Blitz Tour Stop/Giveaway: The Last Summerville by Annabelle Lewis

The Last Summerville
Annabelle Lewis
Publication date: September 1st 2026
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

Twenty-two-year-old Georgia Parker already carries more regret than most people twice her age. Practically an orphan, she’s reeling from the death of her grandmother, Mimi—the one person who made her feel safe from the chaos of her mother’s world. Alone in Carson City, Nevada, Georgia is determined to start over, to stand on her own. Yet Mimi’s final words echo in her mind: Take risks. Trust people again. Be brave.

Then Heath Summerville steps into her life—charming, magnetic, protective, and so perfectly attuned to her needs it feels like fate. But the closer Georgia gets, the more she feels the pull of something she can’t name—something just beneath the surface of his charm.

Strange silences. Half-truths. High-society circles and an ancestral house that feels more like a trap than a refuge.

Lies are waiting to unravel. And by the time Georgia sees the truth, it might already be too late.

Goodreads / Amazon

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CHAPTER 1:

“Get me out of this godforsaken town and back to civilization,” Vicky grumbled.

Georgia, behind the wheel, glanced at her mom, Vicky, who was shakily applying lipstick while looking in a handheld compact mirror. Vicky clicked it shut, then pulled down the passenger visor, only to find the old car devoid of a larger mirror. She swatted it back up, then garbled a sound of exasperation before diving back into her purse in search of something else.

Georgia didn’t see the lure of Las Vegas like her mother did. It was one of many differences between them. “No!” she suddenly exclaimed when Vicky put a cigarette to her lips, intending to light it. “Not in the car.”

“Why are you such an old damn scold, Georgia?” Vicky scowled. “You’re twenty-two years old, for fuck’s sake. Your holier-than-thou bullshit has gotten worse. Every time I see you.”

Vicky shook her head, then turned to stare out the window. Georgia swallowed back the words she wanted to throw in her mom’s face.

Not today. Not after all they’d been through.

They spent the rest of the drive to the Carson City airport in awkward silence. Georgia pulled to the curb at the departures area and then walked to the back of the Ford Bronco to help retrieve the bags. Vicky took them, mumbled goodbye, and walked away without a hug.

“Goodbye, Mom,” Georgia called loudly as she shivered in the cold, standing next to the back of her Mimi’s Bronco. She watched Vicky drag her bag, her head bowed, her eyes already on her phone. She didn’t turn to give Georgia one last look of goodbye, nor acknowledge Georgia’s use of the tender moniker of “mom,” rather than the usual “Vicky.” It hurt. But why Georgia expected Vicky to suddenly become maternal was the bigger question. And neither of them had made falsely loving or empty promises to keep in touch.

Author Bio:

Annabelle Lewis—a pseudonym for the author—lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Regrettably? Perhaps. She still believes she’s a Texan even though the math no longer supports that. Nor her birthplace. Nor her residence. No offense, Minnesota. You’ve got your good points too, but only about six months of the year.

In her youth, Annabelle was a complete failure. Ask anyone who knew her. Any of her teachers and family would tell you this. High school graduation was a sad day for all when Annabelle walked proudly off the high school stage, her thoughts consumed with boys, beer, and after-parties, and later into the arms of her parents. Her father’s laughter and singular remark? “I didn’t think you’d make it. Get a job at the post office, they have a good retirement plan.”

A high bar and words to live by, but Annabelle wanted more. She needed to flunk out of college too. But damn, she sure did have a good time. Trivial arrest records not-withstanding, it was a growth period for our girl. And if you look closely, you’ll see a bit of what was to come when she majored in criminal justice. Her lifelong aspiration was to become a judge. Hmm.

For better or worse, Annabelle didn’t graduate from college but did find gainful employment and a fulfilling career. This path ended when she became a mom. Married to her wonderful George, who to this day can hardly remember an actual proposal, Annabelle finally became a mother. She didn’t have a clue how hard she would need to work to keep those self-imposed requirements of Downey-fresh, iron-pressed sheets, home-baked meals, and mom-of-the-year awards arriving. She composed a small self-affirmation song and made her children sing it to her for money. She was a very good mom.

After clearing the largest hurdles of motherhood and regrettably, begrudgingly, and not-without-tears, launching her children onto the world, she looked around and realized she had a lot to say. Picking up a laptop, she got to work.

Annabelle spends her days continuing to tackle the challenges of motherhood, for both her humans and canines. She also writes. And reads. And cleans. And cooks. And bakes. And cleans again. She also supports her husband, George, in an administrative capacity for their small business. She’s in charge of payroll and cuts George’s checks. This leads to no marital acrimony.

In the beginning, with the blank page staring at her and possibly in a hostile mood after being literally mauled by a dog and by the world in general, she had an idea. What if she could wield a force of good upon unsuspecting evil-doers? What if she had the resources to get the job done without dealing with committee and anyone else’s whiney-ass opinions?

It was gold. It took off. Annabelle sat down and began to write and couldn’t stop. To date, having written over a million words in the Carrows Family Chronicles and her second series on the Boston Clairvoyants, several items have become quite clear. Annabelle had a lot to say. Annabelle really enjoys writing. And although she hates all things technology, she begrudgingly pounds her head on her desk daily as obstacles are thrown in her path. Almost a hero.

