The Keeper of Nereth By TJ Amberson: Book Blast, Extras, and $15 Gift Card Giveaway!

About the Book

Series: The Nereth Trilogy
Genre:  Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Medieval
Publisher: English Trails Publishing, LLC
Publication date: May 26, 2020
Springtime has returned to Nereth, and a sense of hope continues to spread throughout the land. The people remain industrious and content as their fears of Raelin fade into distant memory.
Back at her farm, Edlyn has nearly completed the restoration of her childhood home. When the time comes for her to meet again with the Council of Nereth, Maddock surprises Edlyn by arriving at her farm to accompany her to the capitol. Their happy reunion is cut short, however, by the alarming news that many of Nereth's teenagers have suddenly disappeared.
As the council members hurriedly convene in the capital, they discover that the situation is even worse than they feared: Raelin has returned and is plotting her final attack to regain control of the land. Now Edlyn, Maddock, and their stalwart friends must lead the last fight against Raelin to stop the ghost queen from taking control of Nereth forever.​

Goodreads: None.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ab8KQ7

About the Author

TJ Amberson hails from the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband and nutty cocker spaniel. Her most recent novels include The Kingdom of Nereth, The Council of Nereth, Fusion, and Love at Lakewood Med. When she’s not writing, TJ can probably be found enjoying a hot chocolate, pretending to know how to garden, riding her bike, playing the piano, or surfing the Internet for cheap plane tickets.
With a love of writing in multiple genres, TJ Amberson strives to provide well-written, age-appropriate, and original novels for tweens, teens, and new adults.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7535763.T_J_Amberson

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authortjamberson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tjamberson/

Website: https://tjamberson.com/

Extras

Snippet 2

All was silence. Maddock released Edlyn's hand and began turning slowly in a circle to survey the clearing. Edlyn dropped her hands to her knees and bent at the waist, working to catch her breath. Harper collapsed shakily against a tree, her face pale and her eyes wide. Peyton wearily wiped the perspiration from his brow with one hand while placing the other on the hilt of his axe.

After a long time, Edlyn stood up straight and joined Maddock in taking in the sight of the unknown forest that encircled them. She shivered as the reality of their situation sunk in.

            They were alone. They were lost. And they were fleeing from a cursed army that they could not fight and did not know how to defeat.

            The final war against Raelin had begun.

Giveaway

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Giveaway ends on July 7 at 11:59 pm Mountain Time.

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Tour Schedule

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Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts(A Steampunk Proper Romance) By Nancy Campbell Allen-Book Review

Product Details

• Title: Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts(A Steampunk Cinderella)
• Author: Nancy Campbell Allen
• Series: Proper Romance Steampunk
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Shadow Mountain (August 4, 2020)
• Genre: Romance/ Paranormal/Fantasy/Steampunk
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1629727377

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own*** 

 Book Summary
Emmeline O’Shea is determined to save the world—single-handedly, if necessary. A strong voice for societal reform, she is the natural choice to deliver a key speech at the end of the International Shifter Rights Organization’s week-long Summit in Scotland.

But when a death threat arrives at Emme’s home, she is immediately placed into protective custody, watched over by none other than her personal nemesis, Detective-Inspector Oliver Reed. The two have crossed paths many times, with disastrous results, but now they will have to work together in order to reach the Summit before midnight of the last day in order to ensure legislation is passed to protect the Shifter community.

As unseen enemies close in around Emme and Oliver, they struggle to reach Edinburgh by any means necessary, only to find Emme’s vindictive stepsister, Oliver’s vampire brother, and a dangerous political minefield awaiting them in Scotland.

Even more difficult is their own refusal to admit that the fiery animosity that once burned between them might be turning into the heat of romantic passion. Could a straitlaced policeman determined to uphold the law and an outspoken activist willing to break the rules ever find true love? Or will all their dreams shatter like glass when the clock strikes 
midnight?

Book Trailer

My Review
Let me preface this review saying, yes, this book could be a stand-alone, but please read the three previous books in this Proper Romance Steampunk series first. You will understand this wonderful world and all of the characters so much more and will make your reading experience of Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts even more amazing. 

