Book Tour & Review ~ Futility of Defense - Book 2 of A Paladin's Journey by Bryan Cole

 

 Futility of Defense

Book 2 of A Paladin’s Journey

By

Bryan Cole

 

About the Book:

Genres: Fantasy, Heroic Fantasy, Hero’s Journey

Publisher: Tellwell Talent

Publication Date: June 30, 2023

 

Paladins are nothing but trouble. When Krell, an uneducated nobody with a stubborn streak as wide as the sea, hears the call from ReckNor, the capricious god of the seas and skies, the attention of the rich and powerful turn their gaze toward him. Paladins are notorious for upsetting the balance of power, to the detriment of any who don't worship their deity.

When Krell stands against the might of the sea devils and emerges victorious, concern and interest turn to fear—fear of their secrets and plans being revealed and exposed, of the ruin that often follows in a paladin's wake. Now he stands in defense of a pitiful town at the edge of nowhere, even as the sea devil menace grows more dire for each day that passes.

For as deadly as the sea devils are to Krell, his past choices and the consequences of his actions may be deadlier still . . .

 

Purchase Links:

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Excerpt:

The commander’s face relaxed into an expression of superiority. He looked down his nose at Krell. “I have little reason to worry, Krell. My men are expertly trained soldiers of His Grace Mavram Hudderly, long may he reign, and servants of His Majesty King Fideon the Second, long may he reign. Whatever peril you have faced is now over.”

“I see,” said Krell.

“Me too,” said Dorn. He turned to Krell, pointing at the commander. “He’s an idiot.”

Krell nodded in agreement, while the commander’s face flushed in anger.

“Commander, the sea devils are predators, swift and violent. Their claws and teeth are like daggers, and they use them freely. When they smell blood, they fly into a berserk frenzy. If you run, you die as they catch you from behind. Your horses are of little use against them, since they would simply cut them down. Then eat them.” Krell shook his head. “Have you or your men ever faced sea devils before?”   

 

Another fantastic tale from Bryan Cole. I read his first book in this series and absolutely loved it, and couldn't wait to see what happens next. Well, this book did not disappoint. Here we meet the hero of our tale, Krell, a paladin who has been summoned by his commander to battle against the sea creatures. He does victoriously, but along the way, he has to deal with inner demons as well. The world-building in this tale is phenomenal. The creatures are so thought out and so vividly described that you feel they might come right out from the page. Cole has a gift for weaving a tale and keeping the reader engaged and feel as if they are a part of the tale. If you love a good fantasy, where battles are always on the horizon, creatures of all types abound, and a hero that is broken yet victorious in the end, against the enemy and the battles within, then this is definitely the book for you. 

What Readers Are Saying:

A fantasy saga filled with interesting, complex characters, and dynamic relationships alongside captivating battles and systems of magic, Bryan Cole's FUTILITY OF DEFENSE is a worthy and ambitious sequel that takes Krell's story in an intriguing direction. ~Jessica Thomas for IndieReader

"Packed with engaging action and a fellowship of entertaining characters, this is a classic yet original hero's journey laced with fresh magical rules and immersive storytelling, which is ideal for long-time fans of high fantasy, offering a familiar fantasy landscape while carving its own path due to Cole's detailed attention to character-building." Self-Publishing Review,

About the Author:

Bryan Cole is the author of the Paladin’s Journey series. New to the writing world, he spent years working in the enterprise software space, focused on quality assurance and delivery of software applications. Which is weird, because that has nothing to do with writing fiction.

For that, we need to go back – way back – to his first experience with Dungeons & Dragons. His friend Chris brought over the box set for Myth Drannor, eager to play. Together, they realized they had no idea what they were doing, because neither of them owned a copy of the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, or the Monster Manual.

From those incredibly awkward beginnings, a lifelong passion for epic science fiction and high fantasy adventure was born. Everything from his grade 4 teacher letting him stay after school to play a video game where you were the wizard on a quest, defeating monsters by answering math problems, to some truly memorable movies like Willow that showed him a world bigger and more exciting than the real one.

Of course, Star Wars and Star Trek have had a major influence on him. Want to get in good with Bryan? Lead with a Star Wars meme.

From one of the good movies. Otherwise your plan will backfire.

Bryan is also an avid gamer, and enjoys video games, board games, and tabletop roleplaying games.

These days, he lives in Toronto with his wife and daughter, and his adorable cat.

 

Contact Links:

Email - fat.paladin.contact@gmail.com

Website - https://www.fatpaladin.ca/

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BFV7T7PR

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FatPaladin

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fatpaladinbooks/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22517522

 

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Book Tour ~ Inverted Reality by Fran Lewis

 

INVERTED REALITY

by Fran Lewis

July 21-25, 2025 Book Blast

Synopsis:

Inverted Reality is a compilation of five books that teach people, through the characters involved, the consequences of doing harmful, dangerous or mean things to others. The person will face in some cases the “mirror” that will replay their wrongdoing and then ask if they will repent. If not, the mirror will decide their fate for them.

Each story has different characters who have done something wrong or evil to someone else. Some of the stories have voices that have been silenced and can no longer be heard. One story describes someone who was wrongly accused. The last part “The Third Choice” is Fran’s favorite. It tells a story about people who do not repent, and fate or consequences will be inflicted, but she won’t tell you how.

Some of the stories are fiction while others are true and factual. You, the reader, will decide whether the story is true or false as you enter the world of Inverted Reality. You can decide what your own definition of the title means, and how you would react if you had to face the mirror or the third choice for what you might have done. You decide if it really happened and how you would react.

It’s good vs. evil, and consciousness vs. unconscionable.

Praise for Inverted Reality:

"Actions Have Consequences! Inverted Reality by Fran Lewis is a chilling look at bad people committing horrific deeds."
~ Irma Fritz, author of novels and short stories

Book Details:

Genre: Horror, Short Stories, Suspense and Thrillers
Published by: Just Reviews
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Number of Pages: 219
ISBN: May 13, 2025
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

 

Author Bio:

Fran worked in the NYC Public Schools as the Reading and Writing Staff Developer for over 36 years. She has three masters degrees and a PD in Supervision and Administration. Currently, she is a member of Who's Who of America's Teachers and Who's Who of America's Executives from Cambridge.‬‬

‬

Fran is the author of more than 14 titles including three children's books. She has written several books on Alzheimer's disease in order to honor her mom and help create more awareness for a cure. These include Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey; Ruth’s Story and Sharp as a Tack and Scrambled Eggs Which Describes Your Brain?. She also wrote A Daughter’s Promise about her walk through the disease with her mother. ‪Fran is the author of the Faces Behind the Stones series, a middle school series featuring stories growing up in the Bronx with her sister and MJ magazine. Voices from Beyond is her latest book which was preceded by Mirror Image, What If?, Population Zero, and Accusations.‬

Catch Up With Fran Lewis:
Just Reviews
Amazon Author
Goodreads
BookBub
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram - @ferndine49
X - @franellena
YouTube - @franlewis8

 

 

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Book Tour ~ Ophia's Sister-Soul - Parting the Veils: Book One by Seth Mullins

 

Parting the Veils, Book One

 

Epic Fantasy / Visionary Fiction / Magical Realism

Date Published: 04-19-2025

 

 

Colleen Addison fears that the messages she receives from a place called Ophia prove she’s losing her mind. As she grieves for her lost twin sister, Earth’s civilizations, divorced from magic and wonder, crumble.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Partition, Esperidi Mon-Sequana discovers she’s the last surviving Sophryne, a Wakeful Dreamer cast adrift as Ophia convulses beneath the weight of atrocities done to Her, spilling Her anguish in fire and floods.

With naught but dreams and waking omens to guide her, Esperidi ventures across a ravaged land where marauders are a law unto themselves, and the Shetain priesthood demands that Ophia’s children appease the Rupture with penance and blood.

Lost and bereaved, Colleen and Esperidi reach for hope and salvation beyond the camouflage Veils, unsuspecting of the ties that bind them across lifetimes and worlds…

About the Author

Throughout my life's myriad twists and turns, one desire has always stayed strong in me: to write epic tales that illuminate the inner world of our souls. I write fiction that depicts the journey of self-discovery in a dramatic and emotionally cathartic way. I'm inspired by methods of inner exploration like dream-work and shamanism, wherein one takes an inward plunge and then shares the fruits of that deep descent with the wider community. That, to me, is the essence of what any art form is really about.

I think the artistic impulse takes it for granted that the universe is forever unfinished; we all have unique gifts that bring something to Creation that would not otherwise ever exist.

My inspirations/influences include writers like Jane Roberts, L. Frank Baum, Barbara Marciniak, Stephen R. Donaldson, Frank Herbert, Lewis Carroll, Jack Kerouac, and Robert E. Howard.  Though I've enjoyed writing in many genres and styles, speculative fiction remains my biggest passion.

 

Contact Links

Website

Goodreads

Parting the Veils (YouTube channel)

 

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/OphiasSisterSoul

Amazon

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Book Blitz ~ Too Good to Be True by A. S. Kelly

 

Too Good to Be True
A.S. Kelly
Publication date: July 23rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Seth Graham needs help. His eccentric job and troubled past will not help him get custody of his nephews. With their grandmother now stepping in to claim them, Seth needs a solution.
Seth can’t bear another loss. He has already said goodbye to too many people; he can’t give up the only family he has left.

Rowan Kennedy doesn’t need anything, especially not another lost cause. His career is finally taking off, and the last thing he has time for is helping a young single father desperate to keep his kids. He has no interest in getting caught up in a custody battle, especially when he’s never even had a real family of his own. He doesn’t know what it’s like to have someone willing to fight for you with everything they have.

But Seth is desperate, and Rowan seems to be his only chance, and these children need a home, love and something Rowan never had: a father who would give anything to see them happy. Plus, Seth is bloody adorable, with his dimples and his blue eyes and the way he creates chaos even when he sleeps, and his sweetness and his desire to be the father the children deserve. And then there’s the way he practically begs Rowan not to walk away now that falling in love might actually be on the table…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

Luckily, my phone rings at the perfect moment.
“Excuse me, I have to take this. It might be important.”
I get up from the table and walk into the living room. When I pick up my phone and see his name flashing on the screen, I almost decide to drop the call and go back to the kids’ interrogation.
“Hey,” I greet him.
“Oh, hey,” Seth says. “I meant to call earlier, but I haven’t had a free moment. How’s everything going?”
“All good.”
“Are you sure?”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
“Oh, but I’m not worried about the children. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“I’m managing too.”
“You wouldn’t know it by your voice.”
“I’m just a bit…”
“Have they put you on trial?”
“With the help of my friend Paul.”
“Does he tell all your secrets?”
I only have one secret at the moment. The fact that your voice makes me feel so inexplicably good.
“Something like that.”
“I’d like to be there to hear them.”
I sigh at the thought of wanting the same.
“I can give you a summary when you get back.”
“I don’t want a summary. I want every detail.”
The way he says it sends a hot shiver down my spine.
“I’m not good with details, but I can do my best.”
A long, endless moment of silence, filled with his heavy breathing; then, Seth says, in his seductive voice, “I’m sure you will.”

Author Bio:

A. S. Kelly writes Rom-Com, Romantic Fiction and Family Saga.
Avid reader, hopeless romantic, lover of yoga, knitting and home baking.
She was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar.

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Book Blitz ~ Seven Hundred Beachfront by Ligia De Wit

 

Seven Hundred Beachfront
Ligia de Wit
Publication date: July 22nd 2025
Genres: Adult, Magical Realism, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Some places hold memories. Others have opinions.

