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Book Blast: What Are Friends For? by Sarah Sutton @SarahMaeSutton

What Are Friends For?
Sarah Sutton
Publication date: January 14th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

FALLING IN LOVE ISN’T COMPLICATED…UNLESS IT’S WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND.
A close, easygoing friendship can all change with just one kiss. Seventeen-year-old Remi Beaufort learns this the hard way when she plays a blindfolded kissing game at a party.
She thinks she’s kissing Jeremy, the totally hot basketball player she’s been crushing on. And the kiss…it’s amazing. Heart-stopping, world-changing, toe-curling. The kiss makes her forget about her overbearing mother, the next-door neighbor’s drama, and the probability that she’ll fail her senior year. The best kiss of her life makes all that fall away.
Until her blindfold falls off, and she realizes that instead of kissing her crush, she’s kissing Elijah, her best friend since third grade.
Though she manages to convince Elijah that he was kissing his girlfriend, Remi can’t get the thought of his lips on hers out of her head. As things between them grow more and more complicated—because it turns out her fantasizing about his mouth is more of a problem than it sounds—Remi has to make a choice: does she live the rest of her life loving her best friend in secret? Or does she tell the truth and risk ruining their friendship forever?
Heart-melting and romantic, What Are Friends For? is a swoon-worthy best-friends-to-lovers story that will leave you crushing hard.

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EXCERPT:

There were times between us that felt totally normal—like, almost the entire time we’d been cutting out snowflakes, things had felt normal. I hadn’t been staring at his mouth or imagining his body heat enveloping me into a hug. We joked like normal, laughed like normal. But the quiet moments between us had my heart aching, wanting.
“See you tomorrow,” Elijah said, and I saw from the corner of my eye the shadow of him rising to his feet. He pressed his hand once against the spot between my shoulder blades before walking off, his socks silent on the wooden floors. I counted each of my breaths as I waited for the sound of the door to open.
It took seven slow inhales and exhales and then Elijah was gone, leaving me with a torrent of thoughts and a hurting heart.

Author Bio:
Sarah Sutton is a YA Romance author, bringing you stories about teenagers falling in love (sometimes with magic)She spends her days dreaming up ideas with her two adorable puppies by her side being cheerleaders (and mega distractions).

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Book Blast: Basics of Spellcraft by L.C. Mawson @lcmawson

