Cover Reveal: A Question of Counsel

It's been a while since I've done a cover reveal and this one is very pretty! (Keep on scrolling for a giveaway at the end of this post!)

A QUESTION OF COUNSEL, a fantasy romance by Archer Kay Leah, is releasing on May 25.

Here's the description:

Life hasn't been easy for Aeley since she arrested her brother, and her role as a political leader leaves her feeling isolated and lonely. Days before her brother's trial, she meets Lira, a quiet and modest scribe who makes Aeley want more than just a professional relationship.
When she attends the trial and leaves with a marriage contract, Aeley doesn't know what to do. She must choose one of two brothers, marrying into a family she doesn't know. Then she discovers that Lira is part of the same family—a sister to Aeley's suitors and the family's disgrace. And not at all opposed to an intimate relationship.
Except random acts of violence against her people test Aeley's ability as a leader, and a web of lies and deceit threaten not only her chance at happiness, but her life...

You can pre-order from the publisher, Less Than Three Press. 

Find Archer online at her website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Giveaway Time!

Win 2 $10 Amazon gift cards during the cover reveal party!

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Cover Reveal: The Fire Mages

I really enjoy epic fantasy, but full disclosure, I often prefer movies because the visual impact is so sensational. Like The Lord of the Rings—the book frustrated me, but the films captivated me. 

I doubt it was failure of writing, since Tolkien’s The Hobbit remains one of my favorite books (not my favorite movies though). And I love Martin’s Game of Thrones books, even more so than the HBO series. I think it is partly because I find his world building less visually opulent, which leaves more room for story. And with Martin’s work, there is plenty of story.

And this is turning into an awful way to intro a cover reveal for a new epic fantasy adventure! So let's get to it.

The Fire Mages by Pauline M. Ross is about mages and powers and wielding magic. And the cover is awesome. 

Here’s the official blurb: 

Kyra has always been drawn to the magic of spellpages. She is determined to leave her small village far behind and become a scribe, wielding the power of magic through her pen. Halfway through her training, she has a mage as patron and her ambitions are within her grasp. But a simple favour for her sister goes disastrously awry, destroying Kyra’s dreams in an instant.
Devastated, she accepts an offer from a stranger to help her find out what went wrong. The young man sees growing power within Kyra, potentially stronger than spellpages or any living mage. The answers to unlocking that power may lie within the glowing walls of the Imperial City, but its magic is strong and the unwary vanish without trace on its streets. Thirsty for knowledge and desperate to avoid another accident, she feels compelled to risk it.
While she focuses on controlling her abilities, a storm of greed and ambition boils up around her. Kyra is a pawn in the struggle for dominance between unscrupulous factions vying for rule of her country. Trusting the wrong side could get her killed–or worse, the potent magic she barely understands could be put to unthinkable evil.

Cool, right? I am excited to dive into this one.

Author Pauline Ross is from the Scottish Highlands, and I am convinced that it is the perfect location to write epic fantasy. The view from her office is “Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond.” So, yeah, this is going to be good. 

And about that cover? Pretty damn perfect.

You can find Pauline over at her website, where she reviews tons of epic fantasy, so fans of the genre may want to pay repeat visits. Or connect with her via Twitter.

And you can purchase The Fire Mages via Amazon. (And it’s on sale for .99, so not even a splurge!)

Cover Reveal: Song of Blood and Stone

Check out this gorgeous cover for Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope (designed by James T. Egan at Bookfly Design), which officially releases January 13, 2015. And...I'm featuring an excerpt! I am really digging the selection. AND...there's a Rafflecopter giveaway to boot! 

Here's the scoop on the book:

Between love and duty lies destiny 

Orphaned and alone, Jasminda is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where she is feared for both the shade of her skin and her magical abilities. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive – an injured spy who steals her heart. 

Jack’s mission behind enemy lines nearly cost him his life but he is saved by the healing power of a mysterious young woman. Together they embark on a perilous journey straight into the heart of a centuries-old conflict. 

Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation. 

The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war.

Excerpt 

Jasminda led the way, the light from her lantern reflecting off the snow, now knee-deep but swallowed up by the surrounding darkness. Jack leaned heavily on the walking stick as each step became more difficult than the last. Pausing to catch his breath, a coughing fit struck him, leaving red splatters on the pristine white.

When he straightened, he found her staring at the blood on the ground. Almost immediately, the warm hum of Earthsong rippled through him.

“Save it,” he advised. “I’m all right.”

She scowled. “You are not all right. You are worse than when you arrived. Stop being such a fool.” The buzz of Earthsong continued for a few moments before she turned and stomped away.

For hours they battled the storm, their progress arduous. Strong gusts of wind blew against them, sometimes knocking them on their backs and forcing them to stop until the gale calmed some. Icy blasts whipped through Jack’s coat, freezing his fingers until he could no longer grip the walking stick and had to leave it behind.

“Let’s stop here for a moment,” Jasminda shouted, pointing to a notch in the rock wall just big enough for two people. Underneath the rocky overhang, the snow stood only ankle high, and the sidewalls protected them from the worst of the wind. They crouched down together, shaking from the cold. She took his hands in hers and rubbed, bringing some feeling back into them. In the flickering lantern light, worry etched a frown on her face.

Jack rallied, drawing whatever inner strength he could into his depleted limbs. A small hum of Earthsong tickled at his wounds, but he could sense her weakening. He cracked his knuckles and tried to fashion his frozen face into a grin.