I didn’t mean to run again.
But when life gets tangled, I untangle it by leaving. And this time, my escape came with strings attached: a five-year-old brother I never signed up to care for, a seaside town I barely remember, and a tattered house on stilts that belongs in Renter’s Hell.

I told myself it was just for the summer. A break. A pause. A way to escape the people I care about but can’t seem to fit with anymore, and the choices I don’t know how to fix.

But the sea doesn’t let you stay distant for long.

Then there’s him. Quiet. Grumpy. Mysterious. The kind of man who doesn’t ask questions, but somehow sees more than he should. I don’t even like talking to him, and yet… here we are. Sharing long silences. Unexpected moments. Maybe even something more.

And as for the house? Let’s just say it has opinions—and it’s not afraid to share them.

Seven Hundred Beachfront is a heartfelt, magical story about learning to stay, letting people in, and discovering that healing doesn’t always come the way you expect it. But when it does, you’ll feel it down to your bones.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Carole hadn’t sent a thing to keep him busy, damn woman, and I’d only used the TV for movies. Wait a sec—Jessie left a Star Wars movie at my place, the first one, so I should have it here.

“No Scooby, kiddo,” I said while looking in the boxes, “but you’re gonna like this one. It’s the real thing, not a single goofy character one mile near it.”

“ ’Kay.” He sat on the old, flowery couch and gazed at me, expectant.

“How do you want your fish?” I asked while putting the movie on, realizing I had no idea what Bobby liked.

“Dead.”

I gave a small smile. “But how do you like it prepared? Pan fried?”

“No. Like Mom does it.” He lifted his little arms and mimed putting something in a pan. “Like this.”

“You’re not much help, kiddo. I’ll cook it pan fried.”

“ ’Kay,” Bobby whispered, gaze down.

After leaving him with the movie, I got ready to cook. The stove burners were a little rusty but worked. I prepared pan-fried fish, along with steamed vegetables and wild rice. Maybe I didn’t have many accomplishments in my life, but, damn, I could cook. It had been either that or be resigned to eating frozen dinners.

When other kids watched cartoons, I watched cooking shows. At ten, I prepared chicken cordon-bleu. Even Aunt Marie was impressed. Carole just grimaced. It’s overcooked, she’d said.

The aroma of spices and well-cooked fish filled the space, and any knot in my body vanished.

My cell rang, and I picked it up, frowning at the caller ID. “Hey,” I answered flatly.

“Honey!” Carole’s voice came clear. “Darling, you have no idea what a marvelous flight we had.” She laughed, evidently delighted. “First class. The only way to fly. Don’t you ever dare fly coach again, Beverly.”

“Sure. Will do that next time I fly overseas in, I don’t know, my next life, I guess.”

“Oh, don’t be such a bore! Don’t you want me to spill the tea, girlfriend?”

She giggled. Giggled.

“Are you drunk, Mother?”

She sobered up. Nothing like reminding Carole of the maternity role she’d never wanted.

“Sweetheart, you are such a bore.”

I put her on speaker and placed one of my unopened boxes on the counter while Carole talked nonstop about her marvelous, fantastic flight and the wonderful five-star hotel in Madrid.

My Lladró figurine lay wrapped in newspaper. Carefully, I unwrapped it and placed it on the counter. Crap, one of the fruits had broken off.

“Bobby and I are okay,” I managed to say when she took a small pause. “The house’s too old, though. I don’t know if this is a good place for me.”

The wind moaned, and the noisy branch thumped above.

“You haven’t asked me a thing about Madrid,” Carole complained. “Make sure to check the pictures I posted because they are a-ma-zing. I already have more than one-hundred likes!”

“Thank heavens for the social media gods.”

“Don’t give me that snarky tone of yours. You need more good energy in your life, girlfriend. You need a man.”

“Ugh, please.”

