Good Choice Reading: Vesuvian Media Group

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About the Author

Monique Snyman’s mind is a confusing bedlam of glitter and death, where candy-coated gore is found in abundance and homicidal unicorns thrive. Sorting out the mess in her head is particularly irksome before she’s ingested a specific amount of coffee, which is equal to half the recommended intake of water for humans per day. When she’s not playing referee to her imaginary friends or trying to overdose on caffeine, she’s doing something with words—be it writing, reading, or editing.

Monique Snyman lives in Pretoria, South Africa, with her husband and an adorable Chihuahua. She’s the author of the Bram Stoker Award® nominated novel, THE NIGHT WEAVER, which is the first installment in a dark fantasy series for young adults.

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Review

There is just something about the atmosphere that Snyman creates that just works for this time of year!

I really enjoyed The Bone Carver as a nice companion to The Night Weaver. I will say that I wish the two had been connected more, because it kind of felt like a whole new world with the same characters. However, that's not so much a complaint, because I really like the characters she has created! Rachel, Dougal, and Mrs. Crenshaw were always a fun group to read about, and I loved the addition of Mercia.

I personally really appreciate the way Snyman has woven the fae world into the fictional town of Shadow Grove. I'm not a big fan of fae. As a lover of fantasy I'm probably in the minority on that, but it's just not my thing. However in this case it feels like a compliment to the story, rather than the focal point, and I like that.

Overall, this is the perfect book to read in October, especially during these times. It was a nice escape.

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GIVEAWAY

October 20, 2020

Release Blast with Giveaway: The Bone Carver by Monique Snyman

The Bone Carver

by Monique Snyman

Series: The Night Weaver Series #2

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Publication: October 20th, 2020

For a small New England town, Shadow Grove has an uncanny ability to attract the worst kind of trouble. Not that the residents are too concerned about the various horrors living among them.

As the leaves change color and the weather grows colder, a foul presence is making itself known by leaving peculiar gifts for the students of Ridge Crest High. At first, the presents seem harmless—and a rash of accidents seem coincidental—but when seniors Rachel Cleary and her Scottish cousin, Dougal Mackay, find a boneless body in the boiler room, things take an ominous turn.

Something vicious is on the loose in Shadow Grove, but with Orion Nebulius gone, Rachel has little hope of anyone getting out alive.

Purchase

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About the Author

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Excerpt

Something crunches nearby, like a foot accidentally sliding across the filthy floor. They both look in the direction of the sound, searching for a nonexistent lurker. Ice runs through Rachel’s veins. She grabs Dougal’s arm and stares at the unidentifiable heap lying near the bottom of a metallic container.

“What?” he hisses.

Rachel points to the crumpled heap—Please let it be fabric.

Dougal’s gaze drifts over to the area. His frown becomes more pronounced as he places a hand on her shoulder. She can’t figure out if the gesture is to hold her back or if he wants to use her as a shield. At this point, anything’s possible. She drops her hand to her side and they slowly move together toward the metallic container, hesitant to find out what exactly they’re dealing with.

The closer they dare to move, the more intense the repugnant smell grows. A persistent buzzing becomes louder. Rachel swats a fat fly away from her face. The heap stirs slightly, making a sickly, squelching sound, disturbing the swarm of insects ever so slightly.

She and Dougal halt and wait for any other sudden movements. When nothing else occurs in the brief reprieve, they take another step closer.

Eyes stare up at Rachel from a flat, unrecognizable face that’s haphazardly folded into a neck and torso. Boneless limbs lie every which way, stretched out beyond recognition. A swollen tongue hangs from the mouth, lips pulled into an awkward, ugly gape. It looks like a film prop or a twisted Halloween decoration that’d been left out in the sun. The heap twitches again and a bulge appears in the neck. A thick, serpentine thing slips out of the mouth, protruding from between the lips, slinks across the flattened nose, and whips the chubby cheek. It quickly disappears before a bloody snout becomes visible. Whiskers move and beady eyes stares out from the jawless face, cradled between broken teeth.

Rachel steps back and suppresses a scream, which comes out as a squeak. She stares in abject horror at the scene. Her stomach flips in revulsion. The damage is done, though. The image will forever haunt her nightmares.

“In the name of the Wee Man,” Dougal whispers, aghast.

“I told you,” she says. Anger takes over as she opens her eyes again. She averts her gaze to look directly at Dougal, his face now the shade of ash. “I freaking told you we shouldn’t come down here, didn’t I?”

His eyes fix on the boneless body, his jaw works as if he’s speaking under his breath, but somehow he can’t find his voice.

“Dougal, c’mon.” She nudges his shoulder, pushing his immense form backward so he can snap out of his stupor.

“He’s boneless. Utterly boneless,” he finally utters, unable to prize his gaze away from the heap of human remains. Dougal raises his hand, wipes his palm over his forehead and eyes, and shakes his head. “How’s it even possible?”

“If we stick around here for much longer, I’m pretty sure we’ll find out.”

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GIVEAWAY

October 14, 2020

Teaser Blast & Giveaway: The Bone Carver by Monique Snyman

The Bone Carver

by Monique Snyman

Series: The Night Weaver Series #2

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Publication: October 20th, 2020

For a small New England town, Shadow Grove has an uncanny ability to attract the worst kind of trouble. Not that the residents are too concerned about the various horrors living among them.

As the leaves change color and the weather grows colder, a foul presence is making itself known by leaving peculiar gifts for the students of Ridge Crest High. At first, the presents seem harmless—and a rash of accidents seem coincidental—but when seniors Rachel Cleary and her Scottish cousin, Dougal Mackay, find a boneless body in the boiler room, things take an ominous turn.

Something vicious is on the loose in Shadow Grove, but with Orion Nebulius gone, Rachel has little hope of anyone getting out alive.

Pre-order

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Teaser

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GIVEAWAY

October 07, 2020

Blog Tour & Promo Events Invitation: Write Christmas by Thommy Hutson!

Write Christmas

by Thommy Hutson

Publication: December 1st, 2020

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

Blurb

Abby Nicholson used to love Christmas. Until she didn’t.

After leaving Winter Glen, the small town famous for its Christmas celebration and her family’s greeting card company, Abby is forced to return to the home she left behind when the unexpected passing of her father thrusts the business into her hands.

Turning her back on the magic of the holiday beloved by her father and the town, she decides to sell the business. Signing the paperwork with the very pen her father used to create it, she is shocked to discover her hometown has become a whole new world.

One where Christmas has vanished!

Now stuck in a place devoid of hope, joy, and the spirit of the season, Abby sees family and friends altered in the most terrible of ways.

Determined to set things right, though unsure how, Abby takes out her father’s pen and begins to draw. When she realizes her art is coming to life, she sets out to recreate the holiday and bring back the most wonderful time of the year.

But some are determined to keep an iron grip on the town and will do anything in their power to stop her.

Teaser Blasts

We will be sharing Teaser Blasts throughout November and December! Teaser graphics will be provided and ready to be shared. A Rafflecopter will be prepared for you to share your links as extra entries, with a new entry option added as each date comes around.

Teaser Blast: November 18th
Teaser Blast: November 25th
Teaser Blast: December 14th
Teaser Blast: December 21st

Release Blast: December 1st

HTML content will be provided for bloggers, but you can share her release on any platform. You will be able to submit your links as extra entries for the giveaway.

Twitter & IG Blast: December 3rd

Teasers will be provided to share on Twitter & Instagram. You will be able to submit your links as extra entries for the giveaway.

Blog Tour: November 30th - December 4th

Promotional and Review spots available!

Teaser Blast & Giveaway: The Bone Carver by Monique Snyman

The Bone Carver

by Monique Snyman

Series: The Night Weaver Series #2

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Publication: October 20th, 2020

For a small New England town, Shadow Grove has an uncanny ability to attract the worst kind of trouble. Not that the residents are too concerned about the various horrors living among them.

As the leaves change color and the weather grows colder, a foul presence is making itself known by leaving peculiar gifts for the students of Ridge Crest High. At first, the presents seem harmless—and a rash of accidents seem coincidental—but when seniors Rachel Cleary and her Scottish cousin, Dougal Mackay, find a boneless body in the boiler room, things take an ominous turn.

Something vicious is on the loose in Shadow Grove, but with Orion Nebulius gone, Rachel has little hope of anyone getting out alive.

Pre-order

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Teaser

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GIVEAWAY

September 30, 2020

Teaser Blast & Giveaway: The Bone Carver by Monique Snyman

The Bone Carver

by Monique Snyman

Series: The Night Weaver Series #2

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Publication: October 20th, 2020

For a small New England town, Shadow Grove has an uncanny ability to attract the worst kind of trouble. Not that the residents are too concerned about the various horrors living among them.

As the leaves change color and the weather grows colder, a foul presence is making itself known by leaving peculiar gifts for the students of Ridge Crest High. At first, the presents seem harmless—and a rash of accidents seem coincidental—but when seniors Rachel Cleary and her Scottish cousin, Dougal Mackay, find a boneless body in the boiler room, things take an ominous turn.

Something vicious is on the loose in Shadow Grove, but with Orion Nebulius gone, Rachel has little hope of anyone getting out alive.

Pre-order

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Teaser

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GIVEAWAY

September 29, 2020

Tour & Promo Events Invitation - The Christmas Spirit by Alexandrea Weis!

The Christmas Spirit
by Alexandrea Weis
Publication: October 27th

SOMETIMES IT TAKES ONE BROKEN HEART TO HEAL ANOTHER.

Courtney Winston is a writer on a deadline. Eager to finish her book and get over a recent break-up, she ditches Christmas with her family and retreats to a secluded cabin in the mountains.

Appliances rarely work, and cell service is spotty, but Courtney senses there is more to her rustic rental—something dark and haunting.

Then Peter, the attractive Stone Mountain Lodge owner, and a meddling cook, Mrs. Finn, keep coming around, shattering her peace and offering advice on how to fix her heavy heart.

Courtney grows closer to Peter, but Mrs. Finn warns her of his troubled past. Undaunted, Courtney sets out to win him over. But being with the brooding stranger may end up costing her more than she ever imagined.

Teaser Blasts

We will be sharing teasers as a countdown to release day (October 27th) for THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT! They will be sized for Instagram but you can share on any platform. A Rafflecopter will be prepared for you to share your links as extra entries, with a new entry option added as each date comes around.

Teaser Blast: November 19th
Teaser Blast: November 30th
Teaser Blast: December 2nd
Teaser Blast: December 7th

Release Blast: October 27th

HTML content will be provided for bloggers, but you can share her release on any platform. You will be able to submit your links as extra entries for the giveaway.

Twitter & IG Blast: October 29th

Teasers will be provided to share on Twitter & Instagram. You will be able to submit your links as extra entries for the giveaway.

Blog Tour: November 16th - 20th

Promotional and Review spots available!

September 24, 2020

Teaser Blast with Giveaway: The Bone Carver by Monique Snyman!

The Bone Carver

by Monique Snyman

Series: The Night Weaver Series #2

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Publication: October 20th, 2020

For a small New England town, Shadow Grove has an uncanny ability to attract the worst kind of trouble. Not that the residents are too concerned about the various horrors living among them.

As the leaves change color and the weather grows colder, a foul presence is making itself known by leaving peculiar gifts for the students of Ridge Crest High. At first, the presents seem harmless—and a rash of accidents seem coincidental—but when seniors Rachel Cleary and her Scottish cousin, Dougal Mackay, find a boneless body in the boiler room, things take an ominous turn.

Something vicious is on the loose in Shadow Grove, but with Orion Nebulius gone, Rachel has little hope of anyone getting out alive.

Pre-order

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Teaser

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GIVEAWAY

September 23, 2020

Teaser Blast & Giveaway: In the Shadow of a Valiant Moon by Stu Jones & Gareth Worthington!

[Cover Variations with original artwork by Justin Paul (Sony, Lionsgate)]

It Takes Death to Reach a Star

Series: It Takes Death to Reach a Star #1

Publication: May 22nd, 2018

THE WORLD YOU KNOW IS DEAD. WE DID THIS TO OURSELVES.

The epidemic struck at the end of the Third World War. Fighting over oil, power, and religion, governments ignored the rise of an anti-bacterial-resistant plague. In just five years, the Earth was annihilated. Only one city survived—Etyom—a frozen hell-hole in northern Siberia, engulfed in endless conflict.

The year is 2251.

Two groups emerged from the ashes of the old world. Within the walled city of Lower Etyom dwell the Robusts—descendants of the poor who were immune to the New Black Death. Above them, in a metropolis of pristine platforms called Lillipads, live the Graciles—the progeny of the super-rich, bio-engineered to resist the plague.

Mila Solokoff is a Robust who trades information in a world where knowing too much can get you killed. Caught in a deal-gone-bad, she’s forced to take a high-risk job for a clandestine organization hell-bent on revolution.

Demitri Stasevich is a Gracile with a dark secret—a sickness that, if discovered, will get him Ax’d. His only relief is an illegal narcotic produced by the Robusts, and his only means of obtaining it is a journey to the arctic hell far below New Etyom.

Thrust together in the midst of a sinister plot that threatens all life above and below the cloud line, Mila and Demitri must master their demons and make a choice—one that will either salvage what’s left of the human race or doom it to extinction...

In the Shadow of a Valiant Moon

Series: It Takes Death to Reach a Star #2

Publication: August 25th, 2020

DESTINY HAS NO ALLEGIANCE.

Four years have passed since the lillipads fell and Etyom slipped into darkness.

The New Black Death has mutated again, spreading to near epidemic proportions. What little order existed in Earth’s last city has disintegrated into chaos. Rippers roam the Vapid, robbing and leaving their victims butchered. The Robusts have spilled out of their broken enclaves and hide in any dark corner that will conceal them. Meanwhile, the elite Graciles, fallen from their pristine towers in the sky, have all mysteriously disappeared.

Demitri is a prisoner in his own mind. His demon, Vedmak—now known as the Vardøger—is manipulating Demitri’s body and knowledge to execute a secret plan far more disastrous than even the Gracile Leader dared.

Mila, her status among the fractured resistance elevated to that of Paladyn—a protector of the people—leads the fight against zealots intent on destroying what little remains of Etyom. It is a responsibility she never wanted, a calling that prevents her from doing what she truly desires.

Yet, Mila should be careful for what she longs. Caught between annihilation and loyalties that refuse to die, she must reconcile a single immutable truth: following your heart comes at a price.

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GIVEAWAY

September 22, 2020

Release Blast & Giveaway: Sisters of the Moon by Alexandrea Weis!

Sisters of the Moon

by Alexandrea Weis

Release date: September 22nd

Amazon

A monstrous fate will turn a girl into a legend.

On an island in Lake Obersee, where The Sisters of St. Gertrude abide, a destitute Moor named Durra arrives. Sold for taxes, she and her two companions tend to the nuns and their collection of cats. At night, she combs the library for details on the order, the remote island, and the beasts howling outside her window.

But when a prank reveals the sisters’ gruesome secret, Durra is forced to accept a new fate. Bestowed an unearthly power, she must choose between life as a nun or living among the monsters beyond the convent walls.

Her path is about to change the tide in the ultimate war. The war between good and evil.

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About the Author

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, CRRN, ONC, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author of over twenty-seven novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight.

Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable.

A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured animals. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans. Weis writes mysteries, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, action, historical, and romance.

Alexandrea Weis is a member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers Association.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Excerpt

A pair of dark oak doors, masterfully carved with six different panels, came into view. Winged creatures, with horns and pointed tail, appeared in every panel terrorizing humans who fought against them with pitchforks and fire. The tale was of a fierce battle set in a field not far from a village. Large snarling dogs assisted the humans in fighting off the agents of the Devil. The carnage recreated in painstaking detail had dead men and dogs with gashes across their middle, spilling their guts onto the blood-soaked ground. The bottom panel showed the forces of good overtaking the fiends and driving them from the battlefield. But it was the last panel that unsettled Durra.

This carving depicted the dogs that survived the fight. They gathered around a fiery pit and pushed the dead monsters into a vast hole, returning them to hell.

Durra touched the carved figures. “What story is this?”

Monica put her hand on a door pull of a wolf’s face with a brass ring through its mouth.

“The Battle of Cadizia. It’s where man and his faithful dogs first drove back the agents of the Devil.”

“Cadizia?” Durra furrowed her brow. “I never read about that in the Bible.”

Monica pulled the heavy doors open. “Nor will you.”

“But what—?”

Monica nodded inside the doors. “It’s time to pray.” She walked beneath a stone lintel and entered the abbey.

Durra followed, a million questions running through her head, but when she stepped inside the abbey, all her apprehensions faded away.

Thick columns with capitals of more winged creatures, their pointy tails directed at the altar, complemented the mural painted on the panels of the ceiling.

The story was the same as on the door, but the details emphasized the role of the dogs. Silver-backed, with thick dark coats and bright glowing eyes, the beasts appeared like magical beings while confronting the demons. They stood, surrounding a gaping pit filled with a lake of fire, snarling and driving the winged creatures back to hell. “That’s scary.”

Leida stood next to Durra, gaping up at the ceiling.

Sister Monica appeared in front of them and took their hands. Her face contorted in an angry scowl as she whisked them to the back of the abbey.

Monica pointed at a bench, “Stay.”

Durra took her seat while scouring the six stained-glass windows, eager for more on the strange

dogs, but all she found were images of a woman in a black nun’s habit, carrying a large wooden staff. The figure had different animals gathered at her feet, and the kindness of St. Gertrude contrasted sharply with the violence of the painting on the ceiling. But the windows had no portraits of dogs, only squirrels, birds, and, of course, cats.

Emily nudged her and then pointed to a white linen altar, sitting before a carved figure of Christ on the cross. The odd-shaped skull atop the altar struck her as grotesque. “What is that?” Emily asked.

“Wolf,” Leida whispered. “You can tell by the flat part from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose. A dog’s head has a steeper angle.”

Durra regarded the girl with a newfound appreciation. “How do you know that?”

Leida demurely folded her hands in her lap. “I told you—I grew up with them. My family used to hunt them.”

“A wolf hunter in our midst.” Emily nodded. “That might come in handy.”

“Shh.” Monica stood in front of their bench, her cheeks red with anger. “Have you no respect for the house of God?”

Durra eyed the skull once more. If this is a house of God, what’s a wolf’s skull doing here?

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Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway >

September 21, 2020

Tour Kick-off with Giveaway: Sisters of the Moon by Alexandrea Weis!

Sisters of the Moon

by Alexandrea Weis

Release date: September 22nd

Amazon

A monstrous fate will turn a girl into a legend.

On an island in Lake Obersee, where The Sisters of St. Gertrude abide, a destitute Moor named Durra arrives. Sold for taxes, she and her two companions tend to the nuns and their collection of cats. At night, she combs the library for details on the order, the remote island, and the beasts howling outside her window.

But when a prank reveals the sisters’ gruesome secret, Durra is forced to accept a new fate. Bestowed an unearthly power, she must choose between life as a nun or living among the monsters beyond the convent walls.

Her path is about to change the tide in the ultimate war. The war between good and evil.

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Praise for Sisters of the Moon

“Alexandrea Weis does an outstanding job of painting succinct, hard-hitting scenes that carry Durra from a new role in a convent to a more active position confronting supernatural forces and long-hidden truths that could change not just her life, but the world. A superior blend of action and mystery. Highly recommended for those who like their supernatural mystery stories to embrace a sense of character growth where the fine line between good and evil proves more mercurial than most.” ~Midwest Book Review

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About the Author

Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable.

Alexandrea Weis is a member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers Association.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Follow the Tour

September 21st

Good Choice Reading, http://www.goodchoicereading.com | Promotional

September 22nd

Mahkjchi's Not-So-Secret Books, https://www.mahkjchisnotsosecretbooks.com | Review

September 23rd

Ashley J Reads, https://www.instagram.com/ashleyjreads/?hl=en | Review

Black Words White Page, blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com | Promotional

September 24th

2 Girls & A Book, https://www.2girlsandabook.com/ | Review

September 25th

Movies, Shows, & Books, http://moviesshowsnbooks.blogspot.com | Review

Melissa’s Book Nook, melissasbooknook.home.blog | Review

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Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway >

September 16, 2020

Teaser Blast & Giveaway: It Takes a Death to Reach a Star & In the Shadow of a Valiant Moon by Stu Jones & Gareth Worthington!

[Cover Variations with original artwork by Justin Paul (Sony, Lionsgate)]

It Takes Death to Reach a Star

Series: It Takes Death to Reach a Star #1

Publication: May 22nd, 2018

THE WORLD YOU KNOW IS DEAD. WE DID THIS TO OURSELVES.

The year is 2251.

In the Shadow of a Valiant Moon

Series: It Takes Death to Reach a Star #2

Publication: August 25th, 2020

DESTINY HAS NO ALLEGIANCE.

Four years have passed since the lillipads fell and Etyom slipped into darkness.

Yet, Mila should be careful for what she longs. Caught between annihilation and loyalties that refuse to die, she must reconcile a single immutable truth: following your heart comes at a price.

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GIVEAWAY