Below is a book description, author bio, and purchase links for STARLIGHT JEWEL one of the semifinalists this year for the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award. This was one of my favorites as a panelist.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
The human city of Minalav is renowned for its lavish balls, where nobles bring wealth from distant lands to the Starlight Palace, to be romanced—and robbed—by the half-human hybrids who live below the city. The wealthy guests leave without their treasure, and with no memory of their evening—except the unforgettable feelings that bring them back, season after season. But the magic of Minalav is built on dark secrets and lies.
Axly, a hybrid assassin and seductress-thief, will do anything to protect her human half-brother. The path of blood and chaos she carves will tip the precious balance of Minalav, and the world around it.
Go to Lyons Pen Books for more info on the world and characters!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
E.L. Lyons is the author of STARLIGHT JEWEL, her first published novel and the first entry in the Gifts of the Auldtree series.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Regent University. She’s worked as a pool manager, beauty department manager, relief counselor at a youth shelter and as a live-in caregiver. She hopes to finish her next novel from a loft overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.
PURCHASE LINK
Click on the cover to buy STARLIGHT JEWEL on Amazon.
Indie Weekend is my effort to help Indie Authors with marketing. Marketing is probably the biggest task authors have, and if I can help even a little, I’m happy to do it. You can help too by sharing this far and wide with your social media followers. Indie authors will appreciate that SO MUCH. Below please see my review of DREAMLAND by Patricia Furstenberg and take a historical and literary tour of Romania.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Discover the untold tales that shaped history and folklore in DREAMLAND through well-crafted 100-word stories: “A Captivating Read, Delightful and Fascinating”, “A Magical Tour Through Romania’s History and Folklore.”
Dreamland reveals the epic narratives and whimsical photography behind the legends we thought we knew, inviting you to dive deeper into a world where history meets myth.
BOOK REVIEW
DREAMLAND is an amazing collection of 100-word stories filled with the folklore and history of Romania. I learned so much from the history presented in this book. The 100-word stories are all excellent and pack a punch. It is not easy to convey a whole plot in 100 words, but the author does it well. The historical facts shared after each story are so well researched, and the author is definitely an expert in Romanian history.
I was fascinated by all the stories, but my favorites were “Elusive Decebalus and the Strei Treasure” and “Full Moon, Magic, and Wolves.” The best way to learn is to be entertained, and Furstenberg is a master at this, providing readers with magical stories while also imparting her great knowledge of Romania.
Dreamland is book two in the ROMANIA IN 100-WORD STORIES series. My review of Book 1, TRANSYLVANIA’S HISTORY A TO Z, is here.
I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited, where subscribers can read it for free.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amazon Bestseller and Award Winning writer Patricia Furstenberg is the author of JOYFUL TROUBLE, SILENT HEROES: When Love and Values Are Worth Fighting for (chosen One in Five Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime), and new releases DREAMLAND and TRANSYLVANIA’S HISTORY A to Z. With a medical degree behind her, Patricia writes about unconditional love and war, while her keen interest for history and dogs brought her writing, through a perfect loop, to her native Romania, Patricia being the creator of #Im4Ro hashtag, sharing positive stories.
Her latest books, “Dreamland” and “Transylvania’s History A to Z” are “a wonderful combination of stories, photos, history, and legends.”
When she’s not writing, Patricia enjoys reading, researching forthcoming books, and traveling with her family. She never counts how many cups of coffee she enjoys in a day.
Patricia lives happily with her husband, children, and dogs in sunny South Africa.
*If you read the book(s), please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books. Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers. A little bit of assistance from all of us will help Indie authors go a long way!
Answer: A bookworm I guess. I guess a reader could be anyone who reads, and a bookworm loves books, so I would definitely say I’m the latter. The dictionary definition defines a bookworm as “someone unusually devoted to reading and study,” so I guess that’s me, minus the “study” part. My reading is for fun.
I will say with Netgalley I used to find myself reading to meet a deadline if I didn’t enjoy the book, but now I will DNF that book in a heartbeat because my reading must be fun.
How about you? Are you a bookworm or a reader? Also, how do you feel about DNFing a book if you aren’t enjoying it?
Alabama 1970s. When Nub Taylor decides to initiate a drunken car chase in Park (temporarily renamed Papk), Alabama, he ends up in the hospital next to 15-year-old Minnie Bass, who has just lost her mother due to suicide. Theirs is an unlikely friendship, for Nub can’t even stay sober long enough to have a relationship with his actual daughter, Emily, who has just received a terminal cancer diagnosis. In a series of events that can only happen in a small town, Nub applies to be Minnie’s foster parent. But there are secrets that are about to be revealed that will change everyone forever.
