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Friday, March 24, 2023

Once Upon A Legend by Mary Ting blitz with Xpresso Book Tours

Once Upon A Legend
Mary Ting
Publication date: March 20th 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

A story of love and a power that echoes through time.

A prophecy foretold by the Council.
A sword forged by the Ladies of the Lake.
A child born from love and the hope of thousands.

Seventeen-year-old Idrisa is a student from Dumont Orphan School. When the Emperor of Dumonia invites all citizens to a birthday gala for Prince Merrick, she attends and becomes entangled in a world beyond belief.

At the party, Idrisa begins to hear strange voices that urge her to go to the lake. A student from school follows and tries to kill her, but in the fight for her survival, Idrisa gains possession of an eternal sword—gifted by the Ladies of the Lake.

The Emperor demands it, but only Idrisa can wield the sword, so he imprisons her. Her only hope is Prince Merrick, but he is grieving the death of his mother and doesn’t care about anything happening around him.

While held captive, Idrisa uncovers secrets that challenge everything she thought she knew about Dumonia. Enemies and allies emerge when they hear news of the sword, and she must unlock the mystery of the weapon before darkness descends on the empire forever.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

The voice in my head hummed a tune with ancient words. The somber melody rose an octave higher and dipped lower. A song of death, a song of horror and grief, and yet beautiful and profound, like the voice, raw and pure.

“I’m here. What do you want?” Why was I talking to the water?

I wrapped my arms around my chest when the breeze blew harder, water slamming against the walkway. Perhaps a warning of something terrible to come.

“Idrisa.” It sang my name, a soft tune filling my mind with bliss.

“Why is my lantern black? Why have you put it in front of me?” I shouted, desperate for answers.

Something glowed inside the lake, the size of an orb at first, then illuminated brighter and closer, like the birth of a new star. I threw my arms up to protect myself but the glow shifted, and then split into an image of three women.

Their long, silver hair and flowing white dresses blazed like milky fire, and brilliant light shone where their faces should be. I couldn’t stare without blinding myself.

“We welcome you, Idrisa. Do not be afraid. We are the Eternal Mothers,” they said in unison. Their voices sounded in my head like a hypnotic and celestial chorus.

My heart lurched to my throat. I curtsied, awed and humbled they’d appear before someone like me. Surely there was a mistake.

“What do you want with me?” I asked, my voice shaky.

“You are the light and the dark of this world. Within you lies strength, courage, and hope. Your time has come.” The Lady in the middle held a beaming sword that hadn’t been there before.

The sword rose from the lake, no doubt a hallucination. I shivered, an icy blast of wind nearly knocking me back as mist sprayed over my face. I didn’t know how deep the lake reached. If I fell, I doubted I could swim in the freezing water.

“I am Eternal Mother Viviane, the voice of all. I present to you, Caliburn.” The white light from the blade, like a thousand diamonds blessed with inner fire, beckoned me to reach out for it.

Your time has come? “What do you mean? Is it my time to die?”

“The truest of hearts and the blood of the firstborn, to restore the balance from once torn. Kingdoms shall rise and fall and empires alike, but only the blessed ones can save them all. You must live, Idrisa. You must fight. Most of all, you must have faith and accept your destiny. Now, take Caliburn and run.”

Before I could ask more questions, rapid footsteps vibrated on the walkway.

Author Bio:

Born in Seoul, Korea, author Mary Ting is an international bestselling, multi-gold award winning author. Her books span a wide range of genres, and her storytelling talents have earned a devoted legion of fans, as well as garnered critical praise. She is a diverse voice who writes diverse characters, often dealing with a catastrophic world.

Becoming an author happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother and inspired by a dream she had in high school. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, Mary retired from teaching. She also had the privilege of touring with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book: No Bullies Allowed.

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Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Copper Waters Review

Copper Waters (Annalisse Series #4)

By Marlene M. Bell

Genre: Mystery / Suspense

Age category: Adult

Release Date: 5 December 2022


Blurb:

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.


Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.


Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.


But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.


Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.


The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.


As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.


Review:🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

I received this book for a blog tour and then the author sent an email with a link to request Scattered Legacy for review and being Copper Waters is the 4th book in the Annalisse Series, I decided to request it so that review will come later as I plan on going back and read all 3 of the previous books.

Copper Waters gave me a taste of the author's writing style and enough introduction into the characters that I didn't feel like I was missing anything relevant to read the story out of order(although I do recommend checking out and reading all the series). The setting in New Zealand was a fresh breath of air into my imagination into a country I haven't seen in person, the characters were relatable and the plotline intriguing enough to keep me hooked. If you like mystery and crime solving stories this book is worth checking out. This isn't my usual genre but when I find a good one like this I'm all in!


Links:

- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62970088-copper-waters 

- Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/copper-waters-a-new-zealand-cottage-mystery-annalisse-series-book-4-by-marlene-m-bell 

- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Copper-Waters-Zealand-Cottage-Annalisse-ebook/dp/B0BL42NBFY/ 

- B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/copper-waters-marlene-m-bell/1142492768 


Earlier books in the series:

- Stolen Obsession (Annalisse Series #1): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0794B81QG/ 

- Spent Identity (Annalisse Series #2): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YXCLZXH/ 

- Scattered Legacy (Annalisse Series #3): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HRCTBXJ/

About the Author:
Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.  

The Annalisse series has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity,) and FAPA— Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award for two other installments, (Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy.) Her mysteries with a touch of romance are found at marlenembell.com. She also offers the first of her children's picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

Author links:
- Website: https://www.marlenembell.com/ 
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marlenembell 
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ewephoric 
- Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marlene-m-bell 
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17642396.Marlene_M_Bell 
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Marlene-M-Bell/e/B0797RRW54/ 
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlenemysteries/