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June Virtual Tour for THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA by Simon Tolkien!

A young man comes of age and crosses continents in search of an identity—and a cause—at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War in a thrilling, timely, and emotional historical saga.

“In epic fashion worthy of his namesake, Tolkien crafts a remarkable novel of an American boy swept up by love and circumstance and cast into the crucible of the Spanish Civil War. Intense, vivid, and moving.” ―Mark Sullivan, bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and All the Glimmering Stars

Critically acclaimed author Simon Tolkien, grandson of literary legend J.R.R. Tolkien, will captivate readers with the release of his new historical saga, THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA (Lake Union | June 1, 2025). The first installment in a two-part series, the novel introduces us to Theo Sterling, a young man who comes of age and crosses continents in search of an identity―and a cause―at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War. As Theo engages with political and religious beliefs, including Capitalism, Communism, Anarchism, Fascism, and Catholicism, this sweeping novel examines the effect they have on him and his ultimate disillusionment with their promises. Rich in details and beautifully told by the talented Simon Tolkien, THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA is historical fiction at its best.

Theo’s story continues with THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS, which will be released on September 16, 2025 (Lake Union).

“Through intense research over many years,” Tolkien explains, “I have tried to bring the vanished world of America, England and Spain in the 1930s to life – a time that shares many similarities with the troubled world we live in today. I believe in the value of historical fiction. The past is another country just as rich as ours, and I want to bring it to life.”

New York City, 1929. Young Theo Sterling’s world begins to unravel as the Great Depression exerts its icy grip. He finds it hard to relate to his parents: His father, a Jewish self-made businessman, refuses to give up on the American dream, and his mother, a refugee from religious persecution in Mexico, holds fast to her Catholic faith. When disaster strikes the family, Theo must learn who he is. A charismatic school friend and a firebrand girl inspire him to believe he can fight Fascism and change the world, but each rebellion comes at a higher price, forcing Theo to question these ideologies too.

From New York’s Lower East Side to an English boarding school to an Andalusian village in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Theo’s harrowing journey from boy to man is set against a backdrop of societies torn apart from within, teetering on the edge of a terrible war to which Theo is compulsively drawn like a moth to a flame.

With historical depth and compelling storytelling, Tolkien weaves a stunning tale about how hope, courage, loss and disillusionment affect the formation of one’s character. Fans of historical fiction and literary fiction will devour THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA.

To celebrate the publication of THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA, we are hosting a virtual book tour throughout the month of June featuring this fantastic group of book influencers that will feature reviews, spotlights, excerpts and giveaways!

Sunday, June 1 Purrfect Pages

Monday, June 2 Books Coffee MX

Tuesday, June 3 Dive Into A Good Book

Wednesday, June 4 Bookalong

Thursday, June 5 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Friday, June 6 Wuthering Vines

Monday, June 9 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Tuesday, June 10 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, June 11 Lexijava

Thursday, June 12 Subakka Bookstuff

Friday, June 13 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Monday, June 16 Gym Girl Reads

Tuesday, June 17 The Maddie Hatter

Wednesday, June 18 Dana Mustard Reads

Thursday, June 19 Briana and Her Books

Friday, June 20 What Is That Book About

Friday, June 20 Linda’s Book Obsession

Sunday, June 22 Nissa The Bookworm

Monday, June 23 Bailey’s Book Recs

Tuesday, June 24 Book Girl Brown Reviews

Wednesday, June 25 Rebekah Dolmat Reads

Thursday, June 26 Gloriana Wong

Friday, June 27 Kim Reads and Reads

Sunday, June 29 Karen’s Library

Monday, June 30 Enjoying Books Again

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JUNE 2025 Virtual Book Tour for FAMILY & OTHER CALAMITIES by Leslie Gray Streeter!

A successful journalist returns to her hometown just as her biggest mistake becomes headline news in this vibrant, funny, and heartfelt novel about facing the past, and its secrets, head-on.

“Family & Other Calamities delivers exactly what I want when I sit down to read a novel. It has genuinely memorable characters, a fresh voice that kept me reading, lines that made me laugh out loud, and scenes that brought me to tears.” ―James Patterson, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“a romp that plumbs emotional depths of family ties and what we sacrifice to follow our dreams. Streeter’s debut novel (succeeding the memoir, Black Widow, 2020) is a winner.” ―Booklist

“Family & Other Calamities is about love in many forms―family, friendship, and standing up for what is yours. Dawn Roberts is a funny and charming character you will want to root for. Streeter’s signature humor and charisma shine bright in this bighearted debut.” ―Karin Slaughter, New York Times and #1 international bestselling author

“A compelling story of truth, justice, and the American way. Leslie Streeter understands both the news business and the heartbreak business.” ―Josh Mankiewicz, correspondent for Dateline NBC

“Leslie Streeter’s dialogue is delightful. Even when the good times slam into bad times, her heroine holds on to her sense of humor and you won’t want to leave her side. As a bonus, this novel offers deep wisdom about being a journalist, so not only will you laugh―and be moved―but you will also learn how to be a better writer.” ―Nell Scovell, author of Just the Funny Parts

“Family & Other Calamities is vintage Leslie Gray Streeter: hilariously funny, and with a powerful emotional punch. It’s a deep study in the gifts we get from the people we love the most, even when we don’t always like them.” ―Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author of Housemoms

An award-winning journalist and columnist for the Baltimore Banner, Leslie Gray Streeter knows a thing or two about chasing down a good story and scoring in-depth interviews with celebrities. In FAMILY & OTHER CALAMITIES (Lake Union Publishing; June 1, 2025), she has tapped into her years of experience in the biz to create a riotous, emotionally relatable novel about a Black woman journalist who is going through it all – grief, betrayal, family drama, long buried secrets, and so many carbs.

Fans of Jasmine Guillory, Candice Carty-Williams, and Dolly Alderton will delight in Gray Streeter’s fiction debut with a tell-it-like-it-is protagonist, an eclectic cast of endearing characters, and a wildly entertaining story you won’t soon forget.

To celebrate the publication of FAMILY & OTHER CALAMITIES, we are hosting a virtual book tour throughout June featuring this fabulous roster of book influencers. Follow along for plenty of laughs, reviews, excerpts, and GIVEAWAYS!

Monday, June 2 – WE LOVE BIG BOOKS AND WE CANNOT LIE

Monday, June 2 – MY BURSTING BOOK BAG

Tuesday, June 3 – CASSIE’S BOOK REVIEWS

Tuesday, June 3 – STOREYBOOK REVIEWS

Wednesday, June 4 – DIVE INTO A GOOD BOOK

Thursday, June 5 – BOOKS N BIKRAM

Friday, June 6 – KIM READS AND READS

Saturday, June 7 – BOOKPHILE BELLE

Sunday, June 8 – PURRFECT PAGES

Sunday, June 8 – LOVE MY DANE DOLLY

Monday, June 9 – BOOKS AND COFFEE MX

Tuesday, June 10 – KATIE NEEDS A BIGGER BOOKSHELF

Tuesday, June 10 – BOOKIN IT WITH AHTIYA

Wednesday, June 11 – SUBAKKA BOOKSTUFF

Wednesday, June 11 – THE BOOK CLUB MOM

Thursday, June 12 – LOVE MY BOOKS 2020

Thursday, June 12 – SUZY APPROVED BOOK REVIEWS

Friday, June 13 – ELLIOTT READS

Friday, June 13 – SUNFLOWER BOOK LOVER

Saturday, June 14 – WUTHERING VINES

Monday, June 16 – SUE THE BOOKIE

Tuesday, June 17 – BOOKS AND BIEWERS

Tuesday, June 17 – BOOKALONG

Wednesday, June 18 – MEG’S BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, June 18 – BEE IS FOR BOOKS

Thursday, June 19 – DANISH MUSTARD READS

Friday, June 20 – 2 MANY BOOKS 2 LITTLE TIME

Friday, June 20 – WE BREAK FOR BOOKS

Monday, June 23 – ARMED WITH A BOOK

Monday, June 23 – GLORIANA WONG

Tuesday, June 24 – JOURNAL OF JAIDA

Tuesday, June 24 – BLACK BIRACIAL AND BOOKISH

Wednesday, June 25 – JEN’S TOWERING TBR

Thursday, June 26 – BOOKAPOTAMUS

Friday, June 27 – NISSA THE BOOKWORM

Friday, June 27 – BOOKS AND THEMES

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May Virtual Book Tour THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES by Shirley Russak Wachtel

**From the author of A Castle in Brooklyn comes an epic novel spanning decades about the broken bonds of family, memories of war, and redemption and hope in the face of heartbreaking loss.**

Advance Praise for The Baker of Lost Memories:

“The Baker of Lost Memories is a compelling family drama, slow-boiling its way to redemption and second chances.” ―Foreword Reviews

“A poignant story of the power of memory and family, Wachtel’s narrative moves easily through time and from mother to daughter.” – Library Journal

Fans of generational stories by Lynda Cohen Loigman (The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, The Matchmaker’s Gift), Jennifer Rosner (The Yellow Bird Sings) and Georgia Hunter (We Are The Lucky Ones) will devour Shirley Russak Wachtel’s new moving family saga, THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES (June 1, 2025; Little A). Wachtel is the critically acclaimed author of A Castle In Brooklyn, and she is back with another unforgettable novel that explores generational trauma, the complex relationships between immigrant parents and American-born children, resilience and redemption. THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES is a beautifully written poignant historical novel set in Brooklyn in the 1960s and 70s.

“The stories I write are about families,” Wachtel explains. “When I wrote A Castle In Brooklyn, I wanted to explore the traumatic effects of the Holocaust on survivors trying to build a new life in the United States. With THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, I focus on the quiet reverberations of loss in the second generation. Family is the nucleus of life’s experience.”

It can take a lifetime to turn painful memories of the past into hope for the future.

Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II. But questions about those days, and about a sister Lena never even knew, are ignored with solemn silence. It’s as if everything her parents left behind was a subject never to be broached.

The one person in whom Lena can confide is her best friend, Pearl. When she suddenly disappears from Lena’s life, Lena forges ahead: college, love and marriage with a wonderful man, the dream of owning a bakery becoming a reality, and the hope that someday Pearl will return to share in Lena’s happiness―and to be there for her during the unexpected losses to come.

Only when Lena discovers the depth of her parents’ anguish, and a startling truth about her own past, can they rebuild a family and overcome the heart-wrenching memories that have torn them apart.

To help celebrate the publication of THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, we are hosting a prepub virtual book tour during the month of May with this stellar list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along!

Thursday, May 1 BOOKPHILE BELLE

Thursday, May 1 – WHAT IS THAT BOOK ABOUT

Friday, May 2 WE BREAK FOR BOOKS

Monday, May 5 WE LOVE BIG BOOKS AND WE CANNOT LIE

Tuesday, May 6 SUZY APPROVED BOOK REVIEWS

Tuesday, May 6 BOOKS WRITING AND MORE

Wednesday, May 7 KATIE NEEDS A BIGGER BOOKSHELF

Thursday, May 8 LIT BY LILLI

Thursday, May 8 MATZAH BOOK SOUP

Friday, May 9 SECRET READING LIFE

Saturday, May 10 CASSIE’S BOOK REVIEWS

Monday, May 12 NISSA THE BOOKWORM

Tuesday, May 13 CAROL DOSCHER READER

Wednesday, May 14 DANISH MUSTARD READS

Thursday, May 15 SUBAKKA BOOKSTUFF

Friday, May 16 WUTHERING VINES

Monday, May 19 NURSE BOOKIE

Tuesday, May 20 BOOKS AND COFFEE MX

Wednesday, May 21 LEXIJAVA

Wednesday, May 21 MELANN ROSENTHAL

Thursday, May 22 WBTB REVIEWS

Friday, May 23 LOVE MY BOOKS 2020

Tuesday, May 27 GLORIANA WONG

Tuesday, May 27 MEG’S BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, May 28 MY BURSTING BOOK BAG

Thursday, May 29 ANDREA C. LOWRY READS

Friday, May 30 BOOK OBSESSION’S LINDA

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Spring Virtual Book Tour * THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE by Paulette Kennedy * March 16 – April 11, 2025