Since entering her world of make-believe, she has rebelled against all intrusion of real-world responsibilities. Her house is a mess, but she tries. Her family is fed, but more often than not, on takeout. She vows to shower every day, but no, it’s a vow she’ll never keep. Her friends are neglected, but not in her heart.

Read her mordacious blog! Read her books! Follow her on social platforms! Sign up for her newsletter! These are all good things. What are you waiting for? Jump into bed with Annabelle. She’s having a swell time. You should join her. theannabellelewis.com annabellelewisauthor@gmail.com IG and Twitter: alewisauthor

GIVEAWAY!

The Last Summerville Blitz

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Book Tour Stop/Giveaway: Uprising by J. E. Rizzo

 

Uprising
J.E. Rizzo
(Fitzjohn Duology, #1)
Publication date: September 1st 2026
Genres: Adult, Historical

England, 1381 AD: Blanche Fitzjohn is an outcast in her small coastal village. Not only is she the illegitimate daughter of John of Gaunt, the man responsible for her neighbors’ over-taxation, but she possesses strange abilities: hearing sound from miles away and smelling people’s emotions.

She takes solace in her studies with the local wisewoman and in her friendship with Geoff, a groom at the local manor. Until the day Henry of Lancaster, Blanche’s half-brother, brings her news of an arranged marriage to Sir Thomas Prescott, Constable of the Tower of London. Although she smells cruelty on him, Blanche agrees to marry Thomas in the hopes that her influence may help better the lives of Geoff and all England’s villeins.

But soon, the peasants’ discontent turns to revolt. Though her heart is of the people, Blanche’s nobility makes her an enemy to the rebels. To save herself and Henry from the executioner’s ax, Blanche must use every power at her disposal, even those she once considered a curse.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Something shifts, like summer’s green leaves transforming to autumnal gold. Speaking with Geoff about my marriage hurts like I’d never expected, a deep ache. The moon thrums, and an owl, perched in a nearby tree, shifts as she searches for prey. My temples throb.

“It seemed…” he begins again. “It seemed he didn’t want to marry you, after you…” I glare and cross my arms before lifting my face. He continues: “I thought perhaps you could get out of it because…”

“Because of what?”

“Because, ye’re…”

“What, Geoff, what am I?”

His mouth opens like a fish above water, and he doesn’t bother to shut it. In the tree, the owl flaps her wings and leaps into the air.

“Ye’re…” The tips of Geoff’s fingers flutter. “Well, I don’t know what you are, Dandy. Ye’re just…yerself. And I thought—”

“You thought he wouldn’t want me?”

His face falls. “He’s not like you, Dandy. That’s all. He’s not a good man. I heard him talking, when it was just the men…”

He drops his eyes and his cheekbones redden.

Neither of us seems to know what to say next. After a full minute of silence, he lurches forward and grasps my shoulders, crushing me to his chest. “Blanche, just consider.”

I gasp and have to steady myself. But within seconds, tears come to my eyes, along with a calming release of tension. I grip his forearms, inhale his familiar scent. He’s always smelled of horses, with a hint of bread dough and sugar from the manor kitchens he’s constantly raiding. There’s something different tonight. I sniff. It’s crisp, yet soft. Evergreens in winter, covered with fresh snow.

He buries his nose in my hair. “You could refuse,” he says, voice a gentle rumble against my face, “and stay with yer mother. She’d be angry, yes, but she wouldn’t throw you out. They can’t drag you to the church. For a marriage to be real, you must consent.”

Consent. The word ripples through me. It makes me see that I want more, from Maman, from my father, but most of all from Geoff. I need something I can’t identify, something I can’t express.

“If I marry Thomas…” My muffled voice breaks. “It will make the duke happy. He’ll…” I tense, regretting my words.

“He’ll what?”

I can’t answer, can’t tell him that by marrying Sir Thomas, I hope to earn my father’s love. To replace…something.

The moon moves behind a cloud and the trees shift, branches releasing a shower of rain. Geoff drops one hand to the small of my back and lifts the other to my cheek. His palms are warm, and I slide my own to clench his upper arms. When my fingertips brush hardened muscles, I almost snatch my hands back. Before tonight, I still thought of Geoff as a child, the lanky villein who could ride any horse, no matter how fierce. Now…my mouth goes dry, but I can’t resist running my hands up the length of his arms, letting them rest on his shoulders. The skin beneath his tunic is damp with sweat.

Corded muscles tense and stretch beneath my fingers, sending little jolts through me. He stoops, chin brushing my temple.

I touch the notch of his throat with my fingertips. He freezes. Tiny curls of dark hair peek above his collar, tickling my fingers. He lets his face linger on mine, and I feel him inhale.

A pleasant warmth spreads through my belly, then down. Something’s happening, something I don’t understand. I should run, should leave. But I don’t. Another breeze drifts through the tree branches, and he pulls me closer, pressing me to him.

I feel him, all of him, from feet to chin, in a way I never have. A tingling, heavy warmth settles on me, and I feel Geoff’s own need pressing against my belly.

It should make me uncomfortable, but I find myself pressing back, wanting more. Wanting it all.

I’m not well-versed in what happens between a woman and a man—that’s one area of my education Maman neglected—but I’m not completely ignorant. I know Geoff and I stand on a cliff, gazing into a deep ravine. One more step, and we’ll both be lost.