Basics of Spellcraft
L.C. Mawson
(Ember Academy for Young Witches, #1)
Publication date: January 15th 2020
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Ancient curses. Blocked memories. And an Academy for young witches that might just hold the answers.
I should have known something was wrong when my weird aunt arrived in town just as I started getting killer headaches.
But how was I supposed to know that it was a sign of repressed magic?
Or that an ancient witch had escaped her tomb and sent demons after me?
Demons who cursed my mother.
I wanted to stay with her, even if she wouldn’t wake, but I was sent to Ember Academy for Young Witches instead. Somewhere the demons hopefully can’t get me.
I need to find a way to lift the curse, but there’s a block on both my magic and memories that everyone is refusing to lift.
A block that might hold the answers as to why an ancient witch is after me in the first place.
If I can figure her out, maybe I can figure out this curse.
My teachers don’t want me digging into it, worried about the danger.
But I don’t care.
My mother was cursed because of me, and I’m not going to rest until she’s safe again.
BASICS OF SPELLCRAFT is the first book in the Ember Academy for Young Witches YA Urban Fantasy Academy series. If you love kick-ass heroines, Sapphic slow-burn romances, and magical boarding schools, you’ll love this latest fast-paced series in L.C. Mawson’s Snowverse.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Dad stayed at the hospital with Mum, so it was just me and my auntie.
“Go on, get some rest,” she said, nodding to my bed as we entered my room. “I’ll try to be quiet as I pack up your things.”
“All of my things?” I asked as I kicked off my boots and pulled my bra out from under my shirt, before getting into bed in my shirt and jeans.
“I’ll take all of your clothes, so you’re not left without choice on the weekends, though there is a uniform through the week. And then I’ll bring your make-up, tablet, medication and laptop, along with chargers, headphones, and other bits. If you’ve got your phone and purse in your handbag, that should cover everything you’ll need. Unless you can think of anything else.”
My hand reached under my covers and found the old, worn toy rabbit that I’d had since I was a child. Mr Fluffy. It seemed silly to ask to pack him – I was sixteen, and I doubted the other kids at Ember would be kind about me still having a soft toy – but still, I clutched him to my chest, feeling a little better for his presence.
To my surprise, Auntie Jess made her way over, smiling and leaning over to gently stroke where the rabbit’s ears popped out from the top of the covers.
“I’m surprised my charm lasted this long.”
“Charm?” I asked, my voice a little muffled from my cheek being pressed into my pillow.
“I spelled the rabbit with a soothing charm when you were little. Though, I doubted it would have lasted this long with just my magic. Maybe your sister-” She cut herself off, as if realising what she had just said.
I frowned. “What sister? Dad said before that he couldn’t lose ‘another’ daughter. What did he mean? Does it have something to do with why we were attacked tonight? They were after me, weren’t they?” As I spoke, another headache formed, the burning behind my eyes getting worse with each word that left my lips. But I couldn’t stop. Not until I had answers.
Auntie Jess sighed. “How’s your head?”
My frown deepened at the random question. “Killing. Why?”
“Because your father wasn’t the only one who had his memories tampered with.”
“Then untamper them.” My words had a little more bite than intended but I couldn’t bring myself to care. “If you took the memories, then surely you can give them back. Dad got his back.”
“I wasn’t the one to take your memories, Amy. And ‘taken’ isn’t really what happened, anyway. A block was placed on both your memories and your magic. The former was intentional, but the latter… Well, intentional or not, it gave you longer than most to have a normal childhood.
“Regardless, I don’t think I need to remove the block. You’ve been fighting it for the past few months, which is why I moved back here and why you’ve been getting the headaches. And why I’ve been pushing you to go to Ember Academy. Gail knows more about this kind of magic than me, so she can take a look in the morning and see if she can help.”
I nodded, holding Mr Fluffy tighter. “You didn’t answer any of my questions.”
“No, I didn’t. I think answering them will weaken the block further, and I don’t want to risk that until Gail has had a chance to have a look.”
I nodded, having to admit that I didn’t want her to mess with something in my head until we were sure it was safe, despite my need to understand.
Despite the fact that people kept referring to a sister that I couldn’t remember.
Who was she? Where was she now? Did she have magic like me?
Even just thinking the questions caused my vision to swim with pain.
Right. The more I pushed the block on my memories, the worse the headaches would get.
Still, there was one question I couldn’t let go.
“But those attackers, they were there for me, weren’t they?”

Author Bio:
Some say she's an ancient creature of nightmare that was unleashed from beneath the ocean, come to devour the souls of men. Others say that she's a cosmic being from the beyond the stars that has taken corporeal form to learn our ways for some unknown end...
In truth, L.C. Mawson lives in a tower in the middle of a haunted forest, far from civilisation and is definitely (probably?) not a witch who curses those who trespass upon her land. And she definitely cannot turn into a dragon that flies over cities in the dead of night and whose cries are often mistaken for an approaching storm. Where did you hear that? That's absurd...
The only contact she has with humanity is publishing a book once a month, which is definitely just for fun and not part of an ancient contract with a trickster god.

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Blog Tour: Steel Striings by Alex Hayes @AlexHayesAuthor

Blog Tour: Ionic Attraction by D.R. Rosenstel @DRRosensteel

Book Blast: Something Wicked by Nicole M. Rubino @nicolemrubino

Something Wicked
Nicole M. Rubino
(Something Wicked, #1)
Publication date: November 26th 2019
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