“A bold, fresh story about the ghosts that haunt us and the ones we overcome. Paulette Kennedy explores loss and humility through the eyes of a saucy flapper who may bend the rules, but not her sense of morality. This book will linger in your heart like the fond memory of a loved one.” —Mansi Shah, Indigo bestselling author of A Good Indian Girl

“THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE is an utter gothic delight. Kennedy’s signature use of an atmospheric southern setting, evocative prose and gothic suspense create a winning combination. Kennedy keeps readers hooked until the very last page. Pitch-perfect pacing combined with very real—very human–characters make this a novel that will stick with you long after the final pages.” —Jess Armstrong, USA Today bestselling author of The Curse of Penryth Hall

“With THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE, Paulette Kennedy continues her streak of writing brilliant gothics. Part Dorian Gray and part exploration of the dark legacy of family trauma, I adored every twisty, gorgeously written page. Don’t miss this one!” —Kris Waldherr, author of The Lost History of Dreams and Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women

For a young caregiver in the Ozarks, an old house holds haunting memories in a ghostly novel about family secrets, sacrifice, and lost loves by the bestselling author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport.

Paulette Kennedy is a fan favorite of gothic fiction as she has a “distinct vintage vibe” (Library Journal), crafts stories that are “perfect for historical fiction readers who enjoy a bit of witchcraft, folklore, and mystery” (Booklist), and has “a genuine literary flair for creating memorable characters, as well as the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that fully engages the reader’s attention from cover to cover.” (Midwest Book Review)

Set in the Ozarks in the 1920s, THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE is Kennedy’s latest domestic gothic novel, a stunning story set on an eerily beautiful estate, about family secrets and overcoming the ghosts from our past (Lake Union; May 1, 2025). Kennedy effortlessly combines elements of history, mystery, romance and surrealism to tackle the themes of generational trauma, family dysfunction, toxic love, and the challenges and joys of being a caregiver. There is also the important takeaway that who we are as a person matters just as much when we are old as when we are young.

“THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE is close to my heart on many levels, but especially because Sadie’s role in the story was informed by my experiences as a caregiver to both of my parents,” Kennedy explains. “I do hope you’ll enjoy it!”

In the summer of 1925, the winds of change are particularly chilling for a young woman whose life has suddenly become unbalanced.

Devastated by her mother’s death and a cruel, broken engagement, Sadie Halloran learns that her great-aunt Marguerite, a renowned artist now in the throes of dementia, needs a live-in companion. Grasping at newfound purpose, Sadie leaves her desolate Kansas City boardinghouse for Blackberry Grange, Marguerite’s once-grand mansion sitting precariously atop an Arkansas bluff. Though Marguerite is a fading shell of the vibrant woman Sadie remembers, Marguerite is feverishly compelled to paint eerie, hallucinatory portraits of old lovers―some cherished, some regretted, and some beastly. All of them haunting.

With each passing night, time itself seems to shift with the shadows at Blackberry Grange. As truth and delusion begin to blur, Sadie must uncover the secrets that hold Marguerite captive to her past before reality―and Marguerite’s life―slips away entirely.

THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE is Paulette Kennedy at her best, full of unforgettable characters, classic gothic components, and page-turning suspense.

To help celebrate the publication of THE ARTIST OF BLACKBERRY GRANGE, we are hosting a virtual book tour with this fantastic list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along!

Sunday, March 16 Stacy 40 Pages

Monday, March 17 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Monday, March 17 Linda’s Book Obsession

Tuesday, March 18 Books and Biewers

Tuesday, March 18 Meg’s Book Club

Wednesday, March 19 We Break For Books

Wednesday, March 19 Mel Ann Rosenthal

Thursday, March 20 Bethany Buried in Books

Thursday, March 20 It’s All About The Thrill

Friday, March 21 Andrea C Lowry Reads

Friday, March 21 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Saturday, March 22 Purrfect Pages

Sunday, March 23 Travelisfers

Monday, March 24 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Monday, March 24 Books Cats Travel Food