I’m still touching his throat, suspended in our odd dance beneath the shuddering tree branches, when he bends further. I close my eyes and focus on the sensation of his stubbly chin against my face. He exhales, and a shiver runs down my spine.

“Dandy…” he murmurs.

The owl swoops to snatch a mouse from the forest floor in sharp talons. Her screech is like a battle horn, ricocheting with painful deliberation in my skull, joined by the mouse’s squeal. My eyelids snap open and I step out of his embrace.

Author Bio:

J.E. Rizzo is a life-long history fanatic and writer of historical fiction whose work can be found in Vanity Fair, The Boston Globe, The Guardian, The Tudor Times, Tudor Life Magazine, Scary Mommy, and Ultrarunning Magazine. Additionally, her article, Past and Precedence: Abortion Law in the Middle Ages and Its Use to Overturn Roe v. Wade, won History Inquiry’s Medieval History Writing Challenge. Rizzo’s debut novel, Uprising, Book One of the Fitzjohn Duology, is forthcoming from Literary Wanderlust, and tells the story of Blanche Fitzjohn, a fourteenth century neurodivergent woman whose perceived disabilities become superpowers during England’s peasant uprising of 1381.

By day, Rizzo works in Human Resources—a field offering more than ample opportunity to observe the follies and fancies of humankind. Before her career in HR, Rizzo worked as an opera singer, a professional baker, and a dog walker. These days, when not writing she can be found running ultramarathons through the forests and mountains of New England, knitting, reading, sewing, baking, or performing any number of (what some might call) old-lady hobbies. She also keeps busing caring for her two children and forty-seven houseplants, making her husband carry heavy things and cook her gourmet meals, and rehabilitating her rescue dog and semi-feral ginger cat.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / X

GIVEAWAY!

Uprising Blitz

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New Release Spotlight: The Kraken Bride by Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe

 

The Kraken Bride is here!! Check out the next installment in the Kings of Fury series and get ready for the fiery romance between the Kraken king and a Dragon Princess.

The Kraken King by Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe

Series: Kings of Fury Book 4

Paranormal/Fantasy, Mythical Creatures Romance

Princess Bronwyn Drachenveil, famed ballerina of the dragon court, signs away three years of her life to descend into treacherous kraken territory, on a mission that could forever change her fate.

Sebastian Mórisi rules Krakenströnd with ruthless precision. Desired by many, feared by all. When an ancient primordial rises from the abyss, threatening the safety of his underwater kingdom, he needs someone clever, nimble—and convincing—at his side. His solution? A fake courtship with the Swan of Ashmorra. The dragon princess now bound to his land.

If Bronwyn plays the kraken king’s consort, acting as his spy, Sebastian will grant her heart’s desire. But the longer the deception continues, the more dangerous the game becomes. Because the kraken king who never believed in love…

May be falling for the woman destined to set his world on fire.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kraken-Bride-Kings-Fury-ebook/dp/B0GTMNS232

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-kraken-bride/id6761026203

Nook/Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-kraken-bride-gena-showalter/1149749216

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-kraken-bride

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Gena_Showalter_The_Kraken_Bride?id=ExDLEQAAQBAJ&hl=en_US

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/bzEN1D

 Kings of Fury Series Books:

Book 1: The Wrong Bride

Book 2: The Stolen Bride

Book 3: The Fire Bride

About the Authors:

Gena Showalter:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of multiple series in paranormal, contemporary, romantasy, cozy mystery, and young adult romance.

Website

Jill Monroe:

Jill Monroe is the international best selling author of over fifteen novels and novellas. Her books are available across the globe and The Wrong Bed: Naked Pursuit has been adapted for the small screen for Lifetime Movie Network. When not writing, Jill makes her home in Oklahoma with her husband, enjoys daily walks with her dog Zoey, texting with her two daughters who are away at college and collecting fabric for items she’ll sew poorly.

Website

Discover Dragon Descending by Jennifer Allis Provost & Tour Wide Giveaway

Dragon Descending
Jennifer Allis Provost
(Fire and Claw, #2)
Publication date: September 1st 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Dragons value family above all else—but when a dragon shifter can’t shift, how will he protect the ones he loves?

Lochlyn Blackmoor, the last dragon shifter in Alessia, has lost his ability to shift. Heartened by a prediction that he will shift again, Lochlyn retreats to Dragon Ridge with his beloved wife, Rosalie. They’re content to enjoy a quiet life, until they receive unsettling news from the capital city.

The king’s seer has been marked for death, all because she helped him free Rosalie’s sister from the king’s clutches.

Despite his current weakness, Lochlyn embarks on a mission to rescue the seer with his brother-in-law and spymaster in tow. Almost immediately, one of their few allies—Arthus Flameborn, Grand Master of the Order of the Phoenix, who also happens to be Rosalie’s grandfather—abandons them. As they run out of time and options, Lochlyn turns to a former foe for assistance: Basilisk, the same rogue shifter he freed from the Order’s dungeon, and nearly killed him.