Reading Order of the Proper Romance Steampunk Series:


1.Beauty and the Clockwork Beast 

2.Kiss of the Spindle
3.The Lady in the Coppergate Tower
4. Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts


I have loved all of the books in this series but I feel this fourth book is my favorite. Maybe because it brings this whole steampunk world full circle. The characters from the other books are also in the new novel. The struggles and trials found in the other novels are also resolved fully and this shows in the final chapters of the book.

The main characters in this book are both so likable for different reasons. Emme has so much spirit and determination and it has taken her far in life. Detective Inspector Oliver Reed is an upright, very stoic, and a true hero. In this case, opposites truly attract. It felt right they drifted towards each other even though they had major differences at first. The action is consistent with someone in peril at all times. Figuring out who's behind the criminal behavior may be figured out sooner rather than later for some readers. This novel is one that I had to read and couldn't get the story out of my mind. This author truly knows how to move the plot forward at a great pace. 

I've enjoyed the Steampunk Romance series so much. It brings a fresh face to a Proper Romance, that is spiced up with paranormal creatures and a nice dose of steampunk. This reader is secretly hoping that there will be more steampunk romances to come out in the future.

 Meet Author Nancy Campbell Allen

Nancy Campbell Allen is the author of 17 published novels and several novellas, which encompass a variety of genres from contemporary romantic suspense to historical fiction. Her Civil War series, Faith of our Fathers, won the Utah Best of State award in 2005 and multiple books have been Whitney Award finalists, with My Fair Gentleman winning in the romance category in 2017. Her steampunk series is published through Shadow Mountain's Proper Romance line. She has presented at numerous conferences and events since her initial publication in 1999.

Her formal schooling includes a B.S. in Elementary Education from Weber State University and she has worked as a ghost writer and freelance editor, contributing to the releases, We Knew Howard Hughes, by Jim Whetton, and My Life Encapsulated, by Kenneth Brailsford.

Her agent is Pamela Pho of D4EO Literary Agency.

Nancy loves to read, write, travel and research, and enjoys spending time laughing with family and friends. She and her husband have three children, and she lives in Ogden, Utah with her family and one very large Siberian Husky named Thor.

Pre-order  Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts HERE: https://amzn.to/2Zphk6n

Other Proper Romances by Nancy Campbell Allen

• 
  
• 
  
  

  The Lady in the Coppergate Tower

  
  

  2019
• 
  
  

  Kiss of the Spindle

  
  

  2018
• 
  
  

  The Secret of the India Orchid
• 
  
  

  My Fair Gentleman
• 
  
  

  Beauty and the Clockwork Beast

Live Life Deliciously with Tara Teaspoon: Recipes for Busy Weekdays and Leisurely Weekends- Cookbook Review

Product Details

•  Title: Live Life Deliciously with Tara Teaspoon: Recipes for Busy Weekdays and Leisurely Weekends
• Author: Tara Teaspoon
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Genre: Non-Fiction, Cookbook
• Publisher: Shadow Mountain (October 6, 2020)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1629727857

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own*** 


Book Summary
As a former food editor and stylist for Martha Stewart, Tara knows how to create and showcase gorgeously themed meals for every lifestyle and occasion.

In her first cookbook, she shares more than 120 delicious showstopping recipes that are designed to impress. From leisurely weekend brunches spent over burrata cheese with grilled peaches and orange zest chimichurri to easy weeknight rice bowls with carrot-ginger dressing to a mouthwatering Italian crostata baked tart, Tara explains how to put together and master several special go-to dishes from the culinary capitals of the world to add to your repertoire.

The book also features a section where she provides a basic recipe which can then be easily transformed into two or three new recipes to make meal planning a breeze during busy weeknight schedules.

Live Life Deliciously with Tara Teaspoon shows serious foodies how to present food as an interesting and beautiful culinary experience with dishes that taste as delicious as they look.

My Review
The first thing I noticed when reading this cookbook is that Tara's worked for Martha Stewart. This kind of worried me because often Martha's recipes are too hard or too much for me to use. I was surprised that there were so many recipes I actually tried, liked, and have marked to try more.

The contents of the book are

• New Pantry Staples
• The Right Equipment
• Bites, Dips, and Snacks
• Salads, Bowls, and Dressings 
• Side Love
• Weeknight Routines
• Flavor Inspired Dinners
• Meals for Gathering
• Morning Glories
• Sweets to Share

As you can see, there is a wide variety of recipes in this book. So many of them I would use when hosting a party or a family gathering. Some people may call them "Fancy" recipes and some require not as common ingredients. You will need to plan ahead to buy things needed for certain recipes. 