Tuesday, March 25 Gwnedolyn Books

Tuesday, March 25 Nightshades Journal

Wednesday, March 26 Bookalong

Wednesday, March 26 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Thursday, March 27 Nik’s Bookshelf

Tuesday, March 27 Secret Reading Life

Friday, March 28 Journal of Jaida

Friday, March 28 Books and Biceps 9155

Saturday, March 29 Holly Read It

Sunday, March 30 Nissa The Bookworm

Monday, March 31 Library of Bookish

Monday, March 31 Love My Dane Dolly

Tuesday, April 1 Rebekah Dolmat

Tuesday, April 1 The Salty Islander

Wednesday, April 2 Lexijava

Wednesday, April 2 The Maddie Hatter

Thursday, April 3 Subakka Bookstuff

Thursday, April 3 Madi’s Mysteries

Friday, April 4 WBTB Book Reviews

Friday, April 4 Paperbacks N Frybread

Saturday, April 5 Madison Can Read (BookTok)

Monday, April 7 Dive Into A Good Book

Monday, April 7 Love My Books 2020

Tuesday, April 8 Pegt

Tuesday, April 8 My Bursting Book Bag

Wednesday, April 9 Danish Mustard Reads

Wednesday, April 9 Kera’s Always Reading

Thursday, April 10 Book Girl Brown Reviews

Thursday, April 10 Speed Readstagram

Friday, April 11 Book Boss 12

Friday, April 11 Belle Book Corner

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March Virtual Book Tour: FALLS TO PIECES by Douglas Corleone

“[A] psychological thriller that’s very much in the vein of Gillian Flynn or Lisa Jewell…Fans of the genre should be urged to pick this one up, and fans of the author can safely be told that this book is just as good as his previous ones.” ―Booklist

“A twisty, fast-paced thriller from a gifted storyteller. Corleone masterfully combines great characters, a setting in Hawaii that is lush and forbidding, and a tense, dark plot.” ―William Landay, New York Times bestselling author of Defending Jacob

“FALLS TO PIECES twists and turns at breakneck speed in its exploration of parental devotion, the secrets kept by those we love, and the lengths some people go to in order to escape the past.” ―Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The Only One Left and The House Across The Lake

A mother and daughter in hiding are threatened by more than secrets and lies in a twisting novel of paranoia, revenge, and psychological suspense by bestselling author Douglas Corleone.

Douglas Corleone, the bestselling author of ten contemporary crime novels and international thrillers, has turned his talents to writing a fast-paced psychological thriller. FALLS TO PIECES (Thomas & Mercer; ISBN 978-1662522062; $16.99; April 1, 2025) is a riveting mystery set on the Hawaiian island of Maui that will have you turning the pages in one sitting!

For two years, Kati Dawes and her teenage daughter, Zoe, have lived off the grid in Hawaii, hiding from a past Kati must forget as if her life depends on it. New names. Anonymous online presence. So far, safe. Until Kati’s fiancé, attorney Eddie Akana, disappears along a popular hiking trail in a Maui national park. Now all eyes are on Kati. Exposure can make a woman with so many secrets very paranoid.

Eddie’s law partner, Noah Walker, is doing everything he can to protect his new client from the press that’s hovering like a vulture and the authorities whose suspicions about Kati―and the disappearance―are rising. Then suddenly, Zoe goes missing as well. Kati will risk anything to find her. But the worst is still to come. Because Kati’s not the only one with secrets. And buried among them is a twist she never saw coming.

To help celebrate the release of FALLS TO PIECES, we are hosting a virtual book tour with this outstanding list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along!

March 3 Bethany Buried In Books AND We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

March 4 Brianna’s Best Reads AND Love My Dane Dolly

March 5 Speed Readstagram AND Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

March 6 Hooked By Books AND Love My Books 2020

March 7 Carol Doscher Reader AND Paperbacks N Frybread

March 8 Purrfect Pages

March 10 Cassie’s Book Reviews AND Suzy Approved Book Reviews

March 11 Dive Into A Good Book AND My Bursting Book Bag

March 12 Nik’s Bookshelf AND Books and Biewers

March 13 Danish Mustard Reads AND We Break For Books

March 14 Subakka Bookstuff

March 17 Stacy40Pages AND The Maddie Hatter