Book Blitz: Reign of Silver & Stardust (Stardust Trilogy, #1) by Diana A. Hicks

Reign of Silver & Stardust
Diana A. Hicks
(Stardust Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: August 27, 2026
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

My twin sister was murdered. To find her killer, I had to die.

CATALINA
I was never supposed to exist.
As the mortal spare to an immortal sister, I lived in the shadows
until Ry was murdered by a weapon that shouldn’t exist.
Now, justice is all I want.
To find her killer, I must take her place in the Queen’s Elite Cadre
and become the very monster everyone fears.
But becoming a weapon means losing my humanity…
and losing the one man I can’t resist.

VALOREK
The immortals bleed my world dry while my sister rots from the inside out.
I swore to burn their reign to the ground,
until I met her.
Sterling is the enemy,
a silver-blooded soldier of the regime that destroyed my family.
But the electricity between us is undeniable.
We are on opposite sides of a brewing war,
and falling for the enemy is a dangerous mistake
neither of us can afford.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

The simulation brings me back with a jolt. I land on the floor on all fours, choking on the saltwater burning my throat. Like before, once my brain catches up with reality, all the pain goes away. I hang my head and breathe easy.

If that isn’t a miserable attempt, I don’t know what is. Ry passed this level on her first try. This military stuff came naturally to her. When we were kids, the placement test put Ry and me in the Military Sector, but I never belonged or excelled the way she did.

The sleek white walls shine bright around me. Seconds later, Captain Weston’s boots come into view. When I glance up, he cocks an eyebrow at me with both hands braced on his hips. He blows out a breath, and I swear a tinge of pity flashes across his face.

“I didn’t pass your test.” I sit back on my ankles, shaking uncontrollably.

“Everyone dies in the simulation. You did better than I expected.” He scratches the stubble on his chiseled jaw. “But I do have my work cut out for me.”

“Am I in?” I meet his gaze.

“Have you talked to anyone since the accident?”

The accident? My jaw clenches.

“No.” I assume he means cadets from my unit. To Captain Weston, Valorek and his friends didn’t count.

“Good.” He clears his throat. “Because I have a proposal for you.”

When I open my mouth to speak, he brings his index finger to his lips and shakes his head once. Of course, he doesn’t want to hear about how Ry’s death wasn’t an accident. We have been doing the same song and dance for weeks. This time, I do as he asks and keep quiet, but only because it looks like I am about to get what I want—an opportunity to join the Queen’s immortal army, where I’ll have the ability to look into Ry’s murderer myself.

“You need something from me.” I meet his gaze.

“We need you to take your sister’s place as a lieutenant in the Queen’s army. You still need a lot of training before you can join Ry’s unit, but we have a bit of time.”

“Wait. What?” I gape at him as my heart thrashes in my ears. “That is not what I wanted at all.”

“I gave it some thought.” He swallows. “It’s all I can offer. It’s the only solution, really.”

“Do you have any idea how insane this sounds?” I scoff. “Ry told me everything about the QEC simulator seven years ago. This was the easy part and I still died. How am I supposed to be her when I know nothing about her world? She had her own life outside of me.”

“That’s why I’m here. I’ll be your guide.” His eyes soften.

“So what, Captain Weston? Do I now get to call you Cap or Eli?”

“You can call me whatever you want.” He offers a crooked, sexy smile. “In fact, I think that if you call me Eli in private, the transition will be easier for you.”

“Eli?” I meant to be sarcastic, but he is completely serious with his answer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Diana Hicks writes dark, emotional romance where obsession runs deep, secrets cut sharp, and love always comes at a price.

Her books blend steamy billionaire drama with forbidden marriages, high-stakes betrayal, and antiheroes who will burn the world to protect what’s theirs. Best known for The Empire Trilogy, Diana’s stories deliver heart-pounding romance with morally gray men, strong heroines, and just enough heat to leave you breathless.

When she’s not writing about power and passion colliding, she’s probably sipping coffee like it's a love language, sweating off a plot twist at yoga, or posting angsty book teasers on TikTok.

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Reign of Silver & Stardust Blitz

Cover Reveal: Royal Mayhem by Samantha Jayne Grubey

Royal Mayhem
Samantha Jayne Grubey
Publication date: April 15, 2026
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Part one of a duet.

Melinda Brown doesn’t want much in life, graduate university and survive.

Prince Alexander has everything, surrounded be riches and spoilt to the core. Everything he’s ever wanted has been at the tip of his finger due to his prestigious status as future King of England.

Despite coming from two different worlds, they share the same university. One day everything changes when the two crash into each other’s lives, literally.

As they both enter each other’s worlds, they’re forced to make compromises for the sake of their growing attraction.

Will Melinda and Alexander be able to win people with their love, especially when it becomes clear that they both hide secrets? Or will Prince Alexander by denied for the first time by the first woman that he truly wants? Not everything is as it seems in Royal Mayhem.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Samantha Jayne Grubey is an author of new adult romance.

When she's not writing or reading, she will be playing sims or doing some diamond art and if she isn't doing any of that she could be pole dancing or most likely working.

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Book Review: The Rise of the Mad March by Robert Espenscheid, Jr.

The Rise of the Mad March by Rob Espenscheid Jr.


The birth of a punk rock band, where the music is the thing, but love and family are the results.

The Rise of the Mad March by Rober Espenscheid, Jr., is the story of the making, life, and times of a scrappy, groundbreaking punk rock band in early 1970s Iowa. Henry Hollins had sworn to himself that if he got out of Vietnam in one piece, he would follow his heart and pursue a musical career, but it wasn't until a chance meeting with two young female felons at a state-run halfway house for offenders that he would find his path to fulfill his dream.

While the narrative follows Henry Hollins's journey, it is truly an ensemble tale as he builds his band with three talented young women, a novelty even today. Individually, each of his new band members has a tragic backstory, but together, they find the support and family they need to heal. Just like any family, they don't always see eye-to-eye, and there are some epic disagreements. But they always return to each other with love.

The plot tells the story of the band's formation, early days, and eventual success. I was surprised by how much work went into getting them to a point where they could take the stage to perform in front of a live audience. One of my favorite storylines was about the significant impact a seasoned sound engineer can have on the success of a live gig. Several serendipitous encounters of this type made all the difference in the band's trajectory. The relationships among the band members were very fluid, but they ultimately formed into a family, which gave the women a place of safety, love, and trust where they could finally heal from the traumas they had experienced in their pasts. However, neither their safe place nor the band's success prevents life from throwing the members another curveball.

The story is easy to read except for one issue I encountered. I did have some trouble with the flow of the dialogue. Early on, the exchanges between characters felt choppy; the replies didn't quite align with what the characters were responding to at the time. This was particularly true of discussions between Henry and his wife, Esther. Sometimes, I couldn't really understand what she meant. Still, I was riveted to the story until the very last page.

I recommend THE RISE OF THE MAD MARCH to readers of historical fiction, especially those with an interest in the music industry and punk rock bands.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.


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Book Blitz: Walk the Line (Blood & Bone Legacy, #1) by Paula Dombrowiak & Natalie Parker

Walk the Line
Natalie Parker, Paula Dombrowiak
(Blood & Bone Legacy, #1)
Publication date: April 22, 2025
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

It was supposed to be simple: Film the tour. Build my portfolio. And for Heavens sake, keep it in my pants.

Then I met Felix Krasinski.

The captivating and infuriatingly cocky frontman of Velvet Drift commands attention everywhere he goes—including mine. Am I proud of it? No. I’m supposed to be filming their perfromance, not fantasizing about his perfect abs. I’m determined to be taken seriously, and hooking up with the ridiculously hot rockstar is the fastest way to tank my credibility.

Felix is always in control, and I’m an impulsive rule-breaker. We don’t make sense. But we can’t seem to stay away from each other.

Because, between his uptight habits and annoyingly perfect jawline, there’s more to Felix than his stage presence and legendary last name. He’s protective, vulnerable, and gets me in a way no one else does.

But my career depends on keeping things professional, and his future hinges on staying laser-focused on his band’s success.

Every heated argument, every stolen kiss, makes me want to throw caution—and professionalism—to the wind.

One thing’s certain—this summer tour is about to get a lot more complicated than I bargained for.

Walk the Line is the first book in the Blood & Bone and Turn it Up second generation series crossover. Grab this new adult, angsty, forced proximity, steamy contemporary rockstar romance. Walk the Line can be read as a standalone.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“What the…?” My voice trails off as I take in the dark, angry bruise on my skin.

A hickey.

And not just any hickey—this is the mother of all hickeys.

It’s a masterpiece of malice, blooming in deep purples and reds, unapologetically high on my neck. No amount of foundation could hide this, and it’s far too conspicuous for even the highest collar. There was no fucking around when she decided to do this. She wanted me marked.

“Maggie!” I call, my voice bouncing off the walls as I step out of the bathroom. Her only response is the sound of sheets rustling and a half-asleep groan. I glance back at the mirror, rubbing at the bruise like it might magically fade. Who even gives hickeys anymore?

When I step out, I find her perched on the kitchen counter, one leg dangling lazily while the other’s tucked beneath her. She’s cradling a mug of coffee—my coffee—the steam curling up around her face. And she’s wearing my Henley, the fabric hanging loose on her but clinging just enough in places to make my brain short-circuit. The soft gray color makes her blue eyes pop, and they blink at me with an innocence that’s so utterly contrived, I almost laugh. Almost. And fuck, she made me temporarily forget about the hickey.

“What is this?” I demand, pointing to the bruise on my neck as I stride closer.

She tilts her head like she’s admiring a painting. She leans in, her lips so close I can feel the ghost of her breath. She presses a kiss to the bruise, and I swear my brain briefly loses all function.

“That,” she says, her voice honey-sweet, “is a hickey.”

“I know what it is, baby,” I snap, though the grin threatening to break free betrays me. “I have press with Ivy today.” My tone is exasperated, but she doesn’t look the least bit sorry.

“I know.” Her lips curve into a slow, self-satisfied smile, the kind that makes her look like a sexy as fuck brat. Lucky for her, I happen to like brats.

I grab her coffee mug, setting it down deliberately and grab her by the waist, pulling her flush against me. She lets out a surprised little gasp, her hands instinctively bracing against my chest.

“You fucking scare me sometimes, Sass,” I murmur before claiming her lips.

Author Bios:

Paula Dombrowiak grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois but currently lives in Arizona. She is the author of Blood and Bone, her first adult romance novel which combines her love of music and imperfect relationships. Paula is a lifelong music junkie, whose wardrobe consists of band T-shirts and leggings which are perpetually covered in pet hair. She is a sucker for a redeemable villain, bad boys, and the tragically flawed. Music inspires her storytelling.

For more ways to learn about Paula and her books, check out her website: @www.pauladombrowiak.com

Natalie Parker resides in the Seattle area with her husband and two rugrats, but is originally a Michigan girl.

She always enjoyed writing and noticed she had a knack for it while earning her Psychology degree and has always been an avid reader, but never thought of becoming an author until one day there seemed to be a story to tell.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, reading, reading to her kids, drinking coffee, reading, occasional yardwork, reading, listening to music, reading and writing.

Stay tuned for more to come for your favorite characters of the Turn it Up series!

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Review Tour & Giveaway: Bright Midnights (The Limerent, #2) by L.S. Delorme

BRIGHT MIDNIGHTS

The Limerent, Book Two

by

LS Delorme

New Adult Paranormal Romance Thriller

Publisher: Limerent Publishing LLC

Publication Date: October 2, 2023

Page count: 309 pages

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SYNOPSIS:

Amelie has always been different.

Most high school students find life challenging, but 17-year-old Amelie has a lot more to contend with than typical teenage angst. Ever since she turned 11, others have been irresistibly drawn to her—with tragic consequences. Her only escape is at night when she flies to different times and places through her “dreams”. Her life begins to change when, on one of her flights, she meets Clovis, an alluring and mysterious young man who hides a secret.

As Amelie finds herself increasingly drawn to him, she learns his story, how it intertwines with her own and finally discovers how to live her life in the real world. Until her own secrets are revealed to the wrong people and that world turns upside down.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Hudson tried one more time to raise his head and lift the thing in his hands. Everyone in the class just stared at him. The front of Amelie’s forehead suddenly exploded with images, and the lighted words from the cereal box this morning made sense.

“Low. Sugar. Bad.”

“He’s not drunk,” Amelie snapped. “That’s a glucose meter. He’s diabetic.”

Amelie dropped her notebook and ran to the door, falling to her knees beside Hudson. She had a vague notion that this hurt and she would be bruised later, before she grabbed Hudson’s head. She didn’t know if people in insulin shock had seizures or not, but that didn’t matter. She knew what to do. She had been told by something more reliable than memory. Low blood sugar was bad.

What to do? Okay, Elodie had her phone. What else? Jack, he always ate breakfast at his desk. Today it was a bottle of orange juice. Thank god.

“Elodie, call 911—now! Jack, throw me your OJ,” Amelie snapped.

Jack just smirked at her, completely disengaged in the fact that another human being was in crisis. A wave of fury replaced the images in Amelie’s head, making everything around her look shiny, sharp, and red. The world began to move in slow motion. She turned, her eyes met Jack’s, and she let her well-constructed shields drop … just drop. The energy that flowed out of her felt glorious.

“Jack, throw me your OJ, now,” she “softly this time. She saw the shocked look on Jack’s face, but he immediately grabbed the OJ and tossed it to her. The chemical wave that seemed to be her birthright rolled over him, through him, past him and across the class … person by person, face by face.

REVIEW:

5 stars!

Thrilling new-adult paranormal romance! 

Bright Midnights may be the second book in author L.S. Delorme’s enthralling new adult paranormal romance Limerent series, but readers just discovering it will easily be able to step right into the tale. This book and its predecessor are what can be termed foundational, introducing characters, themes, and storylines that stand alone but will eventually converge in a future volume. 

I was initially attracted to the book by its intriguing premise and quickly became a fan upon getting to know the story’s main character, Amelie McCormick. Her lifelong and self-guarded secret struggles with her health immediately drew my sympathy, as did her difficult relationship with her family, especially her mother. Amelie’s circumstances felt unique among the majority of the books of this genre, with her hillbilly-ish family and her acceptance into her high school’s elite crowd. Just at face, her problems were going to be different, and these differences lent themselves to some fresh interactions and situations. The unique ways her powers affected her classmates, teachers, and anyone in her vicinity when she relaxed her restraint were fascinating, also leading to surprising, unanticipated results. Her flying forays into her dream world will strike a chord with many. The sequences are vivid and eerie, and much like what we all experience at times, but hopefully, without the surprise crossovers into the physical waking world Amelie has. Just a reminder that this book is intended for a new adult audience. The story is related through multiple points of view, and there is a creepy sexual interest in the main character by a vice principal at the school, and readers sensitive to such should take note. 

With its engaging and relatable main character and its fresh, intriguing plot, I recommend BRIGHT MIDNIGHTS to readers who enjoy paranormal romance, suspense, and thrillers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lexy is the author of the “Limerent” novel series. She has also been a travel writer and author of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland Hong Kong and An Expat Mom’s unofficial Guide to Disneyland Paris. She is an ex-rock musician, ex-science grad, recovering attorney and now an expat writer. Her love of writing stems from an eclectic life. As a navy “brat,” she grew up in various states across the US until her father retired to North Carolina when she was a teenager. As an adult, she has continued this “tumbleweed” life, having since lived in 3 countries, 9 US states, and 21 cities around the world. But, through all this change, her love of writing has been the one constant. Writing the Limerent Series allows her to use her unusual past to help create new worlds. Lexy now lives in Paris with her husband and two very cool sons.

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Release Blitz: Wild Asses of the Mojave Desert by Lis Anna-Langston

 

New Adult – Literary – Contemporary fiction – Women’s fiction

Date Published:10-20-2023

Publisher: Mapleton Press

 

This novel about friendship, nostalgia, and finding oneself is funny and tender, moving and poetic, while standing firmly in hope and love. The characters are thinkers, overthinkers really, who are trying to find their way by asking the deep questions of life with wide-eyed wonder and talking through life's uncertainties. They fearlessly confront the choices they've made, examining their desires and their mistakes. The result is a smart, engaging novel depicting a young woman's search for the people and place she will call home.

Praise for Wild Asses of the Mojave Desert 

 'The best stories begin with wreckage.' Jack London 

…a journey away from the familiar and into the desert of discovery…As relationship quandaries, marriage possibilities, and good and harmful emotional connections emerge against the backdrop of the desert environment, readers receive a multifaceted story that connects via both emotional and landscape twists of perspective. 

Wild Asses of the Mojave Desert is a novel that pulls at heart and mind alike. Through Skye's journey and process of letting go everything she's held tightly throughout her life, readers receive a compelling saga… 

-D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review 

 With lyrical prose and philosophical conversation, Skye's relationships light up as fiercely as the streaks marking the desert sky at night. This novel about friendship, nostalgia, and finding oneself is funny and tender, moving and poetic, while standing firmly in hope and love. The characters are thinkers, overthinkers really, who are trying to find their way by asking the deep questions of life with wide-eyed wonder and talking through life's uncertainties. They fearlessly confront the choices they've made, examining their desires and their mistakes. The result is a smart, engaging novel depicting a young woman's search for the people and place she will call home. Returning home is a powerful and effective plot device that, in this author's hands, feels vibrant and new partly because of the fully realized characters and strong dialogue that endow the relationships with wise and vivid truths about life. 

-RECOMMENDED by the US Review

 

 

About the Author

Lis Anna-Langston was raised along the winding current of the Mississippi River on a steady diet of dog-eared books. She attended a Creative and Performing Arts School from middle school until graduation and went on to study Literature at Webster University. Her novels have won the Parents’ Choice Gold, Moonbeam Book Award, Independent Press Award, Benjamin Franklin Book Award and NYC Big Book Awards. A three-time Pushcart award nominee and Finalist in the Brighthorse Book Prize, William Faulkner Fiction Contest, George Garrett Fiction Prize and Thomas Wolfe Fiction Award, her work has been published in The Literary Review, Emerson Review, The Merrimack Review, Emrys Journal, The MacGuffin, Sand Hill Review and dozens of other literary journals.

Hailed as “an author with a genuine flair for originality” by Midwest Book Review and “a loveable, engaging, original voice…” by Publishers Weekly, you can find her in the wilds of South Carolina plucking stories out of thin air.

Contact Links

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Pop-Up Blog-Hop & Giveaway: Whiskey On Our Shoes by Tonya Preece

WHISKEY ON OUR SHOES

by

Tonya Preece

Contemporary Romance / New Adult

Publisher: Champagne Book Group

Page Count: 238 pages

Publication Date: February 12, 2023

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Eva dodges the fans, media, and gossip that follow her supermodel mom and rock star family members by wearing disguises. After an aimless gap year, she struggles to figure out what she wants from life. She moves in with her famous guitar god brother in Austin while he recovers from a drunken stage stunt accident and tries to stay sober. When a hot Texas cowboy named Alex takes Eva by surprise, she risks her safety and security of anonymity by letting him into her unconventional life.

Alex is captivated by Eva and promises to protect her privacy. Yet he has a secret of his own—the fling he had with an older woman is fraught with scandalous potential for him and now Eva. He broke free of that mistake months ago, or so he thought. As things heat up with Eva, his old flame returns and won’t leave him alone.

Just when Alex thinks he has the reins on the situation, his ex teams up with a gossip reporter hell-bent on invading Eva’s privacy. The resulting exposé, with a sly spin on a recent encounter with his ex, is Alex’s worst nightmare, and Eva’s unsure what to believe. Can she face the world with Alex at her side or will she return into hiding?

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Tonya Preece’s playlist to 

Whiskey on Our Shoes

LISTEN HERE FOR FREE ON SPOTIFY!

(SPOTIFY ACCOUNT REQUIRED TO LISTEN OR REGISTER FOR FREE!)

 

 

1.       “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses

2.      “That Something” by With Confidence

3.      “Out of Nowhere Girl” by Luke Bryan

4.      “I’ll Be Your Small Town” by Cole Swindell

5.      “Think of You” by Mayday Parade

6.      “Dopamine” by With Confidence

7.      “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton

8.      “Whiskey Glasses” by Morgan Wallan

9.      “Fly” by Sleeping With Sirens

 

5 stars!

Sure to grab on and hold tight to the attention of readers of contemporary new or young adult romance.

 

Whiskey On Our Shoes by Tonya Preece is a new contemporary new adult/young adult romance set in Austin, the capital city of the state of Texas. With its multi-faceted characters and multi-layered plot, it is sure to grab on and hold tight to the attention of readers of the genre and soon have them turning pages, compelled to see what would happen next.

 

The main character, Eva Covington, had a unique and unusual childhood. The daughter of a musician father and supermodel mother, she lived her life, until recently, on a tour bus, part of the entourage of The Fabulous Undertakers. You’d think this would have led to a life of freedom: sex, drugs, and rock and roll; however, her mother, Sloane Silver, has kept her completely under wraps and away from the eyes of the paparazzi, and over the years, most have forgotten Sloane had a daughter. Mother and daughter have gone to unusual lengths to hide their relationship, ostensibly to protect Eva, but I’m convinced it was more to hide the fact that the supermodel was a mother with a now-grown daughter.

 

The male lead, Alex Marshall, although a typical UT university student, has a complex backstory of his own. His freshman year was nearly derailed by an unfortunate love affair he’d had with an older woman who lied about being single. Alex is on academic probation and worries every day that his parents, back home in Florence, Texas, will find out about his grades and the woman. Adding to his pressure, his former lover wasn’t ready to end their affair when he did and is constantly hounding him to resume the relationship.

 

The first meeting between Eva and Alex is funny, and the two make an adorable pair. Eva is staying with her rock star brother, Lor, to help him recuperate from injuries sustained while filming a music video. Alex is the alcoholic Lor’s unwitting accomplice in his latest escapade to obtain alcohol. The attraction between the two is immediate. Both have little experience with the opposite sex, and the expected bumps along their journey to love are mostly due to big misunderstandings. I was hooked by their story and was glued to the pages wanting to know if these two would have a HEA.

 

I recommend WHISKEY ON OUR SHOES to readers who enjoy contemporary new/young adult romances, especially stories set in Austin or small-town Texas, or the music industry.

 

Tonya Preece writes romance and contemporary young adult fiction and incorporates music into all her books in one way or another. She lives near Austin, TX where she’s a small business manager for a forensic engineering firm. She and her husband enjoy traveling, live music, wine, and spoiling their fur babies.

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THREE WINNERS

Grand Prize: autographed paperback & $10 Amazon gift card; 

2nd Prize: autographed paperback; 

3rd Prize: eBook

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 7/14/23)

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