Here are recipes I tried:

• Double-Cheese Garlic Bread
• Glazed, Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potatoes
• Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits
• Herb-Glazed Fall-Off-The-Bone BBQ Ribs
• Bakery-Style Chocolate Chunk Cookies

The recipes I tried were pretty easy and I had most of the ingredients on hand. 

Some I really want to try in the future are:

• Lemon-Butter Salmon with Herbs and Cucumber Salad
• Thai Meatball Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Chili Sauce
• Giant and Glorious Blueberry Streusel Muffins

 This cookbook will attract those who want to try some new recipes with a little more pizazz. Serving these meals will for sure impress.  

Pre-Order Live Life Deliciously with Tara Teaspoon: Recipes for Busy Weekdays and Leisurely Weekends HERE:
 -At Amazon:  https://amzn.to/2By0oCs
-At Deseret Book: https://deseretbook.com/p/live-life-deliciously-with-tara-teaspoon-recipes-for-busy-weekdays-and-leisurely-weekends?variant_id=186651-hardcover






Meet Author: Tara Teaspoon

Tara Teaspoon is one of my nicknames. My friends call me that and you're welcome to too!
I'm a former magazine food editor and trained chef, and food has become my life!
I spent many years working with Martha Stewart, (read about my Martha Stewart Omelet!) coming up with beautiful and delicious food for her publications.
I've been in the food publishing and magazine industry for over 20 years, creating recipes and articles, and food styling for magazines, books, television and advertising.
After spending time as a Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living, I was the Food Director at Ladies' Home Journal magazine (one of the original 7 Sisters of women’s magazines. The 131 year legacy was awesome).
As the industry has changed, I've moved into sharing my recipes online, here on the blog, and consulting with brands and other publications.

Learn more about Tara and her recipes at her blog HERE:
https://tarateaspoon.com/ 

Subcribe to her channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk5bB5KQqj4N6G0Epc3KaiQ 

The Shadow of the Tudor Rose by Wendy Leighton-Porter-Officia Bookl Blitz and Giveaway!

A graduate of Exeter University in the early 1980s, I spent 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, before a change of career led me to writing children's fiction. Currently residing in Abu Dhabi, I live with my husband and our beautiful Tonkinese cat.

The Shadow of Atlantis is the first in a series of time-travel adventures, featuring 3 children and a rather special cat called Max. I'm now working on the 17th book, The Shadow of the Great Fire. The series also includes several novellas that feature Max the talking Tonkinese cat undertaking solo adventures. As I take my young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past, I'm hoping that my love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them too. 

~ Facebook ~ Website ~
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In 1588, a plot to invade England and overthrow Queen Elizabeth the First is about to unfold. At this crucial moment in English history, four visitors from the future arrive in Elizabethan London. 

Twins Joe and Jemima Lancelot, together with their friend Charlie and their talking cat Max, embark upon their next journey into the past as they continue the search for their missing parents who are lost somewhere in the mists of time.

Finding themselves at the heart of a web of conspiracy, can the young time-travellers solve the mystery of the Tudor Rose?

~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
~ Good reads ~

Snippet:

When Max the talking Tonkinese tries to rescue Queen Elizabeth the First from a wild animal he makes a big mistake:

At that very moment, a shriek of horror came from inside the chamber. Seconds later, Max shot out through the half-open door with an orangey-red, hairy creature clamped between his jaws, shaking it vigorously as he ran. Racing up and down the corridor, he thrashed his head from side to side, before finally spitting the lifeless object onto the ground.

‘Ha!’ he panted. ‘There, that’ll teach you. Don’t you dare move or else.’ It didn’t move, not even a faint twitch. Max was alarmed. ‘Oooh, is it dead? I didn’t mean to be quite so rough. I think I may have killed it.’ He prodded it with a paw, pushing it along the floor a few inches, and still, the creature didn’t move. The cat gulped anxiously, feeling rather ashamed of himself. He’d never killed a single thing in his entire life.

Jemima’s eyes bulged like two ping-pong balls as she watched his performance in complete astonishment. Max usually ran a mile from small, furry animals. What on earth was it and where had it come from? With a sinking feeling, she hoped to goodness he hadn’t snatched the Queen’s favourite pet.

‘Oh Max, what have you done?’ She spoke in a horrified whisper, hearing angry shouts coming from inside the chamber.

The cat raised his head, surprised to see Jemima standing there, and stared back at her with a frightened look in his eyes, before glancing nervously behind him at the half-open door. 

‘I don’t know. I… I… I heard a scream. It sounded as if the Queen was afraid and then I spotted this creature near her feet. I thought it was about to attack her, so I just went for it. I thought I was saving her.’

Jemima tapped the motionless creature with the toe of her shoe, flipping it over onto its back. With a puzzled frown, she knelt down to touch it.

Max stopped her hand with a large grey paw. ‘Careful, Jemima! I’m not a hundred per cent sure it’s dead – it might bite.’ 

Jemima fought a desperate urge to laugh out loud, as she picked up the object between her thumb and forefinger, dangling it in front of the petrified gaze of the trembling cat.

‘It was never going to bite, Max – alive or dead. It’s a wig.’ As she uttered the words, a horrified gasp escaped from between her lips. The mass of bright auburn hair could only belong to one person. Her voice dropped to barely a whisper. ‘Oh Max, this is the Queen’s wig. You’ve run off with her hair. She’s going to be livid. What shall we do?’

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Not a Fine Gentleman by Author Donna Hatch-Official Book Tour and Giveaway

Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

~ Facebook ~ Website ~
~ Amazon ~
~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~

Lady Margaret secretly yearns for love, but fate has exchanged wedded bliss for a lie. When she is caught hovering over her cheating husband’s dead body, she is instantly doomed to hang for his murder. Without hope for justice, Margaret flees into the night alone. 
A cynical Bow Street Constable, Connor Jackson, vows to bring the fugitive Lady Margaret to face the law—but, he doesn’t expect sparks to fly between them. Could the strong yet tender lady truly be a killer? 
As more suspects—and even more condemning evidence—surface, the less certain Connor is of his duty. He must choose between his growing feelings for Lady Margaret and the demands of justice. Will the truth tear them apart or set them free to find love?


The Rogue Hearts Series:
The Stranger She Married 
The Guise of a Gentleman
A Perfect Secret
The Suspect's Daughter
Not a Fine Gentleman

Praise for Donna Hatch:
“Donna Hatch is one of the masters of clean romance with electric tension and smokin’ hot kisses.” ~ Reading is My Super Power Reviews


“Written with heart and depth, Donna Hatch’s books are absolute must-reads for any fan of swoon-worthy historical romance.”  ~ Sarah M. Eden, USA Today best-selling historical romance author

~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
  

Snippets

Snippet 1

Margaret had no one to blame for her current misery but herself. She’d been so blinded by the opportunity for an advantageous match, and so proud she’d garnered the attention of a handsome, charming marquis, that she’d failed to notice his legion character flaws until too late. Now, sixteen years into her marriage, she had few options but to keep a brave face and pretend her heart hadn’t been broken a hundred times over.

As she climbed out of the carriage, Margaret stopped her line of thought. No need to become maudlin. She marched up the front steps of the Hennessy London House and passed the neoclassical columns flanking the entrance. Lights blazed in the windows and spilled out through the fanlight over the front door, even though neither Margaret nor her erstwhile husband had been at home this eve. 

Gibbs met her at the door and looked down his nose at her. “Good evening, Lady Hennessy.” The butler’s first loyalty clearly lay with his lord; he served Margaret with a subtle but unmistakable resentment. 

“Good evening, dear Gibbs,” she said in a mockingly sweet voice as she handed him her cloak and gloves, and contemplated stabbing him with her hatpin just to see if he’d bleed. 

Snippet 2

Under his voice, Jackson said, “Best not to let them know who you are. Follow my lead.”

Before Margaret could reply, the justice of the peace called to Jackson.

“Sir, a moment?” 

Jackson stood and replied to the JP, “Of course. But as you can see, my wife has sustained some injuries and I’d like to get her to the nearest inn where she may rest.”

Margaret barely managed not to let her mouth drop open. Wife! Of course. His gentle attentiveness had all been part of that ruse. He’d been playing a role, like an actor. Her pleasure popped like a bubble. She clenched her hands and clamped down her jaw. It shouldn’t rankle. After all, he was a low-born working man with the manners of a sailor and the hands of a field worker. As soon as she safely reunited with her family, she’d dismiss him and never give him another thought. Ever.

The Justice of the Peace asked Jackson a few questions. Finally, the JP nodded to Margaret. “Ma’am. Do you have anything to add?” 

Margaret spoke in a higher range than usual and put in a breathy quality to her voice as she once did when prowling ballrooms looking for a gentleman of rank and wealth to charm her way into a proposal. “Oh, no, sir. My beloved husband”—she shot an overly adoring gaze at Jackson— “said it all so beautifully that I have nothing at all to say.” She batted her eyelashes at him.

Jackson blinked and his eyes widened just enough to reveal his surprise. He recovered and shrugged at the JP with a smile. “We’re newly married.”

“Er, thank you both.” The JP strode away to speak to another passenger.

With his brows raised, Jackson let out a half laugh. “You should have been on the stage.”

“I might say the same about you.” 

Scoundrel. Of course he knew she was playacting and not speaking in earnest. She’d been foolish to believe, even for a few seconds, that he could be tender instead of a complete cad. He was far beneath her notice. A servant. A peasant. A worm. There, that felt better.

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Pioneering the Vote: The Untold Story of Suffragists in Utah and the West by Neylan McBaine: Book Review

Product Details

• Title: Pioneering the Vote: The Untold Story of Suffragists in Utah and the West
• Author:
  Neylan McBaine
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Genre: Non-Fiction
• Publisher: Shadow Mountain (August 4, 2020)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1629727369

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***

Book Summary
Pioneering the Vote tells the remarkable, largely unknown story of the suffrage victories that happened in the American West. With the encouragement of their Eastern sisters, women from Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and Utah organized into one group whose goal was to win the right to vote, state by state. This culminated in May of 1895 when 8,000 people--including East Coast suffragists Susan B. Anthony and Reverend Anna Howard Shaw--attended the Rocky Mountain Suffrage Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. This book brings together the stories of those influential Western women.

My Review
This non-fiction book is a fantastic look at women's voting and suffragist history in Utah and the West. This book is full of information that I didn't know a lot about. At the beginning of the book, readers learn that the first American women to cast a ballot as an equal citizen to men was a Salt Lake City resident. It happened on Feb. 14, 1870, by a twenty-three-year-old school teacher, Seraph Young. That made me super excited that it was a school teacher who cast this first ballot. 2020 is the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment which gave women the right to vote. Pioneering the Vote tells the story of the gathering of 8,000 people from around the West who came to the Rocky Mountain Suffrage Convention. Emmeline B. Wells was Utah's leading Suffragist. I really enjoyed learning more about her life. I'd read before about Susan B. Anthony a very famous USA Suffragist, but in the book, readers learn about many women who brought about change to benefit all women back then and which has continued into today's world.

This book is a wonderful read for those who love history, and especially for women to appreciate the sacrifices that so many women made for all women in our country. I will definitely be reading more from this author and the causes that she supports.

Meet Author Neylan McBaine 

As CEO of the Better Days 2020 non-profit, which popularizes women's history through education, legislation and the arts, Neylan McBaine combines a Silicon Valley career in brand marketing with her experience in advocating for women.

Since co-founding Better Days 2020, Neylan has become a leader in speaking and writing about women's leadership and the U.S. suffrage movement, with a specific focus on Utah and the west's early role in that movement. She has developed a team of historians, educators and marketers that have changed the way Utahns view and understand women's history, leading to shifts in current perceptions of Utahns generally. As a TEDx presenter, columnist and writer, Neylan has been called a "change agent" and "uniquely important." She is also the founder of another non-profit, The Mormon Women Project, and the author of the best-selling "Women at Church: Magnifying LDS Women's Local Impact". Neylan is a graduate of Yale University, mother to three daughters, and lives in Salt Lake City.

Learn more about Neylan McBaine HERE: https://www.neylanmcbaine.com/ 

Listen to the TED Talk:

Reclaiming Utah's pioneering legacy of women's suffrage | Neylan McBaine | TEDxSaltLakeCity:

"Utah pioneers were on the leading edge of the women's suffrage movement, but their stories have been forgotten and buried. Neylan McBaine reminds us of Utah's trailblazing heritage and suggests it's time for Utah to reclaim its identity as a leader in women's advocacy."