Basilisk proves himself a worthy ally, and his vast knowledge Alessia’s royal family comes in handy more than once. As more of Basilisk’s past is revealed, Lochlyn learns Alessia’s darkest, most dangerous secret, information so deadly It could unravel everything he’s ever known. To make matters worse, the ruthless Grand Master wants to form a relationship with his granddaughter, Rosalie, and he doesn’t care who he hurts in the process—not even Rosalie.

And only a dragon can overpower the Grand Master.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Lochlyn Blackmoor hated waiting.

Yet it was all he’d done for months—waiting for blowback from Serpens about their daring rescue of Caterina and Curran. For news of the rampaging basilisk he and Curran had freed from the palace dungeons. Or for the Grand Master to appear in the courtyard demanding to see his family.

Waiting to be able to shift again.

Nothing happened.

Lochlyn set his hands on the balcony’s railing, and watched the early morning activity in the castle’s courtyard. While he appreciated the calm days and nights they’d enjoyed at Dragon Ridge, retribution was inevitable. He’d insulted the king, committed several acts of treason, and set the palace on fire. King Olivar wasn’t a forgiving man; he was more likely to take Lochlyn’s head and mount it on his wall.

Still. Nothing.

Perhaps Olivar was taking his time so Lochlyn would slowly descend into madness.

Laughter floated toward him, a bright sound that Lochlyn would know anywhere. He turned toward the gardens, and saw Rosalie walking with her sister, Caterina. They both carried baskets of flowers, but behind Rosalie’s basket was her rounded belly, and inside her belly was their child.

Their child’s birth was something else Lochlyn was waiting for, and for that he was most impatient of all.

He and Rosalie already had three adopted children, and he loved them and his nephew, Jonathan, dearly. Somehow, he found yet another measure of love in his heart for this child he’d yet to meet, a babe who would be a dragon, like him.

As the strongest of the Otherworldly creatures, Lochlyn’s own dragon blood meant the child would definitely take after him, but they wouldn’t know if the child would be able to shift until he was around a year old. While Lochlyn could attain both dragon and warrior forms, his eldest brother could only shift to warrior, and his middle brothers couldn’t shift at all.

Whether the child could shift or not didn’t matter to Lochlyn. Either way, he couldn’t wait to meet their baby. Before Rosalie fell pregnant, Lochlyn had been the last living dragon in Alessia. Now both his kind and his name would live on, thanks to his beautiful wife.

“Lochlyn,” Rosalie called from the courtyard, waving to get his attention as if he hadn’t already been entranced by her every move. “There were some daisies in bloom, and the birds spared us some blackberries.”

“And elderberries,” Caterina added, holding up her basket. “Madchen can make more of her famous wine.”

Lochlyn laughed softly; there were enough casks of Madchen’s elderberry wine in the castle’s cellar to get half of Alessia drunk. “Are you two coming in for lunch?”

Rosalie opened her mouth to reply, but whatever she said was drowned out by the thunder of a dozen hooves. Lochlyn looked toward the gate and saw three gigantic stags enter the courtyard. The central and largest stag approached Rosalie and bowed.

“Hello, Cervus,” Rosalie said as the stag’s antlers scraped the ground near her feet. “And you really don’t need to be so dramatic. Will you join us for lunch?”

Cervus raised his head, and after he glanced at the balcony, he and his two companions went toward the stables. Lochlyn watched them depart, then he returned his gaze to his wife. His leisurely afternoon with Rosalie would have to wait. As Lochlyn’s spymaster, Cervus had been in Serpens for the past three weeks, gathering information. For him to personally return to Dragon Ridge instead of sending one of his messengers, he must have learned something especially dire.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Allis Provost writes books about faeries, orcs and elves. Zombies, too. She grew up in the wilds of Western Massachusetts and had read every book in the local library by age twelve. (It was a small library.) An early love of mythology and folklore led to her romantic fantasy series, Fire and Claw, and her degree in environmental science helped shape her urban fantasy, Poison Garden. When she’s not writing about murderous plants or sexy dragon shifters she’s working on her MFA in Creative Nonfiction.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!

Dragon Descending Blitz

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Book Spotlight/Giveaway: A Pinch of Salt by Misty Simon

 

Welcome to the Sunny Side Up Diner,

where the pancakes are fluffy, the bacon is crisp,

and murder should not be on the menu…

A Pinch of Assault

Sunny Side Up Mysteries Book 3

by Misty Simon

Genre: Small Town Cozy Mystery with a dash of Romance

Welcome to the Sunny Side Up Diner, where the jukeboxes jive and the secrets thrive...

With things at her Sunny Side Up Diner sailing along smoothly for once, Jax Tapman has turned her attention to her personal life. It’s time to meet the boyfriend’s mother in person. And while Jax isn't totally certain she’s up to the challenge, she agrees to show Eliot’s mom around a local retirement home. It sounds innocent enough, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to sell the woman on the idea of moving to be closer to her son. But instead of making her case, when Jax enters the model apartment, she and her potential in-law find one dead body and a whole lot of secrets!

Suddenly it’s up to Jax to discover who the retirement home killer is—a task that only gets harder when someone from Eliot's past shows up and might know far more about the crime than she’s letting on.

The Sunny Side Up Diner is jumping with gossip, Jax and her best friend Dani are running interference, and Eliot’s mom is calling all the shots. But sorting out chaos and minimizing damage is something Jax has grown accustomed to, if she can only get a clue.


