Genre: Young Adult Fiction

An #IndieApril #WyrdAndWonder Book Spotlight | “Kingdom Above the Cloud” (Tales from Adia: Book One) by Maggie Platt

Posted Tuesday, 28 April, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Stories in the Spotlight banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: I started hosting with Prism Book Tours at the end of [2017], having noticed the badge on Tressa’s blog (Wishful Endings) whilst I was visiting as we would partake in the same blog tours and/or book blogosphere memes. I had to put the memes on hold for several months (until I started to resume them (with Top Ten Tuesday) in January 2018). When I enquiried about hosting for Prism, I found I liked the niche of authors and stories they were featuring regularly. This is how I came to love discovering the Harlequin Heartwarming authors & series as much as it has been an honour to regularly request INSPY stories and authors. Whenever I host for Prism, I know I am in for an uplifting read and a journey into the stories which give me a lot of joy to find in my readerly queue of #nextreads. It is an honour to be a part of their team of book bloggers.

I received a complimentary copy of “Kingdom Above the Cloud” direct from the publisher Ambassador International in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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A sneak peek at the first book #JorieReads for #WyrdAndWonder:

I have been as eager as the next book blogger to receive her #bookmail lately – as with all the changes in our world recently – one of the industries affected has been the pub world of how books are getting published and their availability of being able to ship to readers. It has been a disheartening moment of our lives as we receive updates from readers who have gleamed further insight into what has been going on ‘behind-the-books’ & the production of books whilst as readers, we all must remain patient and understanding about the confines of how sometimes you have to wait longer to read certain books when there is a global pandemic affecting everyone’s life.

My #bookmail has been a bit unusually sluggish as a result as generally books take a bit longer to reach me overall – just one of those routes, I suppose, however, finding this lovely in the post the morning of my tour stop was wicked wonderful as it gives me just enough time to read it before the conclusion of the tour and makes my spotlighting an extract from its heart a bit sweeter, as well!

Most of my dear hearted readers know I’ve been co-hosting #WyrdAndWonder for the past 3 years this May – however, for those of you who are visiting through the #KingdomAboveTheCloud blog tour – this is a celebration in the book blogosphere for all things fantastical! My co-hosts (Imyril & Lisa) and I set out each May to uncover the stories, the authors and the mediums of Fantasy each of us personally are passionate about showcasing whilst embracing the wider community Wyrd and Wonder has become as fellow book bloggers, and socially bookish participants join us every May to signal flare a mutual love of Fantasy (as a genre and as a movement).

I’m thankful to have a book in hand to kick-off my journey this year as I have a pretty diversely eclectic Fantasy stack of lovelies to read – I look forward to diving into INSPY Fantasy as the event kicks off this Friday whilst getting ready to reveal which authors, which stories and which series I’ll be reading throughout May! Stay tuned for more information on my participation for #WyrdAndWonder and let’s celebrate Fantasy together! Leave me a note in the comments if you’re joining us!

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An #IndieApril #WyrdAndWonder Book Spotlight | “Kingdom Above the Cloud” (Tales from Adia: Book One) by Maggie PlattKingdom Above the Cloud
by Maggie Platt
Source: Publisher via Prism Book Tours

What if the nine Fruit of the Spirit and the Seven Deadly Sins were locked in a battle for control?

Abandoned as infants, Tovi and her twin brother were raised by an eclectic tribe of warm, kind people in a treehouse village in the valley. After her brother's sudden disappearance Tovi questions her life and her faith in an invisible King. Ignoring her best friend Silas' advice, she decides to search for her brother in the kingdom on top of the mountain.

Above the cloud, the Council of Masters receives their orders. Tovi and her brother are the objectives. King Damien has a plan and Tovi is the key. The Council of Masters want her, but will she remain unscathed?

Amidst the glamour of the kingdom above the cloud Tovi is torn between her own dark desires and unanswered questions. It starts with a snake and a crown. When the ring is complete, will her life be over?

