Monday, February 26, 2024

Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod by Katherine Udovicich (Spotlight, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT


 



Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod

by 

Katherine Udovicich

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:   Children's

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Hippity hoppity, Easter's on its way! Scruff the pup is drooling in anticipation. But what will Scruff discover about chocolate eggs when a-hunting he will go? Find out in this gratifying wag of a tale.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



 

EXCERPT


Scruff is beginning to think that getting his paws on even a teeny-tiny Easter egg might be too difficult.

Then he remembers something—Mum and Dad encouraging the children always to take on a good challenge.

Suddenly, Scruff has an idea about how to score an Easter egg from the kids. The pup knows he will be the underdog and, therefore, hatches a plan—now ready to unleash!

First, Scruff engages the children in a game of chase ... and lets them win.

Next, he performs all the tricks they’ve taught him, plus one of his own: Scruff’s slick, quick ball-balancing trick.

Then Scruff and the kids start a game of ruff and tumble, and Scruff goes easy on them.

Afterwards, the pup sits uncomplainingly as his messy hair is brushed smooth; Scruff no longer feels like himself.

Eventually, Scruff allows the children to dress him up as the Easter Bunny! Such a cliché, he thinks, putting on a brave face.

Despite jumping through hoop after hoop and working like a dog, Scruff does not get a single Easter egg.

From afar, he watches the kids enjoying mini chocolate eggs filled with caramel. Fine, rub my nose in it, thinks Scruff. See if I care.

But he does care. And he doesn’t understand why the children won’t share with him. They usually always share food with him under the table. So, what is it about Easter eggs?

 

Purchase links:

Amazon

Amazon.CA

Booktopia

Indigo Chapters

Barnes & Noble

Walmart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 



Katherine Udovicich has a background in primary teaching and education. She is from Melbourne, Australia, where she completed a bachelor's degree in science and a master's in teaching. Katherine's greatest joy is being a mum, and she is passionate about promoting literacy development for all children.

 



CONNECT WITH Katherine

 

Website

 

INSTAGRAM: Coming soon

 

 ************************************                

GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 


The tour dates can be found here



 ************************************        


My review:

4.5 stars

Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod, written by Katherine Udovicich and illustrated by Madeleine Mae B. Migallos, follows young Scruff as he tries his best to join his humans in enjoying chocolate Easter eggs. He doesn’t understand why the senior dog in the family, Frog, keeps mentioning the cocoa pod until Dad, the human, finally explains and makes both Frog and Scruff happy with their own Easter treats.

 

This sweet children’s book is beautifully illustrated and teaches a very important lesson about keeping dogs safe, no matter how persuasive they’re being. I was worried at first, because I was afraid Scruff would find a way to share in the children’s treats, but I enjoyed reading about his antics and his reasoning. I think it’s great that the explanation for not sharing chocolate with dogs is given at both a level that children will understand and at a more scientific level and I love the puns at the end of the story. This is a great book for teaching and for just enjoying the cute illustrations, and I think it would be useful as an educational tool throughout the year, although it is centered on Easter.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review


  

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Murderous Means by Lida Sideris (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 



Murderous Means

by 

Lida Sideris

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:   Cozy Mystery

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Corrie Locke may not be the best rookie lawyer in Southern California, but when it comes to catching a killer, she’s got the skills to bring a band of shifty-eyed suspects to their knees.
When the wealthy matriarch of the dysfunctional Means family dies in her sleep, the family is convinced her death was anything but peaceful. They hire Corrie to prove it, but the only evidence they have to go on is a psychic’s half-baked vision that it was murder. To put the matter to rest, Corrie sets her sights on proving the psychic is a fraud. After all, everyone knows psychics are crack-pots, don’t they?

But what should be a simple investigation morphs into something deadly. The deeper Corrie digs, the more bizarre clues are revealed, and a possible witness is found dead. As tempers rise, it is up to Corrie to catch a killer…who’s about to strike again.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



 

EXCERPT



Tiny beads of pain crashed together in my head like bumper cars made of steel. It felt like I’d emerged from a deep slumber. I lifted my leaden head. I lay sprawled in the middle of a field. Did I lose consciousness?

 

My fingers crept to my belt buckle, and I slipped the Japanese throwing star into my palm, relishing the shuriken’s cold metal and sharp points. I caught my breath. A flashlight illuminated the night. A dozen goats huddled together a good thirty feet away, their backs to me. A deep voice stirred the air. I couldn’t make out the words. Who was talking?

 

A large man stood near the goats, light beam in one hand, while the other dangled a pistol. As he shooed away the livestock, I lowered my head and stiffened. What was it Dad used to say?

 

A problem presents an opportunity to turn things around.

 

The guy trekked closer, stopping a few feet short of me. He smelled faintly of tobacco and beer. Shoving aside the pain, I jumped to my feet, only it was more like I heaved myself to a crouching position, shuriken ready. I sucked in a breath and sprang forward, straightening up enough to press my throwing star against his thick neck. Meanwhile, he stuck the muzzle of his gun to my side.

 

“Steady now, young lady.” His voice was a baritone growl that rustled the weeds. His crinkly blue gaze lit up like sparklers. “I’m going to lower my gun the same time you lower that sharp pointy thing. I know you broke inside the house tonight, but I’m willing to give you a chance to explain before I call the police.”

 

“Before you what?” I pressed the star deeper, a whisker away from drawing blood. “Who are you?”

 


 

Amazon

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Lida Sideris is the author of the Southern California Mysteries. Slightly edgier than the usual cozy mystery, the series is loosely based on the author’s former life, working as an entertainment attorney for a movie studio…kind of like her heroine, Corrie Locke... except without the homicides. Lida is a recipient of the Helen McCloy Mystery Writers of America Scholarship Award and a 2x Killer Nashville, Silver Falchion Award finalist. She lives in the northern tip of Southern California with her family, rescue dogs, and a flock of uppity chickens. To learn more, please visit www.LidaSideris.com




Links:

www.lidasideris.com

https://www.facebook.com/lidasideris

Twitter: @lidasideris

Instagram: @lida_sideris

BookBub



***********************


GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here


***********************


My review:


3.75 stars

 

“Murderous Means” by Lida Sideris is part of the ‘A Southern California Mystery’ series, and features intrepid almost-official private investigator Corrie Locke and her team as they try to determine whether a sudden death is due to homicide. Using a variety of conventional and not-so-conventional methods, the cast of characters look for clues in unusual places while they try to figure out if an actual crime has been committed, and if so, why.

 

This cozy mystery features a somewhat wacky crew of investigators who definitely should not be underestimated. Although this book can be read as a stand-alone story, I suspect that it would be less confusing to read the prior book(s) in the series and get a feel for the dynamics of the group and their outside-of-the-box techniques.

I enjoyed working my way through the twists and turns of the investigation even as I shook my head at some of the shenanigans and the way these folks play fast and loose with the legalities. A few things strained my credulity a bit, but it was fun reading the colorful descriptions of the characters and locations. This author has a way with words that makes even serious crimes entertaining, and I suspect the crew will soon be embroiled in even more adventures in beautiful Southern California.


A copy of this title was provided for review



Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Clean Win by Kevin R. Doyle (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT


 


Clean Win

by 

Kevin R. Doyle

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Mystery

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Laura Mosby is like a lot of young women, working in a job she doesn't like, looking for a way out, and doing her best to enjoy her privacy. When she dies a violent death at the hands of an intruder, it's at first brushed off as a standard homicide. But when Lieutenant Santiago, the supervising detective, comes across evidence linking her death to a local politician, he begins to see the faint threads of a much nastier scheme. Desperate to shield his people from potential harm, he turns to Sam Quinton, full-time gym owner and part-time private investigator, to help solve Laura's murder and help the police department evade the wrath of City Hall.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT

 

We sat there for another minute or two before I prodded the cop. “Laura Mosby.”

“Right.” Santiago sat a little straighter, as if pulling himself back on track. “We’ve got a possible suspect.”

“From what the local news has reported, you’ve had more than one possible suspect.”

Santiago nodded. “A former boyfriend, another even more former boyfriend, and a low-rent cousin who lives out of state.”

“But?”

“But they were all dead ends. And now we’ve got someone new to look at.”

“Which I’m guessing has something to do with why you’re slumming enough to visit me this morning,” I said. “So why not get to it. Who’s the new favorite?”

Santiago looked away as he pressed his hands flat on his thighs. Despite our not-so-hot relationship, I decided to give him the time he needed.

He looked back my way, his expression as calm and controlled as I’d ever seen him.

“Bob Marlow,” he said, so quietly I almost missed it.

I blinked a couple of times, processing the name.

“Bob Marlow,” I repeated a few seconds later.

“Yeah,” Santiago said, giving me half a nod.

“As in Mayor Bob Marlow?”

Only a quarter of a nod this time, if that. “Yeah.”

“As in recently-announced candidate for governor Bob Marlow?”

No comment this time, except for Santiago giving me a dead-level stare.

“Well, shit,” I said.

“Yeah,” Santiago said.

 

Buy links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

A high-school teacher, former college instructor, and fiction writer, Kevin R. Doyle is the author of numerous short horror stories. He’s also written three crime thrillers, The Group, When You Have to Go There, and And the Devil Walks Away, and one horror novel, The Litter. In the last few years, he’s begun working on the Sam Quinton private eye series, published by Camel Press. The first Quinton book, Squatter’s Rights, was nominated for the 2021 Shamus award for Best First PI Novel.  The second book, Heel Turn, was released in March of 2021, while the third in the series, Double Frame, came out in March of 2022. The fourth Sam Quinton book, Clean Win, will be released in March of 2023.

 

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

 

**************************


GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


**************************

My review:

3.75 out of 5 stars

 

“Clean Win” by Kevin Doyle is the fourth book in the ‘Sam Quinton Mystery’ series. A reluctant request from the lead police detective in a murder case embroils Sam in a complicated situation that may have far-reaching political implications. The wily private investigator will have to use his knowledge from both his prior career and his current ones to get to the truth.

 

This mystery story features an engaging private detective, intriguing secondary characters, and nice twists and turns as the investigation proceeds. I enjoyed Sam’s insouciant attitude and quiet competence as he interacted with folks from all walks of life. The allusions to previous encounters makes me curious about the other stories in the series, but I had no problem reading this as a stand-alone story. Sam’s previous career as a wrestler gives an entertaining dimension to some of his encounters, and I like that he has a (mostly) cordial relationship with the police. This was a fun quick read, and I look forward to reading other stories that feature this colorful investigator.

 

A copy of this story was provided for review


Tuesday, December 19, 2023

A Curse of Magick by Diane Gallagher (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 


A Curse of Magick

by

Diane Gallagher

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: YA Romance

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 



BLURB:

 

“A desperate princess, a handsome warrior, and an ancient magick to determine their fate.”

 

As daughter to the High King, love doesn’t come easily to Gráinne. Having turned down hundreds of suitors, she is being forced to marry Finn, an old, ugly yet powerful general. While outside the marriage hall, Gráinne bumps into Diarmuid, Finn’s handsome foster son. From that moment, Gráinne knows if she is to have any chance at love, he is the one she must marry. She begs him to take her away from this unwanted wedding. When Diarmuid refuses, Gráinne, desperate, places a curse on him; help her or die.

 

Diarmuid is a warrior who only wants to serve loyally, but when the princess sets her sights on him and casts her curse, he must make the most difficult choice of his life. Does he help her, taking their chances with a vengeful Finn, or does her refuse her, leaving her to her fate, and risking his own death?

 

With both their lives on the line, Gráinne and Diarmuid must fight to use Ireland’s ancient magick to escape from Finn, either bringing them together in passion or in death.

 

A Curse of Magick is a passionate tale of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. A retelling of an ancient Irish myth, A Curse of Magick takes the love and romance of Romeo and Juliet, and the exhilaration of King Arthur, and mixes it together for a satisfying adventure all will love.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT

 

Once the cave opened, Diarmuid grinned at Gráinne in the dim light. The walls of the caves were lined with crystals. Even in the darkening light of the sunset they twinkled and reflected the deep orange glow. Gráinne gasped. 

 

“Wait until you see it with a fire,” Diarmuid said. “I’m going to go and gather as much dried wood as I can find. Wait here.”

 

As he left the cave, Diarmuid listened carefully. There was no sound of Finn’s men. He didn’t expect another message from Oisin saying they were on the move. He knew they were on their own now. He gathered up a tangle of branches he found at the foot of a tree. He hauled them back into the cave and dropped them in a heap on the cavern floor. 

 

“Hand me that bag, will you?” Diarmuid pointed to a small bag he’d left near Bran. “That’s the flint bag. We can never lose that, or we will be in trouble.”

 

“I know that,” Gráinne bit back. “I have my own. Look.” From just under the collar of her dress she pulled out her own leather bag.

 

Diarmuid grunted and turned his attention to the fire.

 

He piled the branches carefully so that air would draw from below and used his flint to light the fire. As the fire sparked and took, the light reflected against the crystals that covered the ceiling of the cavern, making it look like a thousand tiny stars twinkled above them.

 

“Oh, how beautiful!” Gráinne cried, pressing her hands together beneath her chin. 

 

“Yes, it was Angus that showed this to me. It is like magick, isn’t it?”

 

Gráinne nodded and smiled at Diarmuid, looking up at him from beneath her lashes, her momentary ire forgotten. 


 Amazon: (Kindle Unlimited)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Diane Gallagher is a novelist and Druid priest. She is the author of three novels: A Curse of Magick, Greenwich List, and the Bastard of Saint Genevra. She has long roots stretching into her Celtic past, although she splits her life between two islands—Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada, and Sicily off the toe of Italy’s boot. She writes young adult romance based on ancient Celtic myths of the powerful women of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. She currently teaches creative writing at Cherry Hill Seminary.

 

Website

Facebook

Facebook (Dark Curses of Celtic Women)

Instagram

Twitter






 

 



***************************

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Sam Time by Donna Balon (VBT, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFP

 

Sam Time
by
Donna Balon



When her fiancé is away on business, lonely Samantha Hunter despairs and absorbs herself in historical research. Her nighttime dreams being so vivid, Samantha believes she’s traveling to a past century. As she navigates the Victorian era rules of dos and even more don’ts, she charms Ulysses S Grant while struggling to maintain her present-day romance.


******************


 

 









Excerpt

During the night, Samantha had a vivid dream. She was in a rural town wearing her Victorian-style dress. The weather was cool so she wrapped the crocheted afghan around her shoulders. And her sockless feet were cold in her slip-on shoes.

The few men she saw were in worn, soiled work clothes and walked with purpose. The so-called roadways were not paved but dirt paths. No cars or trucks, but horses and carts. A few wooden one-story buildings scattered here and there.

This must be a dream in which the clock has been turned back, Samantha thought. But where am I?

She strolled, aware she had not seen any other women. Pulling the afghan around herself snugly, she walked with her head tilted down to avoid catching the eye of any man in whatever this place was, glancing up often to learn more of her surroundings.

Then two women hurried toward her, each carrying a wooden bucket of water. Their cotton dresses hung to their ankles, with full skirts gathered at the waist of fitted bodices. Plain white cotton bonnets covered their heads, and shawls were wrapped around their shoulders. They looked at Samantha disapprovingly. Her dress was too fancy for this rural town. Moreover, she wasn’t wearing a bonnet or hat; a bare head was a means of solicitation by prostitutes. She hugged her body with the afghan, which served as a shawl to hide her uncorseted torso.

The dream seemed authentic. Despite her uneasiness, she thought, Enjoy the dream. If I don’t like it, I’ll wake myself up.

Around a corner, she spotted a few men in uniform. Soldiers. Maybe the army. This might be a small town next to an army fort, Samantha guessed. Still, not a good place for a woman.


Amazon buy link


****************************

About the Author:


Author Donna Balon debuts Sam Time, a novel well-researched and professionally edited by quality talent from the publishing industry. Donna resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband.












***********************************

GIVEAWAY


Other stops on the tour can be found here


Monday, December 11, 2023

The Sexy Seven Supernaturals - Paranormal and Dark Short Stories for Adults by Luki Belle (VNBtM) GFP ADULT title


 

It is my pleasure to share a guest post by author Luki Belle, who explains...


What do you think is the strongest attraction about the genre(s) you like to write in?


LB:  I truly love this question! I am currently focusing on paranormal, dark, fantasy and erotic genres.

The dark and the paranormal intrigue me because as a child I was super scared of the dark, dark rooms, dark places, the night and along with that, terrified of ghosts and anything that made noise without a cause :)

As I grew older, I became fascinated by psychology and the things that the mind can do subconsciously and consciously to stir the unconscious essence in a person. I speak to this fascination in the author bio of this book.

I also believe in the ability of the mind to manifest things if the desire or distress is powerful enough and endures long enough. A key part of this has to do with the power of observation or focusing on something in day-to-day life which could be a physical thing, an emotional thing, or a mental thought.

In my paranormal themed stories, I explore the play between paranormal entities and their interaction with mortal humans, the play of the other worldly with the mind of the worldly.

When it comes to the dark and the erotica themes, I like to explore the forbidden and the unknown through my characters. The gothic nature of my stories is enticing to me because I would love to read my stories on gray rainy days or by the fireside on a cold winter day.

The coziness of sensuality, the daringness of sexuality combined with the bleak nature of a plot would make a good reading companion in a perfectly comfortable home setting with a glass of fine wine and some delicious chocolates! :) I like making my stories fit this profile for such a reader.

The genre of fantasy and the paranormal gives me the opportunity to create my own rules in the world I set up around my characters. However, this can sometimes become challenging because I must be very detail oriented to set up the rules, under all circumstances of interaction, with paranormal or supernatural entities and the mortal beings in my stories. These rules must be adhered to throughout the story for it to be compelling to my reader. I like this challenge, it is that of an architect, my own virtual world, like a dollhouse where imagination has no bounds, only the limits that I create :)

 

********************



The Sexy Seven Supernaturals

ADULT title

by

Luki Belle

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:   Fiction - Short Stories, Fantasy, Paranormal, Erotica

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Seven haunting tales of women, young female adults, and an adolescent girl whose lives change irreversibly because of entities who come into the lives of these female protagonists, mysteriously, invited by yearnings and distresses that exist in these women and girls -


1) The Photo and the Letter: Larissa, a heartbroken young woman, finds a captivating photo of an elderly friend and becomes compelled to discover more about the bitterly written letter that was addressed to the elderly woman, who had a fascinating past.

2) Strength of Feathers: Vanessa, an orphan, who struggled her entire life to survive and achieve professional success, decides one night to overcome her fear of heights and her reluctance to be spontaneous when she meets an enigmatic, wealthy woman who has ulterior motives.

3) The Aunt: Anika, a teenage girl, niece of a notable and authoritative commander of her nation’s army, finds herself in a precarious situation when at a bloody crossroads of her nation’s history, she falls for a young, ambitious, and ruthless military man from a long-rival nation, who is about to take over rulership of Anika’s nation and her uncle’s army.


4) Ravenous: Sabrina, a young adult, daughter of a coalminer, is forced to leave her hometown with her father and siblings. Her family is taken in by a kind doctor who has mixed intentions for helping the homeless father and his three children.


5) The Bride’s Matchmaker: Mylakena, a young rural woman, comes to live in a dynamic, metropolitan city with her uncle, when she falls for two handsome, rich, and athletic young city men and realizes that her innocent infatuation has severe consequences.


6) The Picture Ghost: Elsa, a young adult daughter of a farmer, starts attending college far away from her hometown. Her poor grades lead her to a professor whose art collection draws Elsa uncomfortably close to an enigmatic stranger from the past.


7) The Old Willow Tree: Helen, a highly successful businesswoman, retires in a foreign country where, while searching for a permanent home with a garden, she falls in love with a stunning willow tree on a property that she desperately wants to buy.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT


 6) The Picture Ghost

 

When Eugene came into his teenage years, the merchant used the handsome lad’s innocent charms to attract single, female guests at social events. The women were made to believe by Eugene that his benefactor, the rich merchant, was a lonely, generous, and warmhearted man. Thus, the adolescent enabled several affairs under such pretenses, for the merchant. The man, never having had the talent for pursuing women found in Eugene an indebted being who was willing to do anything for the person who gave the boy education and luxuries. Their relationship became so close that the merchant practically bought Eugene from his father, telling the fisherman that his son no longer wished to maintain ties with the village. To this Eugene did not raise much objection. However, he may have been coerced to break all ties with his biological father.

 

7) The Old Willow Tree

 

The house belonged to an architect who had built many of the prominent business structures in the country, including a famous public greenhouse in their city that showcased exotic flowers and endangered trees. The architect had designed his house and lived in it with his two sisters and wife. The latter died at childbirth along with her baby. Following the tragic event, the architect put his house up for sale. And then the facts became stories. Helen could tell that the friend was adding his own imagination and fabrications to what seemed to have happened next. However, one thing was clear. At a certain point in time, the architect had given up or had decided not to sell the house. The friend was certain it had something to do with the property. Prospective buyers had rumored about feeling uncomfortable on the premises and some had even heard a woman’s voice speaking to them and others had heard a baby crying.

 

Buy links

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:



Luki Belle works in the media industry. Storytelling was a fixture from childhood when she would listen to stories told by her grandparents, parents, sisters, and cousins, who would read to her from diverse cultural fiction books. Scary and ghost stories in particular, captured Luki as a child and led to her fascination with the concept of feeling haunted or being haunted by something or someone, whether desirably or whether uninvited. In the Sexy Seven Supernaturals, Luki explores the amalgamation between the psychological and the paranormal, enabled by the human mind through its power to imagine, visualize, and yearn. The female characters in this book each have strong or subtle conscious desires created or triggered by subconscious or unconscious distresses, leading each of them to unexpected fates.

Websites


Facebook

Instagram photos and videos

Twitter

  


 ********************


GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here



Tuesday, November 21, 2023

The Sea's Edge by Garth Pettersen (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT


The Sea’s Edge

by 

Garth Pettersen

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Historical Fiction

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

In 1030 C.E., Cnute, king of England, Denmark, and Norway, sends Harald, his middle son, to the Kingdom of Dublin to meet with his Norse-Irish allies. Harald’s mission is to coordinate an invasion of the northern Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd, to replace King Rhydderch who is growing too powerful on England’s borders. Harald is reluctant to be involved in affairs of state, but agrees to go, even though his beloved wife, Selia, is unwell. Harald tells Selia he will not have to take part in the fighting.

 

While she waits for Harald to return, Selia and her friend Gudrun befriend a young and attractive gleeman (poet-minstrel). When the gleeman is accused of a crime, Selia seeks witnesses in his defense.

 

Harald becomes involved in a conflict with Dublin’s neighbor, and to appease the king of Dublin, he commits to leading their combined forces in the attack on Wales. The plan is to replace King Rhydderch with Iago, the weaker King of Anglesey. The more Harald learns of these monarchs, the more his allegiance leans toward the man he has been sent to kill.

 

Will Harald unseat a strong and just ruler to carry out his father/king’s commands, or will he tread a more righteous road, which will destroy the life he and Selia have built in England?

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 



EXCERPT


The rain beat upon the thatch of Gwyn and Gudrun’s new hall, running off in rivulets that wet-tapped the ground in a thousand places on each side. The evening fire in the hall’s center warmed the occupants where they sat upon benches finishing the evening meal. The woodsmoke rose just well enough to find the smoke hole in the roof. The tang of the smoke was as natural as to them as the smell of the brook trout caught that day. This night all savoured barley-bread hearthcakes and a hearty pottage to which the fish chunks had been added. With Gudrun, Meleri, Selia, and their guest, three hirelings and their small families shared the meal. Two older children sat with Meleri. The housecarls Gunnar and Geir joined the gathering, while Sture acted as wardmann, watching through a watery curtain that dripped relentlessly from the roof of an out-building.

 

“Tell me, Trygve,” Selia said, scooping the pottage with her chunk of hearthcake, “why are you known as Trygve det Kostbar, ‘Trygva the Precious’?”

 

The ale-scop finished drinking from the horn of ale that was going round and passed it to another. “It is not always the best names that attach themselves. Whether it was originally a jest, I know not, but where I grew up in Jórvik, there was more than one Trygve. They say I was an attractive and well-behaved child and folk called me “Precious.”

“Not because of self-love?” Selia shot a knowing glance to Gudrun, who stifled a laugh.

“I...” Trygve began to speak but probably decided against defending himself. “No, I think not.”

“And what were the other Trygves called?” Gudrun asked with a barely hidden smile.

“Trygve Bent Nose,” Selia suggested.

“Trygve Small Balls?” said Gudrun.

“Trygve Cat Whiskers?” Selia added. By now the women laughed with abandon and even the children joined in.

“Trygve Dog Shit?” said the young boy, Cerdic.

To his credit, Trygve the Precious laughed along with everyone.

The jibing continued until everyone’s wits became stale and the names less clever.

“Well, Trygve,” said Gudrun. “It is a wise man who can laugh when the jest targets him,”

“An ale-scop would soon be unwelcome if he took offence at every fire he shared.”

 

 

 Buy Links:

 

Tirgearrpublishing.com

Amazon                       

Amazon UK

Amazon CA 

Amazon AU

Apple

Kobo

Nook

Smashwords

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links

Garth Pettersen is a Canadian writer living in the Fraser Valley near Vancouver, BC. When he's not writing, he is riding horses or working on his acreage. Garth's short stories have appeared in a number of anthologies and in journals such as Blank Spaces, The Spadina Literary Review, and The Opening Line Literary 'Zine. His story, River's Rising, was awarded an Honourable Mention for the Short Story America 2017 Prize, and his fantasy novella River Born, was one of two runners-up for the Windsor Editions (UK) Short Fiction Prize. Garth Pettersen's historical fiction series, The Atheling Chronicles is published by Tirgearr Publishing and books one, two, and three are available at most online outlets (The Swan's Road, The Dane Law, and The Cold Hearth). The fourth book, The Sea’s Edge, will be released in November, 2023.

 


Website

Facebook

Twitter


***************************


GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway



The tour dates can be found here

 

***************************


My review:


 



4.5 stars



“The Sea’s Edge” by Garth Pettersen is the fourth book in ‘The Atheling Chronicles’ series and provides a vivid picture of the harshness and struggles between the various kingdoms that were the precursor to modern-day England and Wales. Combining authenticity and a compelling story, the story gives insight into the character of Harald, son of King Cnute, as he faces multiple challenges while acting as his father’s emissary yet remains true to himself.

There is an extensive list of words and characters at the beginning of the story to help immerse oneself in the culture and language of this era, and the multiple threads of the tale give an in-depth picture of life during this time period.

This is not a story I would normally have read, but I am impressed at the author’s ability to make a complex and intricate history come alive. Although I have not read the other stories in this series, I had no problem becoming immersed in the story, and I love that the reader is given a chance to see the implications and difficulties in juggling the realities of survival with the idealism of beliefs. Those who are squeamish should be warned that there is a fair degree of violence and death, although nothing graphic. A story well worth reading if one has any interest in learning about the cultures and lifestyles of this time period.



A copy of this story was provided for review