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Entombed In Glass- Release Blitz! #YA #fairytale

 If you’re here for The Cephalopod Coffeehouse, you’re in the right place. I have a treat for you today. I’m a huge fan of Stacey Rourke and jumped on a chance to read an ARC of the second book in her Unfortunate Souls Chronicles. Before you dive into all the Rourke goodness, if you want to see the result of my Graphic Novel Read-A-Thon, just click the bold text to watch the wrap-up video.
Without further ado, I give you…
Title: Entombed in Glass
Series: Unfortunate Soul Chronicles #2
Author: Stacey Rourke
Genre: YA Fantasy, Fairy tale retelling
Release Date: March 29, 2018
 Mirror, mirror on the wall.
What’s behind that fated call?
He’s the seer of present, future, and past,
Yet remains a nameless face entombed in glass.

Raised as a servant in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica, Alastor worked his way up to a regal member of the Royal Guard. Only as a decorated soldier did he stand a chance of winning the hand of the woman he’s loved since childhood … Poseidon’s only daughter, Princess Vanessa. But, when the war against humans rages, dark magics are evoked to give the mermen a fighting chance. Temporarily granted legs, they charge from the sea into a doomed battle.

Doing the bidding of his masters as a trusted pawn,
The claims of his loyalty couldn’t be more wrong. 

Waking on land, with bodies all around, Alastor’s lone goal becomes returning to the ocean and the only life he’s ever known. A plan that is quickly diverted when Hades, Lord of the Underworld, appears with a twisted agenda all his own. Cast to a land far from the lapping comforts of home, Alastor’s sole companion is a troubled misfit named Sterling that soon comes to depend on him. Trained to be a hero, how far is Alastor willing to go to return to the woman he loves? And can he live with the sacrifices he’s forced to make?

Each day he schemes to break free from their thrall,
and honor a self-made vow … to kill them all.
BUY

My Review

I’m really enjoying the Unfortunate Souls Chronicles series. I thought Rise of the Sea Witch was wonderful. This second installment of the series, Entombed in Glass, is also pretty good. Where the first book in the series focused on one central story, the second book in the series veers off a bit. I think because there’s so much going on in this second book, it was hard for me to fall in love with it, as much as I did the first book. I would say that this book is a 3.5 to 4-star rating overall, where is the first one was a 4.5.

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So, I was very excited and surprised to see that there was a definite connection between the first and second book in the series. At first, I was afraid that the Unfortunate Souls Chronicles would all be standalone stories, but I like that they are connected. As Vanessa’s tale ends in book one before Ursula rises, her true love Alastor’s tale begins in book 2. If only the book focused just on his story, it might have gone over better for me. But, don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad story. I really did enjoy it.

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In book 2, we get to follow Alastor on a journey to return home, but he’s not alone. First, he’s forced into the service of Hades, god of the underworld. Next, he gets a traveling companion in Sterling, who has a story all of his own. This is where things get a bit complicated. We have an Atlantean living on land, trying to make his hero’s journey, while also being accompanied by a character who clearly seems to be from Wonderland. As if that wasn’t confusing enough, at some point we make it all the way to Neverland. I won’t say too much more than that for fear of giving away spoilers.

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Clearly, there’s a lot going on in this story. How it is that Alastor goes from the sea to ending up stuck within the mirror is a very interesting and involved story. In true Rourke fashion, there is a lot of humor, but there’s also a lot of terror and fright. It’s a complicated story and just barely gets by without being convoluted- a true mark of Rourke’s mastery.

This whole installment seems to boil down to the idea that Alastor is a good man of his word who is constantly stuck trying to do the right thing, and unfortunately, ends up sacrificing himself to help others. It’s clear that his story doesn’t end here. There has to be another book for all his journeys and hard work to pay off and make sense. 
I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review, which in no way influenced my review or rating. 
Recommended to true fans of YA fairy tale retellings and mash-ups.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click image to read my review.

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013 
Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner for Crane 2015

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Reel Romance Series. She currently hard at work on the Unfortunate Soul Chronicles, and additional literary projects. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Virtual Book Tours

Hardcover Release Blitz for The Rite of Wands. #fantasy

Mackenzie_Web_Banner_02
One of the most frequent questions I am asked as an author is what inspired me to write The Rite of Wands. I have always found that question interesting because when you think about it, inspiration is different for everyone. It may be a memory, a character from a book, song lyrics, a political speech, a TV series, or even an actor’s performance. Pure imagination is in all of us—we only need to discover it, and sometimes storytelling helps. Inspiration can come to us in any shape or form; you never know what or who may inspire you.

Mackenzie Flohr and BHC Press are pleased to announce the upcoming release of The Rite of Wands in hardcover!

In this special edition of the first book in the award winning young adult series, The Rite of Wands, releasing November 11, 2017, readers will be enchanted by a brand new short-story never before published!