“You do. And not that silly cowboy—”

“Gary’s a friend. One of my best friends, actually. Since you’re my girlfriend, then you certainly remember I’ve known him since the seventh grade.”

Author Bio:

Ligia de Wit writes fantasy romance adventures with heart, humor, and just the right dose of magic. A lifelong romantic with a soft spot for fairy tales and found family tropes, Ligia writes characters who are strong in more than just a physical sense. Her characters face fears, fight for themselves, and find love in the most unexpected places.

When she’s not writing (or rewriting) her imaginary worlds, she works for a global distribution company and dreams up stories during lunch breaks. You’ll often find her with her nose in a book, exploring a new city, hiking through forests, or acting like a total goof at theme parks. She’s a proud kid at heart—and owns it.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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Book Blitz ~ The Thane Amulet - Thane Amulet Tales: Book One by CJ Nicolson

 

 

Thane Amulet Tales, Book 1

 

YA Fantasy, Fantasy

Date Published: October 30, 2024

 

In Book One the Thane Amulet, an thrilling adrenalin-fueled fantasy series, The Thane Amulet is missing. Tri Earth world is about to be torn apart because of one thoughtless deed. Its perpetrator the one and only Pascal, steam-punk Pixie and purveyor of dodgy magic. Two teenagers and an in between-ager are left to cope alone with a less than useless au-pair; little knowing they are about to be thrown headlong into an adventure of magic, myth, siege and science. When Connor is twelve, he discovers his older sister and brother Alex and Kyle have been keeping a deep dark secret from him about a parallel dimension. Evil forces are gathering to rule this world and all they need is a willing human youngster. Kyle and Connor embark on an electrifying, enchanting and dangerous adventure to save Alex and the world she is transported to. The stakes are high and time will change everything Beautifully illustrated, it is a story to enthral young and old lovers of fantasy but particularly those between ten and sixteen.

Other books in the Thane Amulet Tales series

 

A Tale of Two Castles

Thane Amulet Tales, Book 2

 

The second book of the Thane Amulet series takes Connor, Kyle and Alex deeper into the world of the Tri Earth

The wizard Necrov’s power is waxing whereas the world of Lord Claus and the Elvin kind is waning.

Who can restore the balance? In the gothic passages of Necrov Castle Connor, disguised as a Goblin, takes on evil face to face. In the Ice Palace, the eclectic Onderdharka Dark Duncan tries to break the siege.

Beautifully illustrated, it is a story to enthral young and old lovers of fantasy but particularly those between ten and sixteen

 

Available on Amazon

 

Mirror of Darkness

Thane Amulet Tales, Book 3

 

Darkness gathers strength in the third book of the Thane Amulet series and time grows short in the search for the purple crystal. Kyle and his conversational Dragon join forces with Grumbleman Forkbeard, the beautiful Shimra and wild Dark Duncan. Can they stop Necrov or will the hunters find Connor and Alex first?

Available on Amazon

 

Author

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Book Blitz ~ The Adventures of Pablo the Pangolin by Carol Couture

 

 

Children’s Book

Date Published: June 3, 2025

The Adventures of Pablo the Pangolin is the first installment in an exciting six-part series that follows Pablo, a curious pangolin, on a suspense-filled journey through the Asian jungle.

Perfect for young readers ages 4–8, The Adventures of Pablo the Pangolin introduces a loveable and unlikely hero who unites with animals of different species to overcome danger. This heartwarming tale promotes themes of cooperation, empathy, and adventure—all wrapped in a fun, animal-filled story that encourages kids to explore the wonders of nature and kindness.

About the Author

Carole Couture, a former financial advisor turned children's author, draws inspiration from her love of storytelling and her deep connection with her son, Jean-Philippe who has Down's Syndrome. Originally from Montreal and now living in upstate New York, Couture hopes her books will help spark meaningful conversations between children and parents about friendship and inclusion.

Contact Links

Website

BookBuzz

 

Purchase Link

Amazon