"This new series is off to a great start. Misty does an excellent job showing readers all the details of the small town, the diner, and a cast of entertaining characters."
~ Kings River Life Magazine

"Readers cannot help but fall in love with this first book!!! Simon has you laughing out loud... I, for one, look forward to more books in the series!!!!"
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

“We’re looking for the model apartment,” I said. “If you could point us in the right direction?”

“Of course,” said a guy who came up from behind to join the others. He was wearing a hoodie also emblazoned with the company logo of a big, branchy oak tree with a smiling face. “Right behind you.”

I turned around, and sure enough, when I looked at the sign on the wall to my right, it had a big arrow and the very helpful words “Model Home” in a polished silver that must have cost a pretty penny. But for what they charged to live here, that was probably a drop in the bucket of the money they made on a monthly basis.

“Much appreciated.”

“No problem,” he said, saluting me, and then he caught up with the others.

“We have our direction now from the guy who must not realize it’s warm enough to not need a sweatshirt.”

“Not everyone is as hot as you are,” Eliot said with a chuckle.

“Ha!” I did appreciate that he thought I was hot, of course, but I was fighting a blush that he’d said it in front of his mom.

“Nicely done,” Dot said, patting her son’s arm.

“Let’s carry on.” I cleared my throat and prepared to make the idea of living here irresistible, or at least get mother and son to laugh while trying. “Here we have state-of-the-art facilities and comfort like no other place in the world. The programs and activities are top of line, too. You will only be bored here if you want, or actively make an effort to be bored, because we can schedule your every second before Wheel of Fortune comes on, if you so desire.”

Dot snickered, and even Eliot laughed at that.

“Please follow me to our version of paradise.”

I inserted the key into the lock and twisted, but I didn’t feel any resistance or hear the dead bolt click. I turned the doorknob anyway, thinking maybe the door was just that well-oiled.

Opening the door into the really beautiful suite of rooms, I was already half in love with the teal carpet and the rose-colored walls. The tan furniture they’d chosen to place in the living room was set off nicely with pastel throw pillows, light wood side tables, and a coffee table. The sliding glass door to the left let in ample sunlight without being blinding and bathed the whole area in a golden glow that warmed the room. The effect was truly lovely.

It was obvious I wasn’t alone in thinking so either, since Dot was already oohing and ahhing from the doorway. As she stepped in, I moved out of the way in case she wanted to make a beeline for the kitchen. The breakfast bar fronting the kitchen was big without being massive and separated it from the living room while keeping the floor plan open for entertaining.

I was hoping she’d love the space as she moved around the end of the bar, but when she stepped into the kitchen, she drew to an immediate halt and barked at us to call 9-1-1.

Don’t miss the other Sunny Side Up Mysteries!

Find them on Amazon or at Gemma Halliday Publishing

Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller…preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock… Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time.

Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel or three. She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at misty@mistysimon.com.

 

Website * Facebook * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * TikTok * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the A Pinch of Assault Giveaway Here

New Release Book Review: Mother Daughter Sister Stranger by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 

A Family history she thought she knew but were lies. A missing sister and secrets galore are what’s in this next book from Hank Phillippi Ryan with Mother Daughter Sister Stranger.

Mother Daughter Sister Stranger by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Psychological Suspense/Thriller

Release Date: September 1^st, 2026

Publisher: Minitour Books

Available at Amazon

My Rating for Mother Daughter Sister Stranger: 5 Stars and a Recommended Read

Eliza and Bea are really close especially as survivors of a plane crash that killed their parents. Now when Bea leaves her daughter with Eliza with  a promise to be back on a certain date but never shows up, Eliza is worried as Bea would never forget to pick up Piper. Now Eliza is trying to find answers to Bea’s disappearance and keep her niece safe even as those family secrets come out in the open. Danger stalks Piper and Eliza behind every shadowy corner and as the stakes rise higher, Eliza & Piper race against time to find the answers they need, or everything will come crashing down around them.

My Review of Mother Daughter Sister Stranger: 

Hank Phillippi Ryan’s newest psychological suspense, Mother Daughter Sister Stranger is pure fun and kept me reading till the wee hours of the night just to see what Eliza found out, if she found her sister and who was determined to keep those secrets secret. Hank Phillippi Ryan delivers another hit with their new book, Mother Daughter Sister Stranger, now available and I fell right into the mystery of where Bea was, the secrets that the author craftily revealed throughout the story and the mystery surrounding Eliza and Bea’s family. What happens when you think all you know about your family is not what it seems? Eliza finds herself  trying to figure it out after Bea disappearance and with her niece, Piper helping, she is determined to get to the bottom of it because failure means more than the truth, it can mean death to those she loves.

 

Mother Daughter Sister Stranger by Hank Phillippi Ryan is a wild ride from start to finish and captures the reader’s attention right from the first page. I loved it and felt Eliza and Piper’s worry, shock and more when things were revealed within the pages. The characters are very well written, and they captured my imagination right from the first page. With each page turned, I was drawn into this amazing story, racing alongside Eliza and Piper to find the answers they needed and find Piper’s mom, Bea, in time. This story is filled with twists and turns I didn’t see coming and kept me on the edge of my seat till the very end of the book. If you haven’t read one of this author’s books before I highly recommend her books for a perfect Autumn read that will keep you guessing and hooked on the story till the very end.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement. Thank you to the author & Netgalley for an EARC review copy for this review.

Discover the Reign of Silver and Stardust by Diana A. Hicks & Tour Giveaway

Reign of Silver & Stardust
Diana A. Hicks
(Stardust Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: August 27th 2026
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

My twin sister was murdered. To find her killer, I had to die.

CATALINA
I was never supposed to exist.
As the mortal spare to an immortal sister, I lived in the shadows
until Ry was murdered by a weapon that shouldn’t exist.
Now, justice is all I want.
To find her killer, I must take her place in the Queen’s Elite Cadre
and become the very monster everyone fears.
But becoming a weapon means losing my humanity…
and losing the one man I can’t resist.

VALOREK
The immortals bleed my world dry while my sister rots from the inside out.
I swore to burn their reign to the ground,
until I met her.
Sterling is the enemy,
a silver-blooded soldier of the regime that destroyed my family.
But the electricity between us is undeniable.
We are on opposite sides of a brewing war,
and falling for the enemy is a dangerous mistake
neither of us can afford.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

The simulation brings me back with a jolt. I land on the floor on all fours, choking on the saltwater burning my throat. Like before, once my brain catches up with reality, all the pain goes away. I hang my head and breathe easy.

If that isn’t a miserable attempt, I don’t know what is. Ry passed this level on her first try. This military stuff came naturally to her. When we were kids, the placement test put Ry and me in the Military Sector, but I never belonged or excelled the way she did.

The sleek white walls shine bright around me. Seconds later, Captain Weston’s boots come into view. When I glance up, he cocks an eyebrow at me with both hands braced on his hips. He blows out a breath, and I swear a tinge of pity flashes across his face.

“I didn’t pass your test.” I sit back on my ankles, shaking uncontrollably.

“Everyone dies in the simulation. You did better than I expected.” He scratches the stubble on his chiseled jaw. “But I do have my work cut out for me.”

“Am I in?” I meet his gaze.

“Have you talked to anyone since the accident?”

The accident? My jaw clenches.

“No.” I assume he means cadets from my unit. To Captain Weston, Valorek and his friends didn’t count.

“Good.” He clears his throat. “Because I have a proposal for you.”

When I open my mouth to speak, he brings his index finger to his lips and shakes his head once. Of course, he doesn’t want to hear about how Ry’s death wasn’t an accident. We have been doing the same song and dance for weeks. This time, I do as he asks and keep quiet, but only because it looks like I am about to get what I want—an opportunity to join the Queen’s immortal army, where I’ll have the ability to look into Ry’s murderer myself.

“You need something from me.” I meet his gaze.

“We need you to take your sister’s place as a lieutenant in the Queen’s army. You still need a lot of training before you can join Ry’s unit, but we have a bit of time.”

“Wait. What?” I gape at him as my heart thrashes in my ears. “That is not what I wanted at all.”

“I gave it some thought.” He swallows. “It’s all I can offer. It’s the only solution, really.”

“Do you have any idea how insane this sounds?” I scoff. “Ry told me everything about the QEC simulator seven years ago. This was the easy part and I still died. How am I supposed to be her when I know nothing about her world? She had her own life outside of me.”

“That’s why I’m here. I’ll be your guide.” His eyes soften.

“So what, Captain Weston? Do I now get to call you Cap or Eli?”

“You can call me whatever you want.” He offers a crooked, sexy smile. “In fact, I think that if you call me Eli in private, the transition will be easier for you.”

“Eli?” I meant to be sarcastic, but he is completely serious with his answer.

Author Bio:

Diana Hicks writes dark, emotional romance where obsession runs deep, secrets cut sharp, and love always comes at a price.

Her books blend steamy billionaire drama with forbidden marriages, high-stakes betrayal, and antiheroes who will burn the world to protect what’s theirs. Best known for The Empire Trilogy, Diana’s stories deliver heart-pounding romance with morally gray men, strong heroines, and just enough heat to leave you breathless.

When she’s not writing about power and passion colliding, she’s probably sipping coffee like it's a love language, sweating off a plot twist at yoga, or posting angsty book teasers on TikTok.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

GIVEAWAY!

Reign of Silver & Stardust Blitz

—

Book Tour Stop/Giveaway: From the Depths of the Stars by CD Clark

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C.D.Clark will be awarding a digital copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Jordan Blue works to survive on the oppressive, corporate colony world, Shoar. A random, near-fatal encounter puts her in the company of Kuvett, a space faring creature of the stars. While Jordan tries to figure out the inscrutable Cosmari, Kuvett sneaks about the dilapidated Outskirts to find out just what happened to the planet, what secrets the impenetrable Meritopolis hides, and why it is there.

Read an Excerpt

Kuvett let go and hovered back to let Jordan continue.

“Yet, the reason why I have such a hard time accepting it is because—” the tears returned as she looked out to the doorway—“there was a time when I didn’t live here alone.”

“I assumed as much. Their presence still lingers here and on you.”

Jordan nodded. “We were together for about six years until one day, she just up and vanished. I don’t know where she went to, I don’t know if she is even still alive, but the fact she never told me where she even left hurts. It hurts a lot.”

“And you fear it may happen once more.” Kuvett leaned against the wall.