I started this at night and finished it the next morning. I loved it so much that I gave it ten stars, even though my rating system is based on five stars. Because it was just that good, and I felt like breaking my own rules. This is an amazing story of love, forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. The Southern small-town cast of characters–good, bad, and judgmental–is a delight. Throw in bullies, organized crime, and a mysterious protector, and this is a book you won’t want to put down. I laughed and sobbed. That’s how good this was. I want to read everything this author has ever written. Apparently Sean Dietrich has written 31 books, so I have 30 to go.
If you love Southern Fiction, read this! If you love Small Town fiction, read this. If you love redemptive stories about found family, read this! If you want to laugh and cry, read this. Read it. You won’t be disappointed. I loved it so much I’ve already preordered the audiobook.
I received a free copy of this book from Harper Muse via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Kinfolk will be released on November 14, 2023.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR (FROM HIS WEBSITE)
Sean Dietrich is a columnist, novelist, and stand-up storyteller known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Newsweek, Southern Living, Reader’s Digest, Garden and Gun, The Tallahassee Democrat, the Birmingham News, and The Mobile Press Register. His column appears in newspapers throughout the U.S. He has authored fifteen books and is the creator of the Sean of the South Podcast. He also makes appearances on the Grand Ole Opry.
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most cadets would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
BOOK REVIEW
I picked this up to see what everyone was raving about, and now I know. The story, the cutthroat, dragon-riding world, and the characters are all so good that the reader will keep coming back for more. This series, called the EMPYREAN series, is a phenomenon happening right now, and rumor has it that Amazon is developing a TV series. FOURTH WING is seriously addictive. A college for dragon riders! Tell me more! The tagline: “Graduate or die” just reels you in. It was published in May 2023 and already has over 100,000 reviews on Amazon. I have not seen this level of excitement about a series of books since Harry Potter. It is already successful, and there will no doubt be a lot more success in the future. The second book, IRON FLAME, comes out Tuesday, November 7th. I am waiting for this next book release as if Tuesday is Christmas morning. It’s a phenomenon for sure.
I did not get a free copy of this book. I bought it, even though I have free books lined up on my shelves to review. Then I bought the audiobook so I could experience it again. I now have the Kindle and Audiobook versions of IRON FLAME on preorder. Jump on board this train. You won’t regret it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rebecca Yarros is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including FOURTH WING, and is always ready to bring on the emotions. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence in New Adult for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.
She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for twenty-one years. She’s the mother of six children and lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldog, feisty chinchillas, and Maine Coon cat who rules them all. Having fostered and then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.
Apparently there was an earthquake in my other home city of Bryson City, NC today. It was only a little over 2.0, but quite unusual for that area, I think. I don’t think of North Carolina when I think of earthquakes. The only time I’ve ever felt one, I was in Japan.
This past week, besides work, I’ve done some baking. I made some rye bread in my new bread machine, and it turned out really well. This new machine has a setting for regular cake, so I actually made a loaf-shaped chocolate cake in my bread machine! It turned out really good. We decided to freeze half of it because it’s quite large and there’s only two of us.
Something I learned today: If you buy “vegetable oil,” you’re buying soybean oil. I have developed a sensitivity to soy, including soybean oil and soy lecithin, so I have to read every label. Soy is in EVERYTHING! I had to get soy-free chocolate to make my ganache above, because soy is in most chocolate. Sadly.
I had two more failed attempts at making mayonnaise today. I watch people make it quite easily on the internet, but it’s not working for me. I thought I had it figured out at one point, but I can’t get it to work consistently. Sadly most mayonnaise has soy in it. I refuse to give up, so I went to Sam’s and bought a bunch of eggs. Try, try again.
I’m very excited about Iron Flame coming out on Tuesday, so I’m putting up a review of Fourth Wing on Sunday. Fourth Wing and Iron Flame are books One and Two of the Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros. If you haven’t read Fourth Wing, read it. It’s the next big thing and deserves every accolade. I haven’t looked forward to the next book in a series like this since Harry Potter. They are even having some midnight release parties in various locations, just like they did with Harry Potter. Language Warning: More “F” bombs than most books that I read.
Tuesday I will participate in Top Ten Tuesday and share “Book Titles that Would Make Great Newspaper Headlines.”
