Read an excerpt from The Ancient Tripod of Peace (A Teen Thief-Catchers Novel) by Kalen Cap

Welcome to the Blurb Blitz tour for The Ancient Tripod of Peace by Kalen Cap, hosted by Goddess Fish. Today you can check out an excerpt before you purchase your own copy. Leave a comment for the author and be sure to follow the rest of the tour so that you have more chances to win a $40 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. Be sure to check back for the review tour coming up on May 14!

Please note that affiliate links are present. Should you make a purchase through one of these, I may earn a small commission to help support my websites at no additional cost to you.

The Ancient Tripod of Peace

Teens Lexi and Gil face relic-thieving secret societies.

Plagued by loneliness in her Lake Erie Islands community, vegan Lexi hopes to make like-minded friends in high school. But her dad’s job is jeopardized when relics are stolen from his museum, changing her priorities. And she finds her new teachers’ eerie dislike of her troubling.

His dad in jail, cipher enthusiast and bacon-loving Gil hopes freshman year will provide a clean slate. Soon, he discovers secret codes within a Shakespearean play while paired with Lexi, pulling him into an ancient mystery.

With the official museum burglary investigation stalled, the mismatched teen sleuths join forces to try and crack the case. Lexi’s inquiries and Gil’s codes capture their teachers’ attention. But these teachers have the stolen Tripod of Peace, a powerful relic sought by rival secret societies. Caught in these societies’ crossfire as thieves wield an instrument of astounding power, Gil and Lexi are in danger.

The Ancient Tripod of Peace is the first book in novelist Kalen Cap’s Teen Thief-Catchers Series. If you like stories with artifact treasures, fighting secret societies, and spirited protagonists, you’ll enjoy this novel.

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Read an excerpt:

Brandon flicked on the light switch. The yellow bulb provided a muted view of the dusty, windowless room.

A box with shiny tape near the entrance looked new. It contained three metal pieces, each about thirty inches in length, that he needed. He unboxed the items, each unevenly notched and appended with short metal lengths, and set them by the door. He found the only large piece, a tripod seat, already unboxed in the back of the room. The museum board had pulled the tripod seat from the prior evening’s exhibit opening on the main floor.

Though he’d received a text confirming arrangements as planned, Brandon grew worried two remaining pieces were displayed upstairs after all. He wouldn't risk triggering the security system in the main exhibition hall to retrieve them if they there. Breaking into the warehouse was already too far beyond his comfort zone.

The room’s dust taking its toll, Brandon sneezed. He frowned, worried a sprayed dripping might get him caught by some high tech analysis like those used in crime television shows. It’d be my luck to be caught by snot.

Or sweat. Tears of perspiration streamed down his cheek. Brandon checked the room again. Curation opportunity? What a joke!

Sue Ballentine, who hired him for the job, had called it a “curation opportunity.” Though Brandon knew selling steroids was illegal, stealing objects from a museum was a more aggressive crime. But he needed the money to finish paying his supplier.

Brandon knew not to cross his steroid supplier in Detroit.

About Kalen Cap

Kalen Cap is a writer living in Ohio and regularly commutes back and forth between Columbus and Port Clinton residences. Set among the Lake Erie Islands, “TheAncient Tripod of Peace” is his second novel, first of the Teen Thief-Catcher series. His first novel, “Tangled Ties to a Manatee,” was published in 2012.

Author website \ Amazon Page \ Series Facebook Page 

Kalen Cap will be awarding a $40 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Review of Everything We Lose by Annette Oppenlander

Welcome to the review tour for Everything We Lose by Annette Oppenlander. It's about two teenaged friends from opposite backgrounds who get separated by tragic circumstances and lead parallel lives during the Civil War. Check out an excerpt from the book as well as my review. Grab your own copy for 99 cents for a limited time. You can also leave a comment for the author as you move along the book tour to enter the giveaway for a $15 gift card.

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you choose to make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission to help support my websites. Also note that I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Everything We Lose

Two friends--one black, one white.
Torn apart by an attack gone wrong.
One escapes into war, the other is sold into slavery.

Told from alternating viewpoints, one black and one white, Surviving the Fatherland author Annette Oppenlander delivers another stunning historical tale set against the epic backdrop of the American Civil War--a breathtaking examination of the power of hope and friendship, and the endurance of the human spirit to find a way home.

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On sale for 99 cents during the tour!

Read an excerpt:

Adam rushed to the opening that was closest to the stables and peeked out. Nathan’s mother, wearing a gown of crisp cotton with a soft pattern of cornflowers, its blue reminding Adam of his own mother’s eyes, stood waiting outside. She held a dainty umbrella of cream-white lace to shade out the sun and a pair of riding gloves. “If you don’t come soon, I must go back inside,” she said, her voice almost too quiet to hear. “It is dreadfully hot today.” 

“You think she look in here?” Tip whispered.  

Adam shook his head and kept watching the yard. His mind screamed leave. Yet he stood with indecision. He couldn’t go outside while Janet Billings was near. Thoughts of what he’d done roiled inside his head, panic drying his mouth.  

To his relief, Janet Billings slowly wandered back toward the main house when Wilkes crossed her path. She was too far for Adam to hear, but Wilkes’s voice boomed easily across the lawn. “Sure, M’am, I’ll be happy to search for him. Give me a few minutes…I’ll be right back.” 

To Adam’s horror, Wilkes headed straight toward the stables and then made a sudden turn toward the grain shack. Obviously it was well known that Nathan Billings liked to torture Tip.  

Adam leaped from the window, grabbed Nathan’s feet and pulled him toward a stack of burlap sacks. He had mere seconds to hide them both. From the corner of his eye he saw Tip turn on his side, pretending to be asleep. Desperately yanking at the sacks to make space, he pushed Nathan, who felt soft as a bag of flour, and himself into the opening and cowered low. 

The door flew open. “Mr. Billings, are you in here?” Wilkes rushed to Tip’s cot. “You awake, Boy?” 

Tip grumbled and rubbed his eyes. “Something wrong?” 

“Have you seen Master Nathan?” 

Tip shook his head, his brown eyes wide. “No, Sir.”  

“I wonder why the shack was unlocked,” Wilkes mumbled as he turned and walked back out.  

“They pick up wheat for the kitchen earlier,” Tip offered, but the overseer was already gone, the chain rattling on the outside.  

Adam slowly rose as Tip sat up on his cot. Their eyes met.  

They’d both be hanged come morning.

 **My thoughts**

Civil War stories have intrigued me since I was a kid. I will never be able to understand how one human could think he owned another human as property. I have never understood the hatred between people based on their skin color. And I can't imagine what it would be like to be on a battlefield like that, especially when you may be fighting against your best friends or brothers. And then the horrors of the injuries and amputations.

Oppenlander's characters look like they should be on opposite sides, but instead they are best friends. This happened between slaves and sympathizers, but could be dangerous, especially when living in a state that is so split in loyalties. Tip and Adam have long been friends. The two of them end up in a situation that spells disaster for both of them and they start to go down different paths. Following Adam's story gives you some insight into what it was like being in the army. Following Tip's story gives you some insight into what it was like being a slave. Both of their stories are rooted in fact and based on real battles that took place.

I enjoyed those aspects of the book, but felt that some of the dramatic twists and turns were a bit more modern than historical. That's not to say that those things didn't happen then. I guess I'm just not used to reading them in an historical novel. That being said, those dramatic twists did make me think of some of those grand tales like North and South and Gone with the Wind, with a slight update in a couple of topics. For some readers, this will be perfect. Worth a read as now I am craving more Civil War stories. And I am curious about some of her other stories.

About Annette Oppenlander

Annette Oppenlander is an award-winning writer, literary coach and educator. As a bestselling historical novelist, Oppenlander is known for her authentic characters and stories based on true events, coming alive in well-researched settings. Having lived in Germany the first half of her life and the second half in various parts in the U.S., Oppenlander inspires readers by illuminating story questions as relevant today as they were in the past.

Oppenlander’s bestselling true WWII story, Surviving the Fatherland, was elected to IWIC’s Hall of Fame, won the 2017 National Indie Excellence Award and is a finalist in the 2017 Kindle Book Awards. Her historical time-travel trilogy, Escape from the Past, takes readers to the German Middle Ages and the Wild West. Uniquely, Oppenlander weaves actual historical figures and events into her plots, giving readers a flavor of true history while enjoying a good story. Oppenlander shares her knowledge through writing workshops at colleges, libraries and schools. She also offers vivid presentations and author visits. The mother of fraternal twins and a son, she recently returned to her home, Solingen, Germany where she lives with her husband and old mutt, Mocha.

Social Links:
Website: http://www.annetteoppenlander.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annetteoppenlanderauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aoppenlander
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/annoppenlander
Blog: http://www.annetteoppenlander.com/blog/

Annette Oppenlander will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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The Sorceress's Apprentice by JL Lahey ~ Updated and Revised Edition

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will interest my readers. Please also note that some affiliate links may be present. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission to help me support my websites, at no additional cost to you.

The Sorceress's Apprentice

Badger, an eight-year-old orphan, has spent his entire life hiding in books, reading of the heroic deeds performed by valiant knights and courageous adventurers.

While attempting to save the lives of his fellow orphans he manifests a magic-like power. He soon learns that using this power comes with a great risk to his own life.

A beautiful sorceress, clad all in black, soon arrives with an offer to adopt him and teach him how to properly wield his powers.

Once they leave, he learns that the sorceress is really the leader of a group of adventurers, and they're not the type of heroes that he has ever read about in books. They’re the kind that steal, get drunk, rob graves, loot tombs, and shoot people in the back. They basically only do what they need to in order to have a really good time.

Badger is wondering what type of tale has he gotten into, because he has never read a story quite like this one!

Available on Amazon

About JL Lahey

J.L. Lahey dwells in Arizona. 

He is currently writing stories for the Elder Codex fantasy series, The Tails of The Nine fantasy series and a amnesic paranormal mystery set in Las Vegas.

When he is not writing, he enjoys obsessing over role-playing games, girls, renaissance festivals, on-line games, comics and riding his motorcycle in the rain.

He meets weekly with his gaming group to discus different facets of world domination.

Farewell to Beantown by P. Marie Release Blitz

Welcome to the release blitz for Farewell to Beantown by P. Marie! It's the third installment of the Boston Belles series. Check out a couple of teasers to get you in the mood, as well as glimpses at the rest of the series, currently on sale for 99 cents. Please note that some of the links are affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through one of those, I may earn a small commission to help support my websites at no extra cost to you. Thanks for stopping by!

Title: Farewell to Beantown
Series: Boston Belles #3

Author: P. Marie

Genre: YA/NA Romance
 Release Date: March 7, 2018

Blurb

The truth will set your free.

While Lexi Cole’s physical wounds have faded her emotional scars still linger.

Determined to be stronger than the fragile little girl she once was, she rises up to take on her past. For the first time in her short life, she’s able to taste the independence she’s always longed for, ready for the future with Frankie. However, when tragedy strikes, will their new found love be enough to keep them together? Or will she be forced to face the harsh truth. That not all love stories even those with your best friends promise a happy ending?

Laughter, tears, unforgettable moments, and family await you in this emotional farewell.

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Available at other retailers soon

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Author Bio

P. Marie lives in a small town outside of Boston where she was born and raised. She resides in the house she grew up in with her husband of 34 years and her two fur babies, Tek and Tessie. She is the proud mother of two adult children. While she is a corporate girl during the day, she has become both a writer and blogger by night. P. Marie says she owes her success to her mother who taught her that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything.

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