uncover a disturbing truth. The attack was no isolated incident. Troubling signs point to a shadowy kingdom in the north, and for once, the rulers of the Sea of Magdalen agree: something must be done. But can Reyna be brave enough to find a way?

(Affiliate links included.)


Will you be reading this one?

Can a small island bring them together... On a Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Review & #Giveaway)


Welcome to my tour stop! Check out my review, a recipe, and giveaway below...

On a Summer Tide
(Three Sisters Island #1)
By Suzanne Woods Fisher
Christian Women's Fiction, Romance
Hardcover, Paperback & ebook, 320 Pages
April 30th 2019 by Revell

Summary

Sometimes love hurts—and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.

Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. “Moving on” is Cam’s mantra. But there’s a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on . . . and one who keeps moving.

Cam’s full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island—a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam’s surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, along with the locals—and one in particular. Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher harbors more than a few surprises.

With On a Summer Tide, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher begins a brand-new contemporary romance series that is sure to delight her fans and draw new ones.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

ON A SUMMER TIDE is one of those stories that draws you in with its family dynamics, small-town island setting, and heart. With complex characters and an endearing plot, it's sure to delight readers from beginning to end.

I easily fell in love with these characters. The author did such a great job with their different POVs and how I always knew whose voice was whose. Camden was definitely my favorite, but she also was the main focal point of this story. I also loved the other two sisters and their father. Then there was Peg and Seth and Cooper, who all were easy to love as well. Just a great set of characters overall. I also loved the idea of the island and flipping the camp and cabins. I loved the island and all the scenery and how Seth expands both Cam's and Cooper's visions. The inspirational element was handled really well too. I felt it was weaved through these characters' lives in a very natural way. The romance was sweet and didn't overtake the story. I'm looking forward to seeing more romance in coming books in the series as everything wasn't all wrapped up for Cam or for her sisters. I'm also excited to see how the camp and island has evolved in the next book. If you can't tell, I was really invested in this story and loved it!

The only thing I had issues with was I thought Maddie was over the top with her worries and anxieties, but also that her family followed and believed so many things she spouted off as well. I just felt like her family would at least be used to it and take her advice in stride more often than not, and definitely not encourage it.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! There were moments when I laughed, when I wanted to cry, and sweet moments of faith and romance. This family and island have grown on me. I definitely recommend picking this story up and am looking forward to finding out what happens next to the Grayson family.

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the tour host/NetGalley, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including Mending Fences, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.

More from Suzanne

Oh-So-Maine Blueberry Buckle


Summer in Maine means plump, tart blueberries are everywhere. Here’s a family recipe that is nearly fool-proof….and so delicious! Especially with a scoop or two with vanilla ice cream.

Ever wonder how it got the name Blueberry Buckle? While the batter rises as it bakes, but the blueberries and crumb topping weigh it down. This causes the surface of the cake to buckle…hence the name.

Batter:
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup soft butter
1 egg
½ cup milk
2 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups drained blueberries

Crumb Topping:
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup softened butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Mix sugar and butter with egg. Stir in milk Sift together and stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Carefully blend in blueberries. Put on topping before baking. Pour in a greased and floured 9” square pan.

Bake 45-50 minutes.


Tour Schedule

Carpe Diem, May 24
Mary Hake, May 25
C Jane Read, May 26
Empower Moms, May 27
Remembrancy, May 27
Hallie Reads, May 29
Quiet Quilter, June 3
By The Book, June 3

Tour-Wide Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!



Flight of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse (Tour Launch & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Launch for
Flight of the Raven
By Morgan L. Busse

Note from the Author

Dear Friends,

Welcome to this book tour of Flight of the Raven. I like to tell people I’m a writer by day and a mother by night. And when I’m not writing, I’m always daydreaming about my next novel (usually while sipping a hot cup of tea!).

Flight of the Raven is the second book in The Ravenwood Saga, a fantasy series that follows Selene Ravenwood, a young woman who possesses her family’s secret ability to dreamwalk. This gift has been used for hundreds of years to induce nightmares, but Selene has chosen a different way, and because of that she is now an exile.

I love her story; it is one of discovery, of pressing on to do the right thing when it would be so much easier to stay status quo, and love. She finds herself married to the man she was originally sent to assassinate and together, Selene and Damien are discovering what real love is and that they are more powerful together than alone.