Genres: Fairy-Tale Re-Telling, High Fantasy, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Mythological Fantasy, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1620205884

Published by Ambassador International

on 17th April, 2020

Format: Trade Paperback

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Published by: Ambassador International (@ambassadorintl)

Converse via: #KingdomAboveTheCloud, #YALit, #YAFantasy
as well as #ChristianFantasy, #IndieAuthor/s, #KACPrism and #MaggiePlatt

About Maggie Platt

Maggie Platt

Maggie Platt is a writer, traveler, cancer survivor, and dreamer. Her greatest joys are being Auntie M to her amazing nieces and nephew and sitting with students and friends over cups of coffee and deep conversations. She works at her alma mater, Anderson University, and she lives in a cozy little cottage nearby where students come to sit on her couch just to laugh, cry, and talk about life.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #IndieApril 2020
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Posted Tuesday, 28 April, 2020 by jorielov in Biblical Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Coming-Of Age, Fairy Tale Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore, High Fantasy, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Light vs Dark, Prism Book Tours, Questioning Faith as a Teen, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction

#Blogmas | feat. #FantasyForChristmas19 showcases | The Dragons Rising series by Alisha Klapheke

Posted Friday, 6 December, 2019 by jorielov , , , 1 Comment

#blogmas 2019 badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

When it comes to #dragonfiction – I’m the reader who enters into those fantastically curious realms with a heap of trepideration as generally speaking – most #dragons in Speculative worlds are either brutally violent, intensively cruel to humans or they are seen as these war mongering beasts who have nothing in their hearts or minds except the blood of war on their tongues! It drives me more than slightly batty as I truly *love!* a wicked good dragon centred series and/or one-off story – however, my wanderings into #dragonfiction have been a bit slowish over the years as I simply haven’t found too many to entreat inside which give me the world-building I am seeking and the *kind of dragons!* I prefer to be finding in my Dragon Fiction!

Thus, when I spied this was a series being featured – I was both eagerly curious and more than a bit cautious – as which way would the dragon scales swing this time round? I also admit – I’m seeking stories to read for our forthcoming 3rd Wyrd and Wonder event in May 2020 – of which, I’ll be reading a particularly concise list of #dragonfiction to once & firmly answer my question ‘ are there writers out there past Jackie Gamber & Kate Klimo who can give me a dragon story I can read? ‘.

(see also why I heart the Leland Dragons series)

One thing which encouraged me the most about this series is a) its Young Adult and b) it is talking about *saving!* the dragons which eludes to me this is a series wherein the humans (or other species of sentients) and the dragons are trying to live co-habitability? Very encouraging indeed! As I don’t mind some conflict in #dragonfiction but if you find a story is far more ‘darkly’ lit than illuminated with Light its definitely the story that might not be my particular cuppa tea!

Curiously – are other readers struggling to find #dragonfiction they can sink their teeth into? If so, which authors of these lovelies do you find provide a wicked good story and/or series which celebrate #dragons and benefit the niche of stories they belong to within Fantasy? Whom are your favourite dragons and/or species and which world would you love to relocate inside if you could?

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Fate of Dragons by Alisha Klapheke

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This is a self-published book series!

Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas19, #FantasyAvengers and #dragonfiction

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add to LibraryThing

Published: 28th March, 2019 | ISBN: 978-0999831458

An Earth Queen desperate to wake her magic.

An elven prince fighting a ruthless betrayal.

A flood is coming. The Sea Queen has a mad plan to drown the world. Only the magic of the Earth Queen can stop her. Vahly, the last human, was born to fill that role and wield the power necessary to battle the rising oceans and save the dragons and elves.

But Vahly is the world’s biggest disappointment. She possesses no magic whatsoever.When she finds an ancient scroll that mentions a human power ritual conducted deep in the homeland of the elves, she gathers her dragon allies and journeys to see the king of that great forest-dwelling race.

Welcomed by a handsome royal cloaked in dark magic, will Vahly find answers or will a twisted and powerful elven lord destroyher chance at saving the world?