“Now’s not the time to grow lazy.” He wasn’t sure she could understand him over the chattering of his teeth, but she nodded and they stood. At a groaning rumble overhead, they looked up. Something large shifted and slid. He moved forward to see what was happening, but she grabbed him by his coat and pulled him back. Her eyes were huge circles of fear as everything around them started to shake.

With a violent boom, an avalanche of snow slid down the mountain obliterating the path that they were on. The motion pushed them back against the wall as sheets of snow and ice crumbled away and slid off the mountain in front of them. Beneath their feet, the ground convulsed, knocking them off-balance. Jack fell forward into the rioting rush of snow.

Where he’d expected his hands to hit the ground, they hit nothing. He reached out frantically, grasping for purchase as his weightless body plummeted into the darkness blanketed by the cold wet pressure all around him.

Check out Leslye Penelope at her website, Twitter or Facebook.

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a $40 gift card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes!

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Cover Reveal: Washed Hands

Busy day for new books! Washed Hands by Jonathan Charles Bruce gets its Cover Cherry popped! This one sounds like a fun read.

Washed Hands Synopsis:

Breaking up can be one of the hardest things a person can do, something that the dedicated team at Washed Hands, Inc. thoroughly understands. Whether one’s soon-to-be-ex is manipulative, violent, or anything else that makes a clean break difficult, the company’s rejection counselors ensure that the split is established and maintained in no uncertain terms. And in the toughest cases, no one’s better at this than Monica Deimos. 

Brought in on what appeared to be a relatively straight-forward domestic nightmare, Monica realizes all-too-late that she has been set up to take the fall for the murder of a wealthy socialite. As the police close in, Monica needs to discover who she can trust, who wants her out of the way, and why she was framed.

She’s no fool, though. The best case scenario ends in a jail cell… the worst in a body bag.

Cover Reveal: Tainted Blood

It’s cover reveal day! Whoo Hoo! 

Here is the cover for Tainted Blood, the second book in the Hell’s Belle series, which releases on October 20th. 

TAINTED BLOOD

After surviving a vampire assassin (not to mention an awkward affair with a hot FBI agent that ended worse than she could have imagined), witch/vampire hybrid Nina Martinez is reunited with the full Blood Ops team in Providence, Rhode Island. Her Aunt Babe is tutoring her in all things witchcraft, and her vampire partner Frankie is enjoying the benefits of daywalking, courtesy of a demon spell.

When a segment of the Rhode Island vampire population is marked for death by a tainted blood supply, Nina and her team race to find Patient Zero before the local vampire population is wiped out. But when a demon infestation threatens to take control of the city, Nina must join forces with newly elected mayor—and closet demon— Ami Bertrand before the city falls into ruin.

Filled with fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action, Nina and her group of supernatural misfits battle a surprising new enemy that threatens their very existence.

No wonder she still can’t get a date.

Want to read a quickie now?

There is a free Hell’s Belle prequel short available for download. River Vamp takes you on an early  Blood Ops mission with Nina and Frankie in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

Download via:

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

It's also available on Apple's iBooks. 

Cover Reveal: The Soul Thief

The Soul Thief by Majanka Verstraete

Expected Release: November 11, 2014

Publisher: Booktrope

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

When Riley is injured in a car crash and sees a girl stealing a boy’s soul, she’s convinced she’s hallucinating. But when she sees the same girl at the hospital later, she knows she wasn’t dreaming. That’s when Riley learns her secret heritage and who she really is: a halfling Angel of Death. Riley must come to terms with her new reality and supernatural abilities, but before she can do this, girls her age start dying in mysterious circumstances. It’s up to Riley to figure out why, what the innocent victims have in common, and what she can do to stop them.

Add to Goodreads

About the Author Majanka Verstraete begged her Mom to teach her how to read while she was still in kindergarten. By the time she finished fifth grade, she had read through the entire children’s section of her hometown library. She wrote her first story when she was seven years old, and hasn’t stopped writing since. With an imagination that never sleeps, and hundreds of possible book characters screaming for her attention, writing is more than a passion for her. She writes about all things supernatural for children of all ages. She’s tried to write contemporary novels before, but something paranormal always manages to crawl in. Majanka is currently studying for her Master of Laws degree, and hopes one day to be able to combine her passions for law and writing. When she’s not writing, reading or studying, she likes watching “The Vampire Diaries” and “Game of Thrones,” spending time with her friends, or playing “World of Warcraft.” http://majankaverstraete.com

Cover Reveal: To the Stars

It’s my first Cover Reveal! This one looks good. 

Written by Tiaan Lubbe, who is a South African teacher and theater director by day, To the Stars is a dystopian sci-fi adventure about a girl, a boy, and the end of the world. 

Here’s the description:

When the world finds out its inevitable end will come in sixty years, it seems like all hope is lost. Until a man steps from the darkness. He offers salvation, but demands total control. The world accepts.
Sixty years later, the old saviour’s son is leader and watches over the last proceedings of his father’s plans – Seven Ark ships called the Astrum Portas.
Noah is the next leader. He doesn’t want to be.
Zara is the girl he’s in love with. She doesn’t know it.
Three lives become complicatedly intertwined when a bomb on the Astrum Porta unexpectedly throws them into a whirlwind of secrets, forbidden love and violent clashes all while the looming apocalypse approaches rapidly. 

Look for it on September 23!