Thank you for participating and enjoy this tour!

—Morgan

Flight of the Raven
(The Ravenwood Saga #2)
By Morgan L. Busse
Christian Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
April 30th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

Selene Ravenwood, once the heir to House Ravenwood, is now an exile. On the run and free of her family's destiny, Selene hopes to find the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking. But first she must adapt to her new life as wife to Lord Damien Maris, the man she was originally assigned to kill. 

While adjusting to her marriage and her home in the north, her power over dreams begins to grow. As the strongest dreamwalker to exist in ages, her expanding power attracts not only nightmares but the attention of the Dark Lady herself.

With a war looming on the horizon and a wicked being after her gift, Selene is faced with a choice: embrace the Dark Lady's offer, or search out the one who gave her the gift of dreamwalking. One path offers power, the other offers freedom. But time is running out, and soon her choice will be made for her.


Tour Schedule

May 28th:
Launch
Lands Uncharted
A Baker's Perspective
Uplifting Reads
The Caffeinated Bibliophile
May 29th:
Faithfully Bookish
JeanBookNerd
Ralene Burke, SHINE Beyond
Fiction Aficionado
May 30th:
Unicorn Quester
Daughter of Increase
Heidi Reads...
Just Your Average Reviews
May 31st:
Jorie Loves A Story
Bringing Up Books
Cobonham
Colorimetry
June 1st:
Bookworm Banquet
Tricia Mingerink
Paper Ink & Lizard
Labor Not in Vain
June 3rd:
Backing Books
The Book Sprite
amandainpa
Cheyenne Reads
June 4th:
The Road of a Writer
Bookworm Lisa
Time of the Immortals
Inspirational Reading Adventures
June 5th:
Tell Tale Book Reviews
Loraine D Nunley, Author
J. L. Mbewe
Locks, Hooks and Books
June 6th:
H.S.J. Williams
Hallie Reads
Remembrancy
Pause for Tales
June 7th:
Min Reads and Reviews
Beautifully Broken
Wishful Endings
For the Love of Christian Fiction

Other Books in the Series

Mark of the Raven
(The Ravenwood Saga #1)
By Morgan L. Busse
Christian Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
November 6th 2018 by Bethany House Publishers

Lady Selene is the heir to the Great House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person’s dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. For the last hundred years, the Ravenwood women have used their gift of dreaming for hire to gather information or to assassinate.

As she discovers her family’s dark secret, Selene is torn between upholding her family’s legacy–a legacy that supports her people–or seeking the true reason behind her family’s gift.

Her dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations, but who will also bring about the downfall of her own house.

One path holds glory and power, and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and execution. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?


About the Author


Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series and the steampunk series The Soul Chronicles. She is a Christy and INSPY Award finalist and won the Carol Award in 2018 for best in Christian speculative fiction. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.


Tour Giveaway


1 winner will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven, Flight of the Raven, and a $20 Amazon gift card
2 winner winners will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven and Flight of the Raven
- US only
- Ends June 7, 2019

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Check out my #moodboard & review for The Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger Blogger Reread Campaign (Moodboard & Review)


I'm joining in a reread campaign in celebration of the third book in Ranger's
Apprentice: The Royal Ranger series, Duel at Araluen, being released (pre-order 
now or grab it tomorrow!). For today's post I'm sharing a moodboard for the series.

Moodboard


Find sources for these pictures as well as a more extensive
moodboard on my Royal Ranger Pinterest board here.

A New Beginning
(Rangers Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #1)
By John Flanagan
Middle Grade Fantasy
Hardcover, Audiobook, Paperback & ebook, 464 Pages
November 5th 2013 by Philomel Books

Summary

From #1 New York Times bestselling author John Flanagan comes the story that brings the Ranger's Apprentice series full-circle and ushers in a brand new arc starring Maddie, the Royal Ranger!

Will Treaty has come a long way from the small boy with dreams of knighthood. Life had other plans for him, and as an apprentice Ranger under Halt, he grew into a legend—the finest Ranger the kingdom has ever known. Yet Will is facing a tragic battle that has left him grim and alone. To add to his problems, the time has come to take on an apprentice of his own, and it’s the last person he ever would have expected: Princess Madelyn, the daughter of Princess Cassandra. Will has to win the trust and respect of his difficult new companion—a task that at times seems almost impossible.