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The Dragons Rising series:

Fate of Dragons by Alisha KlaphekeBand of Breakers by Alisha KlaphekeQueen of Seas by Alisha KlaphekeSword of Oak by Alisha Klapheke

Fate of Dragons (book one)

Band of Breakers (book two)

Queen of Seas (book three)

→ Sword of Oak (book four)
*forthcoming, July 2020 (digital first release)

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Posted Friday, 6 December, 2019 by jorielov in #blogmas, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Dragon Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Heroic Fantasy, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, YA Fantasy

An #Audiobook Spotlight | “Realm of Knights” by Jennifer Anne Davis, narrated by Kim Bretton

Posted Saturday, 30 November, 2019 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

Audiobook Spotlight banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Audiobook By: I started to listen to audiobooks in [2016] as a way to offset my readings of print books whilst noting there was a rumour about how audiobooks could help curb chronic migraines as you are switching up how your reading rather than allowing only one format to be your bookish choice. As I found colouring and knitting agreeable companions to listening to audiobooks, I have embarked on a new chapter of my reading life where I spend time outside of print editions of the stories I love reading and exchange them for audio versions. Through hosting for the Audiobookworm I’ve expanded my knowledge of authors who are producing audio versions of their stories whilst finding podcasters who are sharing their bookish lives through pods (ie. AudioShelf and Talking Audiobooks). Meanwhile, I am also curating my own wanderings in audio via my local library who uses Overdrive for their digital audiobook catalogue whilst making purchase requests for audio CDs. It is a wonderful new journey and one I enjoy sharing – I am hoping to expand the percentage of how many audios I listen to per year starting in 2018.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of “Realm of Knights” via Audiobookworm Promotion who is working with Jennifer Anne Davis on this blog tour in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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What inspired me to listen to this audiobook:

Ever since I first started to co-host @WyrdAndWonder with Lisa and Imyril – I’ve been purposefully keeping my eyes peeled for new & emerging story-tellers within the realms of Fantasy I personally enjoy reading and/or listening to via audiobook. When I heard about this particular blog tour – what I liked most about the sound of the story is that it was rooted in a coming-of age narrative arc wherein the girl (Reid) was emerging into her own independence as much as rising into her rightful place in her kingdom.

This was surrounded by a story where a girl was not at full liberty to identify herself as a girl – as she was conditioned and trained as a boy – which also had a slight appeal on its own because whenever a girl has to hide their truer nature and their honest selves, that leads-in a plotting about living authentically and shining through newfound confidence to lead a life on your own terms.

The timing originally felt good for me – however, the events of October & November proved to be a bit too much to resolve and this is one reason why I am spotlighting this story rather than reviewing it in full as I’ll disclose in a moment. The key reason I was dearly interested in hearing the story however had to do with the *narrator!* The more audiobooks you gather to listen, the more chances you’re going to develop a short and longlist of favourites – such as I have myself – and Ms Bretton is on my shortlist!

I *love!* her in the Wonky Inn series – having had the pleasure of joy of reviewing the first novel and will be reviewing the second come December when I re-focus on my #WitchyReads leftover from our Autumnal quirky mini-event for Wyrd and Wonder which is #SpooktasticReads!

Ergo, I knew if anyone could settle me into this world of knights & a girl emerging into rightly asserting herself in her own kingdom – Ms Bretton would be the right narrator to help me take that journey!

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An #Audiobook Spotlight | “Realm of Knights” by Jennifer Anne Davis, narrated by Kim BrettonRealm of Knights (Audiobook Spotlight)
Subtitle: Knights of the Realm, Book One
by Jennifer Anne Davis
Source: Audiobook via Audiobookworm Promotions
Narrator: Kim Bretton

Reid has spent her whole life pretending to be a man so she can inherit her father’s estate, but when a chance encounter threatens to expose her lie, she is forced to risk everything.

In the kingdom of Marsden, women are subservient to men, and land can only pass from father to son. So, when Reid Ellington is born, the fifth daughter to one of the wealthiest landholders in the kingdom, it’s announced that Reid is a boy.

Eighteen years later, Reid struggles to conceal the fact she’s actually a young woman. Every day, her secret becomes harder to keep. When one of Marsden’s princes sees her sparring with a sword, she is forced to accept his offer and lead her father’s soldiers to the border. Along the way, she discovers a covert organization within the army known as the Knights of the Realm.

If Reid wants to save her family from being arrested for treason and robbed of their inheritance, she will have to join the knights and become a weapon for the crown.