A break-up and a car accident are no way to begin your seventeenth birthday.
For Theo Montgomery, that is exactly how it began. Her bad luck turns worse when she returns home from a school dance to find her home engulfed in flames – with her parents still inside.
Theo is sent to live with her estranged aunt, Elizabeth, in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem proves to offer many new discoveries, one of those being that Theo, like her aunt, is a witch. A witch who must keep her magic in check, lest the Town’s witch hunters discover that magic has returned to the world after more than three hundred years. But how can she navigate a new school, new magical powers and avoid the witch hunters, when she finds herself enjoying the company of one?
Trystan de Lancre is a dangerous witch hunter and the only son of the Salem witch hunter clan leader, the notorious Joseph de Lancre. Despite his growing feelings for Theo, Trystan has his own reasons for getting close to her – and they are far from romantic. Yet, Trystan isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Theo knows her aunt is hiding something, something linked to the tragedy that happened in Salem long ago, and to Theo, herself.
Salem’s dark past rises to haunt Theo and the present-day witches, unraveling a shocking revelation: the true cause of the Salem Witch Trials.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Theo made her way down Essex Street, heading toward the center of the Town. There didn’t seem to be many shops this far down, and she wondered why Elizabeth hadn’t dropped her off further in the city.
Because she doesn’t trust you not to go into that bookstore to find Trystan, a voice reminded her.
Slightly disgruntled at that, she walked for a good five minutes, taking in various little shops and admiring the cobblestone street. She questioned when she would come upon a storefront she might be interested in, when a large figure came from around the corner and collided with her. She grimaced as her face landed directly on the hard bone of someone’s sternum.
“Ouch!” she exclaimed, rubbing her nose where it struck the individual, and felt strong fingers lay upon her arms to move her back.
Theo heard a small chuckle. “This isn’t exactly how I pictured getting you in my arms.”
She recognized the voice instantly, her eyes darting upward. “Trystan,” she breathed.
“In the flesh, I’m afraid. Sorry about pummeling into you. It was just payback.” His wide grin reached his sparkling eyes, making the features of his face more beautiful.
She was distracted, her eyes outlining his chiseled cheekbones and strong jawline, complete with a set of lips that looked perfect for kissing.
“Remember, you nearly killed me with a stack of books?” He must have mistaken the silence of her admiration of him for confusion.
“That’s right. I suppose it’s only fair.” She shrugged, hiding a smile.
The way he was looking at her gave her a fluttery sensation in her stomach. Once more at a loss for words, she bit her bottom lip and started twirling a strand of unruly dark hair around her finger.
“Where are you heading?” he asked, eyes now focused on her lips.
“I’m not really sure,” she admitted. His features contorted into a mask of puzzlement as she continued, “I was taking a walk, trying to explore more of Salem.”
“There isn’t really much to see this far down Essex Street,” he responded, still looking perplexed.
“My aunt is at the Athenaeum for a few hours. I walked from there.”
Trystan’s eyebrows rose in understanding, his eyes twinkling with intrigue. “You’re alone?”
She nodded. “For a little while, at least.” The corners of her mouth turned up in anticipation of what he would say next.
“Would you like some company? I can show you around. I’ve lived here all my life.”
Theo hesitated. Her aunt’s cold grey stare was visible in her mind’s eye, as well as the feeling of unease at disobeying her aunt’s request.
That you stay away from the bookstore . . . Theo replayed the conversation from this morning and the day before, realizing that in fact, her aunt had not specifically demanded to stay away from Trystan, but rather to stay away from the bookstore.
You know damn well that’s not what she meant, her own voice of reason argued. But seeing the way Trystan’s white thermal sweater hugged the muscles visible underneath, she made her decision:
“That would be great. Thank you.”
He flashed a heart-stopping smile, and she nearly melted.
“This way.” He held out his hand and stepped back, allowing her to pass first. His etiquette reminded her of the gentlemen she had read about in books written by the likes of Jane Austen–gallant and courtly. He lightly placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her; the small touch sending jolts of electricity throughout her entire body.
Trystan led her around the corner and stopped in front of an ominous looking sports car. It wasn’t sleek and refined the way she remembered Tali’s BMW. Trystan’s car had a rugged, dangerous look to it, and she briefly wondered if boys picked cars the way girls picked shoes, as extensions of their own personalities.
Theo reached forward to grab the handle, but Trystan was there first, opening the door for her. She thought this old-fashioned gesture had disappeared, along with returning text messages and phone calls.
“I see chivalry isn’t dead in Salem,” she commented as she nestled into a black leather seat that was even darker than the color of the car.
He paused to look at her, one hand still on the door frame and the other twirling his keys. “You will find there are a lot of things that aren’t dead in Salem,” he replied with a mischievous smirk and shut the door.

Author Bio:
Hello! I'm Nicole Rubino, author of Something Wicked, the first in a four-book series about witches, witch hunters, and everything in between!
I fondly remember Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach as the first book that took me on an adventure, and so, I fell in love with reading and writing fantasy. Another one of my favorite books by Dahl should come as no surprise: The Witches.
My equal love for history propelled me to dive further into the witch hunts throughout Europe and the witch hunts in Salem, which is where I got the idea for my debut novel.
Authors I love and whom inspire me are Leigh Bardugo, Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas, Jay Kristoff and Pierce Brown.

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Book Blitz: Shadowd by Michelle Areaux @MichelleAreaux

Shadowed
Michelle Areaux
Published by: Kingston Publishing Company
Publication date: January 2nd 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Sixteen-year-old Henley Abbott is just trying to make it through high school in the small town of Edison, Washington where she has lived her entire life. Constantly feeling alone, she’s surprised when she finds herself intrigued by the new boy in town, Cohen Davenport.
With the entire town talking about the new and secretive family, Henley refuses to join in on the rumors swirling about them and attempts to keep her distance.
However, as Cohen becomes intrigued by Henley, the pair seems to find a spark in a kindling friendship.
As the intensity of their relationship builds, Henley discovers a dark secret plaguing Cohen and his elusive family. He reveals a twisted past that has kept his family on the run…for decades.
Cohen should keep his distance. It is too dangerous to bring Henley into his life, but he can’t stay away from her.
And, Henley doesn’t want him to.
As Henley overcomes her own fears and trepidations, she finds herself engrossed in a battle that could destroy them both. Only their connection could help them all survive.
Intensely romantic and extremely thrilling, this novel will pull readers in from the very first page.
Fans of Twilight, The Guardian Series, and the Marked Saga will instantly fall in love with this new paranormal series.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

As much as I liked to pretend, I wasn’t completely and totally intrigued by the thought of new people moving here; I couldn’t control myself. I tried to convince myself it was all because of my mom; but as I stood there, whispering the words, I knew there was no fooling myself.
“Henley, don’t you know it’s not polite to stare?” she asked, but her own hypocritical words hung heavy in the air as she raced to join me in the living room again.
Standing next to me, we watched intently as the driver’s side door opened. With large eyes, we strained to get a glimpse of who would be our new neighbor. To our surprise, the rest of the car doors opened and the family emerged.
A tall man with dark hair closed the driver’s side door as a woman emerged from the passenger’s side. The back two doors opened and three teens, roughly around my age, tumbled out. A girl with short, dark hair and legs-for-days gave the house a disgusted look. A boy who seemed to be uninterested in it all, stared down into his phone, which he held tightly in his grip. Finally, a tall boy with the same dark hair stood behind the rest of his family. With his hands tucked deep into his jeans pockets, he seemed reluctant to move any closer to the house.
“Well, they look like a nice family,” my mom said. I turned to look at her and I could see the eagerness twinkling in her baby blues to get to her phone and be the first one to spill the news that the new neighbors had arrived.
It was almost like they had landed in a spaceship and were from outer space!
“Maybe,” I grumbled, still unsure about these people.
Suddenly, the boy, standing alone behind his family, turned and caught me snooping on them. Our eyes connected for a brief moment before he gave me an angry snarl that had me stumbling backward.
What was that?
“I need to go call Susan,” my mom stated, as she rushed to the kitchen to retrieve her phone.
I dared to look back out the window again; and when I did, the entire family was gone.
Just disappeared, like they had never been standing there in the first place.
I blinked, just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. When I looked again, the SUV was still parked along the curb, but the family was gone.
Lights glowed from inside the house.
“That’s weird,” I said aloud to myself. How did they have time to get inside and turn on the lights? I literally just turned around for a second.
I shook my head, unsure of what to think. Peeking out of the window again, something in the far, second-floor window caught my attention. As my gaze moved up, I felt my cheeks burn and nervous energy flow through me. As my gaze finally landed on the window, I caught a pair of red eyes staring back at me. It was the same boy who had given me the nasty stare just moments before.
I closed the curtains and took a step back. My heart was racing so fast, I feared it might jump right out of my chest. With labored breathing, I slowly walked into the kitchen where my mom was blabbing the news to anyone who would listen.

Author Bio:
Michelle Areaux is a wife, mother, and seventh grade Language Arts teacher.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Kentucky and a Master’s degree in Literacy from Asbury University.

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Blog Tour: War of the Downer King by Scott Ken

Blog Tour: From Ashes to Magic by Various Authors @missmikkinoble @JennWritesVamps @Adi_Denner @nitapanwrites @katiania @APaulWrites @_carmenadams_ @ryen_lesli @EvelynChartres @AriMeghlen

Blog Tour: Guardian The Choice by Geoffrey Saign @geoffreysaign