For more information, visit: http://www.mackenzieflohr.com/theriteofwands.html

Blurb:
One boy…one Rite… And a world of deadly secrets that could change the course of history—forever

And so begins the tale of Mierta McKinnon. When a horrible fate reveals itself during template-1-12172901503297868-largehis Rite of Wands ceremony, he must find a way to change not only his destiny but also the land of Iverna’s.

Forbidden from revealing the future he foresees to anyone, he is granted a wand and his magical powers, but still must master the realm of magic in order to save himself and those he loves.

But Mierta is not the only one with secrets…especially when it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Excerpt:
“For God’s sake, get out of the road!” he heard a voice shout from the direction of the out of control carriage. “Hail, Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee…”

Mortain stared forward, frozen, unable to move. Life at that very moment seemed to slow to a near standstill. He could hear his heart beating in his ears as the horse and carriage barrelled down upon him. His mind concluded that this was how his life was going to end, rather than the way his Rite of Wands had dictated. There was nothing more tragic than being unable to be who he was.

“Vorbíllion!”

Mortain was abruptly lifted off the ground and thrown into a nearby water trough. As he sat up, feeling the water soak through his robe and tunic, he watched a beautiful woman wearing her long black hair in a twist to the side substitute herself in the place he had been previously standing.

She gazed over to Mortain with annoyance, her green eyes shifting into what appeared to be snake eyes as she reached out a bare hand towards the carriage and shouted, “Concye halímo!”

The horse snorted and quickly came to a halt.

Bio:
DKQIJ2hUQAAc9IJ.jpg-largeMackenzie Flohr is the author of the popular young adult fantasy series The Rite of Wands, which has caught the attention of Doctor Who and Harry Potter fans worldwide. Readers agree that Mackenzie has crafted a robust tale of secrets, mystery, and uncertain destiny that rivals the works of Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling.

Mackenzie grew up in Cleveland, OH, chasing leprechauns and rainbows and dreaming of angels. Her parents nurtured a love of fantasy and make-believe by introducing her at a very young age to the artistic and cultural opportunities that the city had to offer. Yet, it wasn’t until she was on a trip to Indiana, viewing a Lord of the Rings exhibit, that the innermost desire of her heart became clear to her.

Fans have become enchanted by Mierta McKinnon, describing him as an innocent, rambunctious, trouble-seeking, realistic, and believable character whom has quickly become a fan favorite. The Rite of Wands follows the young warlock as he seeks to fulfill his destiny and cure the land of Iverna of a horrendous disease called The Shreya. Readers will find themselves immersed into his story and feel like they are a part of his journey.

For more information on Mackenzie, visit her website at: http://www.mackenzieflohr.com

Other Social Media Links
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MackenzieFlohrAuthor/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MackenzieFlohr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mackenzieflohr/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mackenzieflohr
Amazon Author Page: com/author/mackenzieflohr

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Stranger to Blackwood blog tour #PRN

Check out this cool series and then stick around for the giveaway at the end.

Bound to Blackwood
House Blackwood Book One
by Sharon Lipman
Genre: Paranormal Romance
via GIPHYWould you surrender your soul for the love of the King?Lena, a vampire and a Guardian of the Order, has been honour-bound to protect human souls all her life. Acting first and thinking second is what’s saved her skin time and again in the war against the Fallen, but her disregard for orders soon catches up with her when her boss is seriously injured. Forced to take responsibility for her actions, Lena is thrust into the path of her very own kryptonite; Thorn. The raw power of his soul calls to her and his mere presence lights a fire within her that she cannot contain.With Vampire magic waning and the race in crisis, can either of them afford to ignore Nature’s call? If they do, the future of the race is in jeopardy. If they don’t, they will both lose the most precious part of themselves. Their souls.
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Stranger to Blackwood
House Blackwood Book Two
by Sharon Lipman
Genre: Paranormal Romance
via GIPHYWould you doom yourself to darkness if it meant saving the one you love? Ryver is the only telepath in living memory. Whether he wants to or not, he can hear the thoughts of everyone around him–their desires, their fears, and their darkest secrets. As a Vampire and Guardian of the Order, his skill is an asset. As a man, it’s a burden he wishes he didn’t have to carry. That is until he meets Ria. She’s beautiful, shy…and human. More than that, she hears him.A chance meeting brings them together, but the truth could rip them apart. Ria isn’t what she seems. As her heritage is revealed, can they find the light? If they do, it will enrage an old enemy and threaten everything they hold dear. If they don’t, one of them will be lost forever.

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Pre-Order at Amazon

About the Author

A huge fan of the paranormal romance genre, Sharon Lipman started writing in her teens. It wasn’t until she was in her thirties that she found a story she was desperate to share and House Blackwood was born. Her debut novel, Bound to Blackwood was published in 2015.

She was born in west London and grew up in leafy Surrey in south-east England. A lover of all things British, except the weather, she now lives in a tiny mountain village in Almeria, southern Spain with her husband and an ever-growing collection of dogs.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Join the Mailing List

Giveaway for a chance of winning a $10 Amazon gift certificate and an e-copy of Bound to Blackwood.

Enter Here!

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords