Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 139

In the Spotlight: RESURRECTION OF HOPE, by Tamera Kraft

Today's Spotlight -- and NEXT Saturday -- is on an upcoming new book from a good friend of mine, Tamera Kraft, and from our mutual publisher, Desert Breeze Publishing.

RESURRECTION OF HOPE

She thought he was her knight in shining armor, but will a marriage of convenience prove her wrong?

After Vivian’s fiancé dies in the Great War, she thinks her life is
over. But Henry, her fiancé’s best friend, comes to the rescue offering a marriage of convenience. He claims he promised his friend he would take care of her. She grows to love him, but she knows it will never work because he never shows any love for her.

Henry adores Vivian and has pledged to take care of her, but he won’t risk their friendship by letting her know. She’s still in love with the man who died in the Great War. He won’t risk heartache by revealing his true emotions.

Resurrection of Hope is not available until July 11th but will be available in the following stores:Desert Breeze PublishingAmazonBarnes & NobleChristianbook.comSonyKoboiTunesAll Romance eBooksKoorong.com (Australia)


Tamera Lynn KraftFaith Filled Historicals For the Adventurous HeartComing Soon: Resurrection of Hope A Christmas Promise http://tameralynnkraft.net http://tameralynnkraft.com http://facebook.com/tameralynnkraft

Next Saturday: Read an EXCERPT from Tamera's new book!

Book Trailer: QUARRY HALL

For the women's fiction series of suspense and adventure, a sister series to the Tabor Heights books.

Off the Bookshelf: BEGGAR MAGIC, H.L. Burke

I have a goal -- a dream: Read ALL the books by fellow Realm Makers before I go the conference in Philadelphia in July. Then I can say, "Oh, yeah, I read your book. Loved it."

Off to a good start!

I "met" H.L. Burke last week at a Facebook launch party for Uncommon Universe Press, but I had BEGGAR MAGIC in my Kindle to-be-read file for a while now. Good enough excuse to finally pull it out and read!

BEGGAR MAGIC is set in a world where the Strains -- magical voices/music/forces/winds -- speak or sing or murmur or hum to people. Everyone hears or experiences the Strains differently -- except for the Wordless. The Wordless are deaf, either physically, or the Strains no longer speak to them because they have killed. Even those who kill in self-defense lose the Strains.

Those who hear the Strains most clearly, who can manipulate the power of the Strains, are the Highmost. They are the nobility, the elite, the powerful. Then there are those who can only use the Strains a little bit -- the Commons. They have beggar magic.

The story starts when two girls meet -- one Highmost, one Common -- and become friends. What they do when they discover a plot to destroy not only the Highmost, but the Strains themselves -- that is the story. And what a story! Very well thought-out, intriguing .... and I really, really, really hope there are more stories set in this world, with these two plucky heroines.

Next on my to-read-before-Realm list: BELLANOK, by Ralene Burke

In the Spotlight: LOS CIELOS

LOS CIELOS is a historical romance with a touch of Indiana Jones and Alan Chamberlain, from Uncial Press. 
Lita was a princess without a throne. Betrothed as a child to Emmanuel, heir to the other royal family that claimed the lost kingdom of Los Cielos, she grew up planning to do her duty, heal the land, and fulfill prophecy. Somehow.
When Emmanuel died, his brother Esteban demanded she continue the betrothal -- to him. What else was she to do, but her duty?
But when prophecy awakened and Esteban decided to recover Los Cielos without her, the mysterious Black Monks, guardians of the royal family, acted. Obeying a telegram that summoned her to Los Cielos, Lita met Eduardo, the youngest of the three brothers. When they discovered they were both being manipulated and lied to, they became allies and determined to regain Los Cielos without Esteban, so Lita could be free of him.
A reformed scoundrel and drunkard, Eduardo pledged himself to be Lita’s defender, knowing Esteban would kill him for it. He warned Lita never to love him, but he had already lost his heart to her. Dying for her would finally cleanse him of all his crimes.

Under the tutelage and care of the Black Monks, Lita and Eduardo ventured underground, in search of the water that would give life back to a kingdom of vineyards. The closer they got to the lost kingdom and the curses that destroyed it, the more secrets and heartache they uncovered, at the risk of their lives. And possibly their hearts.

Book Trailer: DIVINE'S EMPORIUM

For the fantasy novels set in Neighborlee, Ohio: DIVINE'S EMPORIUM, HAVE YOURSELF A FAERIE LITTLE CHRISTMAS, and  DIVINE KNIGHT.

Off the Bookshelf: EVERY GOOD & PERFECT GIFT, by Sharon Souza

Book exchanges can be gold mines when it comes to finding new books. This one, EVERY GOOD & PERFECT GIFT, came from a book exchange at least two years ago with my ACFW group. These were books that fellow authors had read and knew they weren't going to read again, so they were passing them along. So there was a little bit of a recommendation. At least, that was assumed.

Then again, in my case, I had judged a humongous published book contest and I had about 500 books to get out of my living room! Some were keepers, some were irritating, some were just plain weird.

I've had this book sitting on my shelf since then, waiting patiently to be taken off the big to-be-read rack and put into the smaller, "I'm gonna read these books this month" pile on my bedside table. Worth the wait.

DeeDee and Gabby, one the subject of the book, the other the narrator, have been friends since childhood. They went through school together, college, married best friends and business partners, and now they're approaching 40 ... and DeeDee decides she wants to have a baby after all. The trials and tribulations and frustration they go through together would make a fun, sometimes painful, satisfying book, but Souza adds another twist to the story. At the cusp of happiness, when life is beautiful, DeeDee starts a downward spiral, and the pain and frustration and spiritual questions turn this most definitely into Gabby's story.

True friendship, through joy and pain, triumph and loss. I kind of suspected there were personal elements inserted into the story, because it rang so true and deep, and a note on the back of the book confirmed it. I applaud the author for her bravery, in sharing such depths from her life.

In the Spotlight: SILVER AZULI, Chorillan Cycle Book 5

SILVER AZULI is the 5th and final novel in this Commonwealth Universe novel series.

Peace has been won on Chorillan at a high price -- war, deaths, and the institution of a military government.

Lucas Aidan, as leader of the Wildlings, is lieutenant governor and liaison between Wildlings and the government. He and Kay'li are married, and despite her vow to leave the Scout Corps and retire, she grudgingly accepts a commission to remain a captain and recruit and train Wildlings as Scouts.

They want more than anything to live the lives they dreamed of: explorers, living among the Azuli, with a house full of children. If they'll ever achieve that dream remains a question.

Enemies who escaped justice at the end of CHORILLAN are still out there, hiding in the wilderness. When Lucas, Kay'li and their adopted daughter go on their yearly summer exploration trip, they find their equipment has been sabotaged. Stranded in the wilderness, with possible enemies closing in for the kill, who can they trust and where should they go?

Book Trailer: BITTER SWEET MAGIC

Book trailer for 2 fantasy novels: BITTER SWEET, and THE WOLF THAT WAS

New Cover! SOPHIE, Quarry Hall Book 9

Coming in July from Desert Breeze Publishing -- the next Quarry Hall book follows up close on the heels of NIKKI'S TEST.

Like, starting while the previous book is still finishing up!

SOPHIE gets into the mind and heart of Joan's best friend, spiritual counselor, adopted sister, and "Mistress of the Web" at Quarry Hall.

Problems from previous books are coming back to haunt the
daughters of Quarry Hall and friends they've made along the way. The offices of the national magazine, America's Voice, are being cyber-attacked, and because Joan suspects this is tied into the trouble that took place during the events in ANNE'S OGRE, she offers a plan to help out. Jenni Doran, lead reporter at the magazine, comes to Quarry Hall to team up with Sophie and do some intensive cyber-snooping and applying some heavy duty Internet insecticide.

Sophie's computer skills bring her face-to-face with the cyber footprints of someone from her deep, dark, dangerous past, and she nearly unravels. With the love and support and prayers of new friends and her Quarry Hall family, Sophie faces the showdown she always knew was coming.

In the Spotlight: CHORILLAN, Chorillan Cycle Book 4

The 4th book of the Chorillan Cycle, CHORILLAN, brings Kay'li Fieran back home to Chorillan.

The situation is growing dangerous. The artificially generated fear and hatred of Wildlings is increasing. Kay'li has been commissioned by the Scout Corps to investigate and find out who is behind it, what they hope to gain, and if possible, what causes Phase and if there is a cure.

She isn't sure who to trust, but she wants to trust Lucas Aidan,
her childhood friend. After all, when they were children, they made a blood oath that she would come home someday and they would explore Chorillan together, and nothing would ever keep them apart.

The hardest part of her mission: keeping her mission secret from Lucas.

At the same time, Lucas wants to trust Kay'li, but can he? The future of all Wildlings rests on him. One wrong choice, one mistake, could endanger them all.