To protect her family, Reid must fight like a man. To do that, she’ll need the courage of a woman.

This is the first book in a new fantasy series from best-selling author Jennifer Anne Davis

Genres: Fantasy Fiction, High Fantasy, Historical-Fantasy, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1-73236-615-2

ASIN: B07YWM5TF2

Published by Reign Publishing

on 11th October, 2019

Format: Audiobook | Digital

Length: 7 hours and 58 minutes (unabridged)

Published by: Reign Publishing

Formats Available: Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

Converse via: #RealmOfKnights + #AudioReads, #Audiobook

#YAFantasy, #YALit and #YoungAdult or #Fantasy

About Jennifer Anne Davis

Jennifer Anne Davis

Jennifer Anne Davis graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. She is currently a full-time writer and mother of three kids, one weimaraner, and a tortoise. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart and lives in the San Diego area.

Jennifer is the recipient of the San Diego Book Awards Best Published Young Adult Novel (2013), winner of the Kindle Book Awards (2018), a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards (2014), and a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2014).

Publishers Marketplace listed Jennifer as one of the best-selling indie authors in June 2017. She has also been ranked among the top 100 best-selling authors on Amazon.

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Posted Saturday, 30 November, 2019 by jorielov in Audiobookworm Promotions, Blog Tour Host, Coming-Of Age, Fantasy Fiction, Heroic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Indie Author, Sword & Scorcery, Young Adult Fiction

#SatBookChat #SciFiMonth Spotlight | featured guest Jennifer Silverwood and her Space Opera [set in the Rims!] novella series #HeavensEdge!

Posted Saturday, 2 November, 2019 by jorielov , , , , , 0 Comments

#SatBookChat Jennifer Silverwood badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

You might feel like you’ve jumped through a time portal when you read this recap on behalf of the lovely conversation I had with Jennifer Silverwood on the 2nd of November during the kick-off weekend for #SciFiMonth (@SciFiMonth) – however, I assure you, you did not slip through an unseen black hole! I simply wasn’t able to post this until the following Saturday due to health reasons.

What transpired a week ago today is a beautifully lovely conversation between two bookish friends who just happen to be a book blogger and a Speculative Fiction / multi-genre story-teller who like to chatter about bookish topics they are mutually passionate about whilst Jorie has yet to discover a story by the pen of Ms Silverwood she hasn’t developed a heap of ruminative thoughts over!

This was a special cross-promoted chat for both #SatBookChat & #SciFiMonth as nearly the full convo was using both tags in order to engage the audiences from both groups of chatters. Sadly, during the chat itself, there was nominal engagement but it is my hope with this proper signal boost I can give the chat a second chance at finding its target audience of readers who are seeking a special something ‘extra’ in their readerly journey into Space Opera and Science Fiction!

The Heaven’s Edge series is told through a series of novellas before it will address a full length novel (at least two equal parts in novella form are slated to be published) whilst the novelist is an Indie Author who is cross-releasing her series into all formats readers might love to discover her stories inside! This was an ebook and now a print release series but it is (hopefully) soon going to be transitioning into an audiobook series as well. I was overjoyed truly hearing this news during #SatBookChat #SciFiMonth as audiobooks are simply my jam at the moment and finding NEW stories on the horizon to be released just makes me feel giddy!

Let me introduce you now to Heavens Edge and be sure to tuck into the archived transcript of the chat itself – where you can submit new replies (remember to use both hashtags!), share the convo as it aired live (via RT / favouring) and find out where the topics and the discussion took Ms Silverwood and Jorie overall! You will find she was openly responsive to enquiries about her writerly process, the intricacies of creating a world set in the Rims and what motivates her to write Space Opera in a YA illuminated world.

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Without further adieu,
I give you my second “#SatBookChat spotlight”
wherein you can learn a bit more about the author & her series;
as well as where to find the archived chat we shared!

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Heaven's Edge by Jennifer Silverwood

Series Introduction from the author Jennifer Silverwood:

Welcome to Heaven’s Edge! Grab your scythe blades, strap on your plasma gauntlets and prepare yourselves for one steampunkish adventure to the far corners of space with Qeya and co.

But before we begin, did you know this series about a group of stranded space teens was among the first stories I ever penned? A long time ago, in the year 1998, my folks had just bought our first computer. I wanted to write stories set in a world like Star Wars, but without adults interfering, of course. I spent my first formative writing years exploring Heaven’s Edge with Qeya and the gang. So it seemed only natural to update the story and make it my first publication twelve years later. My struggle to see Qeya published was what directed me to self-publishing and the rest is history.

We meet a crew of former Royals, the Miners who once served them. In Qeya, the crew was attacked by a mysterious alien force, then crash landed on the primitive world below. Trouble is, none of the adults survived and now a small band of children and teenagers must cross the boundaries their parents imposed on them to survive.

Over the years and between releasing my “big” books, I worked with editor and friend, Jessica Augustsson to breathe back life into this mini-series. It’s been one epic steam-clunking ride, reinventing this world from my childhood.

I hope you’re ready to take a tour of the Rim with me. Enjoy the adventure!

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Posted Saturday, 2 November, 2019 by jorielov in #SatBookChat, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event

#SpooktasticReads | Year II of our spooktastically lovely mini-#WyrdAndWonder event for Autumn! This year, #JorieReads with a main concentration on #WitchyReads + Ghost Stories!

Posted Friday, 18 October, 2019 by jorielov , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

#SpooktasticReads banner created by Lisa (@deargeekplace) Photo Credit: Kenai Fjords National Park, United States, by Daniel H. Tong on Unsplash (Creative Commons Zero) Used with permission.
#SpooktasticReads banner created by Lisa (@deargeekplace) Photo Credit: Kenai Fjords National Park, United States, by Daniel H. Tong on Unsplash (Creative Commons Zero) Used with permission.

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Welcome, Welcome to #SpooktasticReads Year II

 

Happily visit my lovely co-hosts:

Lisa @ Dear Geek Place

+ Imyril @ There’s Always Room for One More

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In Autumn [2017], you might remember I conceived of this idea to re-start my readings into the spooktacular worlds of chilling Thrillers, Suspense, Mysteries and the Paranormal (with just a dash of love for Cosy Horror!) – wherein I conceived of spending a fortnight reading such lovelies and enjoying a personal readathon leading into Halloween! I fell a bit short of my goals in [2017], though I took it as a success – as not only did I read some rather spookified tales but I found myself wholly intrigued by the stories I was selecting to read!

Last year [2018], I helped name our first mini-event for #WyrdAndWonder – wherein I was hoping to let this small idea I had in [2017] take flight, reach a bigger audience and find readers who might find their own definition of #SpooktasticReads befitting their own readerly life!

Some of the stories of course play the theme up quite a bit for the spookier side of the genres, some of which may or may not directly (or indirectly) relate to Fantasy per se but this is one of those readathons which is open to both interpretation and the joy of having free reign to enjoy the readathon in a way each reader wants to approach it!

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A Spooktastic reading binge for Psychological Suspense & Gothic Tales!

Autumn for me is a time in the year where I simply like to read a curated collection of stories which fall under different categories of mutual interest: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Gothic or Paranormally inclined and Cosy Horror.

This year [2019] as I co-host my own mini-event celebrating the 13 days leading into Halloween with #SpooktasticReads – I am going to be focusing on two equally dynamic concentrations: #WitchyReads & Ghost Stories! I noticed I have quite a gathering of both – they both parlay into the heart of #SpooktasticReads but also, the fact that when it comes to #SpookyReads in general – these are the two concentrations I have the tendency of seeking out the most! I have the added benefit and joy of being able to focus on narrators I love listening too whilst knocking off a few of my backlogue reviews!

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If other book bloggers or readers want to join us, please link to your blog, Twitter, LibraryThing List or other ‘space’ online where you are updating about what your reading – such as Instagram or Vlog (YouTube) in the Comments section below!

Use the tag: #SpooktasticReads & link back to this post – as I will happily be sharing what your doing for this lovely #WyrdAndWonder mini-event! Plus, I love hearing what others are reading in case something they discover would be a good fit for me as well!

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Posted Friday, 18 October, 2019 by jorielov in Bookish Discussions, Cosy Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller Suspense, Parapsychological Gifts, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense