Character Madness and Musings

Thorns at Sunrise by (Janeen Ippolito) Publication date: March 23rd 2023 Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult A young queen. Her imaginary friend. A kingdom on the verge of death. She believes she’s crazy. Queen Usilea has a secret–and he lives in her mind. Ever since she was six years old, her imaginary friend has been her closest companion, and her arranged marriage has been a great dread. When she learns her betrothed and the royal family have suddenly died, she feels obligated to attend the funeral in the foreign land of Absteph–and perhaps learn more behind their mysterious passing. He only wants the truth. Petar endures great pain to protect those he does not remember. His only solace is a shadowy woman who he loves–even though she denies that he exists. When a terrible tragedy occurs in his kingdom, that mysterious woman is his only hope of bringing justice to light. For the cage that imprisons him grows harsher every day, and he is losing the fight. But there are thorns at su...

The Mixtape to the Real Me by Jake Martinez Publication date: March 24th 2023 Genres: LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult After a crazy summer of teenage drama and newfound love, Justin Ortega and Dominic Mendoza have decided to take things slower in order to really get to know each other. Both have dreamt of being with someone who truly understands them, but neither teen thought it would be this hard, especially when you have to keep your relationship a secret from the whole world. Just when they think their lives will always be filled with sneaking around, along comes a new student who opens their eyes to some wonderful new possibilities. But the road to a bright future has some harsh realities, and not everyone is pleased to see the new couple roam the halls of Garza High. Things get especially tense for Dominic when an unwanted figure shows up wanting to see him. Will Justin and Dominic be able to find a happy ending, or will their past and future collide in ways they never expected? Go...

  My Name Is Series   Children's Book Date Published : 07/25/2022 Publisher: Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc.     "My Name Is Light" is the newly minted Book Two of Kelly Anne Manuel's "My Name Is" Series. In this story the Child is invited on a journey into Nature where a discovery is made with the help of the Animal Kingdom and a joyful celebration result. The Child is curious and Nature, as in real life, does not disappoint. "My Name Is Light" begins with a Child in the great outdoors who notices something bright in their vision. The Child takes the opportunity to interact with a feeling of "light." The Animal Kingdom animates this exciting, fun, and playful adventure. The Child will learn to ask questions and see what fun adventures await when they engage actively in communication. The simple words take on new meaning as the illustrations pai...

Once Upon A Legend by 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...

The Rise of the Witch by Elle Rossi Publication date: June 2023 Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult Elemental witches have been oppressed and controlled for untold millennia by jealous humans who fear the power of their blood. Even those witches who believed in purity were persecuted, as mixed-element babies were killed, tested, and experimented on in a desperate attempt to keep their powers at bay. Laws and regulations have been implemented to keep the Elementals from truly blending, to keep fire from marrying water, air from uniting with earth, but these laws cannot stop hearts from connecting. Love knows no boundaries and sometimes rules are broken for a greater purpose—to allow a being of power and chaos to be born into this world. I am Ailynn. And I am that being—the first chaos witch. Birthed with the combined power of all five elements, I stand against those who would seek to keep us apart. I will not be caged. I will not be silenced. I am here, and I will not be forgotte...

Castelon by Alyssa Roat (The Wraithwood Trilogy, #3) Publication date: March 15th 2023 Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Fifteen hundred years of Arthurian legend come to a head in the final installment of The Wraithwood Trilogy. The sword of legend, ancient magic, and a dead man’s secrets-together they could save Brinnie’s world or end it forever. Brinnie barely escaped Mordizan with her life. Battered and broken in body and soul, she knows she’s running out of time. And though she has discovered the identity of Mordred’s bane, no one knows where to find the legendary weapon. To discover the truth, she and Marcus must journey to Castelon and seek the aid of the Council. However, their actions at Mordizan brand them as enemies and war criminals. Between Mordred’s armies engaged in full-scale war and the political machinations of the Council, Brinnie struggles to balance the battlefield and the courtroom while estates fall before Mordred’s wrath. As magic ravages her own body, threatening ...

Shadows of Nightshade by Lyla Oweds (The Garden of Eternal Flowers, #1) Publication date: March 8th 2023 Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult I dream of a time where I was warm, safe, and loved. But my waking reality is starkly different. Anxiety plagues me and spirits haunt the shadows. No matter how fast I run, I can’t seem to escape my past. The only solace and steady force in my life is my best friend, Finn. And now… there’s a ghost haunting me. And I’m not certain if it wants help or if it wants to kill me. There’s only one person who can understand: Finn’s brother, Damen. However, in reaching out, I’m betraying Finn and setting things into motion that cannot be undone. But nobody ever said that doing the right thing was easy. The Garden of Eternal Flowers is a re-envisioning of my Grimm Cases series. Eternal Flowers has taken my original vision of Bianca’s story and transformed it into something new and beautiful. Some chapters are similar, and some dialogue is the same, as The Grim...

Children's Book Date Published: 07/29/2022 Publisher: Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc.   "The Catcher Dream" was born as a poem and remains so in this newly minted Book Five of Kelly Anne Manuel's Childhood Classics. In this story the Child is invited on a journey where self-empowerment is modeled through an interaction between the narrator and a fictionalized character known as the Catcher Dream. This is a story where the narrator models strength and courage once an uncomfortable matter is identified through self-assessment. "The Catcher Dream" offers a standing invitation to the Child. The Child will learn that they are individuals in charge of safeguarding their physical and emotional space. It is an example of how imperative it is to process the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that uncomfortable matters provoke.  The simple words take on new meaning as the illustrations pair per...

The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy Publication date: February 28th 2023 Genres: Young Adult, Historical, Mystery No one is safe. Not when the Dollmaker lurks in the shadows. When Dawn Hildegard’s best friend Rose is kidnapped by “The Dollmaker,” a crazed serial killer who creates “art” from women’s bodies, she drops everything to find her—including her dream of becoming a doctor. With the help of a handsome new acquaintance and his mysterious brother, they set off to find the killer. Although they quickly become friends, Dawn cannot shake the uneasy feeling that the brothers know more about the murders than they admit. As more and more victims are found murdered and displayed throughout town, Dawn must use her wits to find Rose before it’s too late. And before she too becomes the Dollmaker’s next victim. Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Google Play / Kobo EXCERPT: He slowly began to pace in front of her, his shaded head tipped in thought. His legs were long in the dark, thoug...