Monday, August 8, 2022

Jester by Brielle D. Porter



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What happens in Oasis, stays in Oasis.

Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic.

Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not―real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life.


Read an exclusive excerpt

Even though the knife feels like it’s blistering my palm, I take a moment to pan the audience. This is always my favorite part. The tension is a palpable thing, visible in held gasps, wide eyes, and awe.

Magic.

And that’s when I see him. Expression carefully neutral, almost bored, one eyebrow raised, arms folded across a suit that costs more than my father made in a year. A seeker.

My heart pounds, as I realize more than Stefan’s crotch is at stake here now. If I nail this, that pretentious clown in a suit has the power to get my act in front of the queen. I could be the next Jester. It’s the reason I’ve come here tonight, the same reason I’ve performed for thousands of crowds like this one.

Sucking in a breath, I hold the knife level.

Stefan thrashes, but the binding’s pinning him to the wheel like a dead butterfly hold. Right as I pull back to throw, there’s a shout. “Kingkiller!”

The knife slips in my grip, but it’s too late. I watch, horrified, as the blade wobbles in the air, the trajectory off. It clatters to the ground a few feet away from Stefan, flames smothered in the dirt. There’s a moment of shocked silence, as though the crowd is waiting for me to do something.

Make a joke. Throw another knife. Something. I can still save this.

Even Stefan gawps at me as I stare unseeing at the crowd. But I don’t do anything. I just stand there, the word pounding in my head, over and over.

Kingkiller.

Even real magic couldn’t save me now.

About the Author
Brielle D. Porter decided to become a writer after a well-meaning elementary school teacher told her she had a gift for it. Stolen moments under the covers reading anything from Harry Potter to William Goldman solidified the desire to tell stories herself one day. Jester is her debut novel.

Brielle lives with her husband and three sons on a lavender farm in Northern Idaho. When she’s not writing, she can be found running and beekeeping. Only ask her about her hobbies if you have plenty of time to spare.

Author Website: https://brielledporter.com/
Goodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/briellums
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtshipofthemonsters/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/briellums

Direct from publisher (CamCat): https://camcatbooks.com/Books/J/Jester
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ip4smU
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jester-brielle-d-porter/1140546918
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780744305586
BookShop: https://bookshop.org/books/jester-9780744305586/9780744305586

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Monday, August 1, 2022

Potion by Dorlana Vann



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dorlana Vann will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

#WitchesBeBitches

A Contemporary Retelling.

Eight years ago, the wicked witch held Hansel Lucas Jaeger and his sister, Melrose, captive. They barely escaped with their lives. Now, with high school, a garage band, and a part time job, Lucas finally feels normal.

But everything changes when Lucas sees his awkward, loner sister, hanging out with Star, one of the hot and hated popular girls known as The Bitches. At first, he’s just confused, but when he sees the tarot cards between them, he’s reminded of the curse the witch cast on Melrose.

His fears escalate when Star warns him about two witches from school who plan on using his sister for a ritual. Lucas wants to trust Star; he needs someone to confide in since Melrose thinks his fear of witchcraft is irrational. But Star is unpredictable and has toyed with his emotions before.

As Lucas searches for answers, more mysteries begin to unravel about Melrose’s childhood, Star’s motives, and his own family legacy. Lucas will have to make life and death decisions; but whom can he trust, and how do you rescue someone who doesn’t want to be saved?


Read an Excerpt

“You might have something I want.”

Her voice was definitely flirty, but Lucas had no idea what Star was all about. “Oh, really. And what is that?”

“Did you happen to find my tarot card?”

Uh-oh. The easiest answer would be “no,” however, Melrose would probably rat him out anyway. “It’s hard to explain, but I needed to get it out of the house.”

“So, it’s in the garbage?”

“Not exactly.” He stared at the dancing flames. “I burnt it.”

After a long silence, he looked at Star. Where she had been overly relaxed earlier, she now sat up straight with her arms crossed. Even in the dimly lit room, he could see that she thought he was crazy. Fair. In retrospect, his actions did seem a bit extreme.

“You burnt my card?” she finally asked as a breeze came through the open window and blew out the candles. “Why the hell would you do that?”

“Melrose can’t be around that sort of thing,” he mumbled

“Allergies?”

Lucas took the sarcasm he deserved and walked to the window. “Sorry. Just tell me how much I owe you.” He was going to shut the window before relighting the candles, but suddenly, Star’s hand was on his arm.

“You don’t owe me anything,” she said.

“No?” He turned around, and Star was standing right there, the curves of her body enhanced by the shadows.

About the Author:
Dorlana Vann loves taking elements from fairy tales (characters, mood, moral, plot) and mixing them with a paranormal element and then dropping them in a contemporary setting.

She has several supernatural fairy tale inspired stories, including novels, a short story collection, and Kindle Vella series. Her latest adventure is A Witchy Fairy Tale series; book 1: Potion.

Besides writing, life is all about family, food, book-club, BBQ team, festivals, trivia (even though she's horrible at it), and drinking on patios – All of which she shares on Instagram

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