John Flanagan returns to conclude the series that has conquered millions of readers worldwide with this pulse-pounding adventure that brings one era to a close, ushers in the next, starting the series anew starring Maddie, the Royal Ranger.

For fans of Tolkien, Redwall, Game of Thrones, and T.H. White, Ranger's Apprentice delivers fantasy-adventure thrills with real-world historical details.

(Affiliate links included.)

The Red Fox Clan
(Rangers Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #2)
By John Flanagan
Middle Grade Fantasy
Hardcover, Audiobook, Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
August 21st 2018 by Philomel Books

Summary

#1 New York Times bestselling author John Flanagan returns to the world of Ranger's Apprentice, continuing the story arc starring fan favorites, Will and Maddie (The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning).

Picking up where The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning left off, this next installment continues the story arc featuring young apprentice, Maddie, and the student-turned-master, Will Treaty. The time has come for the next generation to assume the mantle and become protectors of the kingdom of Araluen.

After passing her third-year assessment as a ranger's apprentice, Maddie is called home to Castle Araluen. Forced to keep her ranger training a secret, Maddie feels trapped by the monotony of castle life and longs to find a way out. But there are whisperings of a new threat to the kingdom. The mysterious Red Fox Clan, a group of anarchists all donning fox masks, have threatened Castle Araluen and question Princess Cassandra and Madelyn's succession to the throne. Will they succeed in unseating Cassandra and Madelyn and take the throne for themselves?

Bestselling author of the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series, John Flanagan returns in the captivating follow-up to The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning. Perfect for fans of Tolkien, Redwall, and Game of Thrones!

(Affiliate links included.)

Duel at Araluen
(Rangers Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #3)
By John Flanagan
Middle Grade Fantasy
Hardcover, Audiobook & ebook, 320 Pages
May 28th 2019 by Philomel Books

Summary

International bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger's Apprentice in this new installment of the Royal Ranger series starring Maddie, Will Treaty's fearless young apprentice.

King Duncan and Princess Cassandra are trapped in the south tower of Castle Araluen and under near-constant attack from the Red Fox Clan. Sir Horace and Ranger Commandant Gilan are holed up in an old hill fort, surrounded by the enemy. And Ranger's apprentice Maddie is the only one who can save them all.

With the help of Hal, Thorn, and the rest of the Heron brotherband, Maddie will have to break her father and his men out of the hill fort, but will they reach Castle Araluen in time?

International bestselling author of the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series, John Flanagan returns in the captivating next installment of the Royal Ranger series: The Royal Ranger: Duel at Araluen. Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Jacques's Redwall, and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones!

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review of Duel at Araluen (Book Three)

DUEL AT ARALUEN is another exciting and satisfying addition to the Royal Ranger series. Full of beloved characters, danger, adventure, and a triumphant ending that is sure to delight readers. Highly recommended!

I was so excited to start this book after finishing THE RED FOX CLAN, which ended on quite a cliffhanger. This story picked right up from where it had left off. Maddie gets to test her skills and really comes into her own in this story. She also gets some help from some old friends of her parents, blending three series (this one, Ranger's Apprentice, and Brotherband) all together. I couldn't help outright grinning during parts when Maddie and her allies triumph and when their enemies make mistakes and get frustrated. It was a fun, entertaining, heartfelt read. I'm looking forward to more from this series and hopefully more with Will Treaty (who I missed in this story).

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was another fabulous adventure in this series. Readers will be turning the pages as fast as they can as they cheer on Maddie and the other characters in defeating their foes. Recommended to fans of the series and fantasy readers in general.

Content: Some violence, but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

About the Author


John Flanagan grew up in Sydney, Australia, hoping to be a writer. John began writing Ranger’s Apprentice for his son, Michael, ten years ago, and is still hard at work on the series and its spinoff, Brotherband Chronicles. He currently lives in the suburb of Manly, Australia, with his wife. In addition to their son, they have two grown daughters and four grandsons.

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Are you a Ranger's Apprentice fan? Have you begun this branch-off series? What do you think about the moodboard or my review?