“Yes,” Jordan looked to the floor while she sobbed, ashamed. “That, and I don’t know how much time I have left before my lungs give out. Why would anyone want someone whose body’s falling apart? I don’t know for certain, but that’s what it felt like when Violet left.”

Kuvett was silent a moment before she reached up and wiped away the moisture on Jordan’s face. When she opened her eyes, Kuvett pressed her forehead against Jordan’s. “There is much I wish to tell you and how I disagree with how you see yourself. But for now, we are not safe here. If there is anything I can do to assist you, tell me and I will.”

Jordan sniffed again, nodding as she disengaged from Kuvett’s touch. There was still much to do.

About the Author: From his youngest days, C.D. Clark has always loved stories and the worlds they could take him to. His writing career began with original, fan-based fiction which led to his passion for writing. Over the past twenty-five years, C.D. Clark has developed his craft, all the while celebrating his successes and reveling in any spectacular failures, using them as learning experiences. Ever eager to learn, he continues leaping towards the future while creating fantastic new worlds and passing along poignant messages through his books.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CDClarkNovelist
Mastodon: https://mas.to/@CDClarkNovelist
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/bass_prefect
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cdclarknovelist
Website: https://www.cdclarknovelist.com/

 

Enter to win a copy of the book.

Book Tour Stop/Giveaway: Dark Ugly Places by Ashley Mansour

 

Some wounds don’t heal. They take over.

A Beverly Hills psychological thriller about grief, female rage, fractured identity, and revenge.

Dark Ugly Places

by Ashley Mansour

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Domestic Suspense 

Some wounds don’t heal. They fester. They whisper. They take over.

In Dark Ugly Places, trauma isn’t something you survive — it’s something that survives you.

Thirty-four-year-old Nicola Holiday loses everything in a hit-and-run: her husband dead, her body broken, her fourteen-year-old daughter Emmy forever changed. With no one held accountable, she spirals into grief, panic attacks, and financial ruin — awakening a hereditary darkness she’s spent her life trying to outrun.

That darkness has a voice now. Her name is Martha, and she aches for revenge.

As Nicola’s grip on reality loosens, Martha slips into another life — one of wealth, glamour, and moral rot. When she crosses paths with the wife of a famous actor, Nicola’s suspicions ignite.

Pulled between vengeance and annihilation, Nicola and Martha collide with a woman whose secrets may be the key to everything — or the thing that destroys them both.

Dark, provocative, and deeply unsettling — a haunting psychological portrait of female rage, obsession, and the terrifying lengths the mind will go to survive unbearable pain.

Because sometimes the most dangerous place isn’t the past. It’s inside your own head.

 

“A suspenseful and relentless tale of troubled Californians.”

– Kirkus Reviews

 

“A tense, viciously readable psychological thriller about the violence that lurks beneath polished surfaces.”

 – BookLife Reviews

 

“With fast-paced thrills and gripping psychological drama, Ashley Mansour’s Dark Ugly Places serves up vengeance for morally complex characters.” - Indiereader

 

**Releases September 15 – PreOrder Now!**

Amazon * Author’s Site * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookshop.org * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

PROLOGUE

No one likes to be kept in the dark.

In the dark, everything is murky, even the Los Angeles sky.

But the day of Nicola’s accident, I had a pretty clear view of things. It tends to be that way—clear—when Nicola isn’t.

Nicola, Ben, and their daughter, Emmy, were walking holding hands, something the three of them hadn’t done since Emmy was a little kid. I felt the itch in Nicola’s palm, like she didn’t want to hold hands. But Emmy insisted. She was between them, arms outstretched, making that little humming sound she sometimes made when she was nervous or lost in thought. Ben walked on slightly ahead, his head down, eyes focused on the phone in his hand. I could almost hear his teeth grinding.

Up ahead, the road was clear. The sun covered everything in butter-yellow light. Crows perched in the bare-barked trees and made long, scratchy cries like a group of smokers laughing. They rustled leaves and crossed the pavement before them. But the trees were still, like the air had been sucked out of the city. Up ahead, the road was clear.

The three of them approached the corner, Emmy and Nicola chatting aimlessly. Ben narrowed his eyes and squinted at the screen as if the sky was too bright. He stepped out into the road first. Emmy, next. She skipped slightly—braids flying—and pulled her mom’s arm.

Nicola looked up and saw one of the crows overhead, its beak open, making a dreadful sound. When she looked back at the road, her gut pinged with a horrible dread she couldn’t place.

Then she—we—saw it.

From the middle distance, something large and white hurtled into view, its body glinting in the sun. Emmy screamed. Nicola tried to pull her back, but one by one, her fingers slipped out of her grasp.

It was too late.

Nicola’s body collided with the big, white thing, and in the next moment, she was airborne, tumbling through the air as if she had been taken by a tornado. Her thoughts spiraled with her, spinning out of control.

I’m going to die.

I’m going to live.

Don’t let me die.

I’m going to die.

She kept spiraling, around and around, until I stopped her with a simple suggestion: Breathe, Nicola. Breathe. We have this power, those of us who live in the darkness.

The asphalt grated her spine. It must have hurt, but Nicola did not cry. Perhaps because the air was too full of Emmy’s screams.

She rolled to her left, her left arm pinned against her chest like a piece of limp fabric. Her left leg lay stretched out before her perfectly straight, but dead. Cold. Frozen in place. She rolled to her side and saw Emmy, blood coating half of her face as though she were wearing a mask. Five feet away, Ben lay in the road unmoving, his body contorted, his face turned away.

Overhead, the stretch of blue sky angled down Beverly Boulevard and went on forever. Cars passed, some honking, others slowing to stop and help or to get a better look. Nicola grunted and heaved herself along the ground, her jaw gritting with pain. She reached for Emmy, reached for Ben.

The white body of the car stirred. A door opened. A black polished shoe emerged onto the asphalt as the driver leaned out, then disappeared again as the door shut. I heard the engine as the car started and rolled backwards, slow at first, then picking up speed until it was gone.

Tropes:

Unreliable narrators; multiple POV; fractured identity / alter ego; trauma and grief; female rage; revenge; morally gray women; abusive celebrity marriage; obsession; betrayal; buried secrets; mother-daughter relationship; wealth and class divide; Beverly Hills and Los Angeles setting; cinematic suspense. 

Giveaway

$100 Amazon or Paypal

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggerbooktours.com/darkuglyplaces

About the Author:

Ashley Mansour writes dark, cinematic psychological suspense and domestic suspense about dangerous relationships, buried truths, and the chaos waiting beneath the surface of ordinary lives. 

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Book Review: Nobody's Quest by Alyssa Day #NobodyChroniclesSeries

 

Nobody's Quest by Alyssa Day

Romantasy

Release Date:June 2nd, 2026

Entangled: Red Tower Books

All buy links HERE

#NobodysQuest

 #NetGalley.

When an indentured servant, who has felt like she was invisible and a nobody, is chosen by an imprisoned goddess for a quest to free her, Soli finds herself alongside a company of warriors who will help her and slowly become a found family she has always wanted amid the dangers that stalk them.

My Rating for Nobody's Quest: 5 Stars and a Recommended Read

**Note this is a spicy romantasy at times.**

Soli is a nobody, indentured to the sisters of the library and when she is taken to the King's throne room, she is mystified at what the heck is going on. When she is chosen by an imprisoned goddess to go on a quest for three ancient keys to save her world, Soli is even more dumbfounded. She's a nobody, someone who is overlooked and ignored, a GreyMind that is the lowest of the low in her world. But alongside her is a company of unique and complex warriors who will join her on this quest because danger is at the doorway for there is a goddess who is determined to stop them at every turn with her army. Soli, Prince Kaeleen and company race against the clock and as secrets from her fellow questers start to reveal themselves, Soli finds a found family she always longed for and hope to want. But danger is after them from all sides and as they get closer to their goal, the battles become more dangerous to everyone. 

My Review of Nobody's Quest:

Nobody's Quest by Alyssa Day is full of spice, adventure, unique & complex characters and a storyline that takes the reader on a journey that will keep them glued to the pages till the very end. I picked this book up on a whim and I am so glad I did because OMG! it's amazing, at time humorous, filled with characters that are complex and uniquely their own person and a setting that captivated me right from the beginning. This is the first foray into romantasy for this author and she does an amazing job with Nobody's Quest. Her characters are all uniquely alluring in their own way. Soli is what's called a Gray Mind in her world and one that is not welcome or even tolerated. Prince Kaeleen is  a prince without a country and add uin a few more characters to Soli's quest and you get a wildly intriguing group of main characters that keep the reader glued tot he story. I loved every minute of this book tot he point where I stayed up to the wee hours just to see how this first book in the Nobody Chronicles ends. 

Nobody's Quest is action packed right from the start. I found Ms. Day's storytelling fun and at times  heartfelt, especially as she has Soli explain what Gray Mind is to her fellow travelers, making them aware of what may happen when that happens to her. Drawing on personal experience of Depression, she delivers a complex, slightly broken character in Soli that eventually finds her strength along the way to be more than what others have labeled her as being. This is what makes Nobody's Quest more than a traditional romantasy epic story to something more real in my opinion. 

Nobody's Quest is a delight to read and yes, there are some spicy scenes between Soli and her love interest, Prince Kaeleen, that will make you blush but you can't help but root for her and everyone around her. So run, don't walk to grab this book as Alyssa Day is a powerhouse in creating complex characters with hearts of gold and story that will resonate with you. Now I hope I don't have to wait long for book 2.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

Book Tour Stop: If I didn't Have You by Giulia Lagomarsino

Title: If I Didn't Have You

Series: The Last Best Place for Love Book 7

Author: Giulia Lagomarsino

Genre: Small Town Romance

Tropes: Second Chance; Later in Life; Is It Over?; Rediscovering Love; First Love

Release Date: August 24, 2026

I lost my heart a long time ago to one woman.

The love of my life.

The mother of my children.

I could weather any storm with her by my side.

But I lost sight of that somewhere along the way.

Holding her in my arms as she nearly died tore me to shreds.

I vowed a long time ago that I would never let anything happen to her, and I failed.

And now she was ready to leave.

Not because I didn’t protect her, but because I lost sight of who we were.

That was all about to change.

Because if there was one thing I knew for certain, it was that life just wasn’t worth living without her by my side.

 

I'm a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, "No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book." I didn't think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn't already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven't been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.

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