I will be putting up a review of Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich on Wednesday.
Friday I will participate in Book Blogger Hop if time permits.
This weekend I will review at least two Indie titles for Indie Weekend.
2024… Your Year of More is your go-to book to set goals and mindfully invest your efforts. It appeals to adults of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds who wish to improve their lives. Its pages are packed with something special for everyone.
The pages contain practical ideas from A to Z, thought-provoking questions, and self-reflective exercises that inspire you to live your best life.
The book is an ideal companion during your moments of solitude. You can read it in the early morning before the rest of the world wakes up or during the evenings after a long day. You may also find it enjoyable while writing in your journal or taking a lunch break.
Enthusiastic indie author Noah William Smith knows the blessings and challenges of intelligence, creativity, high sensitivity and being a minority, underdog and outsider. While his books are based on his experiences, they offer valuable insights without being prescriptive or offering advice.
The book’s authenticity and invaluable insights make it a compelling read that will remain relevant for many years!
Are you considering investing in yourself or searching for the perfect gift for someone special? 2024… Your Year of More is a life-changing book that you cannot afford to miss!
Write down powerful motivational takeaways that will keep you energized and driven to give your best efforts! You can make 2024 your best year yet!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR (IN HIS OWN WORDS) (PART OF AMAZON BIO)
Hello, I’m Noah William Smith! I hope you’re doing well today!
I’m a 38-year-old South African author who enjoys both the profound truths of life and the daily simple pleasures. I enjoy writing, especially in my wife’s company and while the dogs sleep.
I write about goals, clarity of thinking, feeling content, self-reflection, self-help, self-improvement, self-development, and personal growth. Above all, I write about self-motivation!
I’m an enthusiastic self-help author! I am thrilled to announce the release of my new book, “2024… Your Year of More”. The digital and paperback versions are available on Amazon! If you want to read it, I look forward to your review! The hardcover version will be available on 15 December 2023.
October 2023 has been exciting! Check out “Staying in with Noah William Smith” on Linda’s Book Bag. Also, enjoy the “Embracing the Journey” interview on Literary Titan. I thoroughly enjoy interactions with the literary community!
All my books can be read as standalone and in any order. “How to Motivate Yourself in 15 Minutes” and “How to Become Emotionally Smarter” are the most popular, exceeding 5,000 Amazon downloads each.
To stay updated on my new releases and special deals, please follow me on Amazon and Goodreads.
To email me, note that I am smithnoahwilliam at gmail (you know the rest!).
Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.
Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late.
The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.
BOOK REVIEW
In Florida, 1950, Robert and Gloria’s father is chased out of town on false charges, but his real “crime” was asking for better pay and conditions for African American workers. Their mother has already died of cancer, so they are left in the care of an elderly friend. Then while protecting his sister, Robert kicks the privileged son of the McCormacks, who are wealthy and powerful landowners. With the bang of a gavel, Robert is sent to The Gracetown School for Boys, a strict reform school. This is a place of death, torture, and pain, especially if you are not white. And it is also full of ghosts, or “haints.” Robert’s not the only one who can see the haints, but he can see them better than most, a gift he will soon regret. Meanwhile on the outside, Gloria is desperately working for his release.
This is a heart-wrenching novel with a paranormal twist. The saddest and most horrible fact is that this school is based on a school of another name that actually operated in Florida. The evil that exists in the school is powerfully portrayed through both man and spirit. The fate of many of the young boys who were tortured and killed will leave the reader in tears. The paranormal twist brings the deaths to the forefront in a strong and unforgettable way. Gloria’s role as Robert’s constant who will never give up shines through in a light of hope, as does another special character Robert sees in the school. The evil is personified in so many people, and not just murderers, but racists, corrupt judges, and those who shrugged and looked the other way. It is a well-written but deeply horrifying novel that the reader will not, and should not, forget.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TANANARIVE DUE (tah-nah-nah-REEVE doo) is an award-winning author who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA. She is an executive producer on Shudder’s groundbreaking documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror. She and her husband/collaborator, Steven Barnes, wrote “A Small Town” for Season 2 of Jordan Peele’s “The Twilight Zone” on Paramount Plus, and two segments of Shudder’s anthology film Horror Noire. They also co-wrote their upcoming Black Horror graphic novel The Keeper, illustrated by Marco Finnegan. Due and Barnes co-host a podcast, “Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!”
A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. She and her husband live with their son, Jason.
You must be logged in to post a comment.