Welcome to the book blitz for THE DESCENDANTS, the first book in the adult dark fantasy, dystopian series, The Descendants, by Destiny Hawkins. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE DESCENDANTS (The Descendants Series #1) by Destiny Hawkins
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE DESCENDANTS Series: The Descendants Series #1 Author: Destiny Hawkins Release Date: December 17, 2016
Genre: Adult Dark Fantasy Dystopian
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Fail the tests and become a slave. Display defectiveness and be put to death.
Monroe Academy was built to separate the weak from the strong. Pass the biyearly leveling and be released into society upon graduation. Fail to be promoted and be stripped of rank and forced into servitude. That was a rule that applied to all but Rayah Bardeau. A student of Monroe Academy, branded as a Null because of her absence of Lighter energy.
With her mother standing as a slave in her place, Rayah was given until the age of twenty to make level six, but at nineteen-years-old and with only eight months until her twentieth birthday, she was only a mere level one. The same level she’s been since she was ten. With the stress of her upcoming test, the loss of a friend, and the constant wrongdoings towards her, Rayah could only dream of escaping from Lytonia, and escape she did. Only, when she awakened in her dorm, she couldn’t distinguish if she had only dreamt of meeting Soren, a wild and adventurous defect in the Wild Lands, or if she had somehow used her Lighter Form to get there.
But only the elite ― the most powerful of Lighters ― could tap into their Lighter Forms. Right? And what was the dark energy she used when she and Soren were attacked by Depleters? Was Rayah really as powerless as she thought? Was she a defect? And if she used dark energy, could she call herself a Lighter at all?
Bestselling author Destiny Hawkins brings you the first installment of a gripping dark fantasy where a powerless girl must survive in a society that doesn’t accept the weak…or the defective.
Content Advisory: The following book contains vivid depictions of violence and death. Reader discretion is advised.
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Excerpt #3 I let my hand drop to my side and began walking but didn’t even make it a few feet before hearing twigs and leaves crunching on my left. When I turned my head to see who or what it was, I froze, and my lips parted to inhale.
Oh, no.
Psycho had also stopped walking when he spotted me, looking almost as shocked as I was. If he were any regular guy that I’d spotted in the forest, I would have blushed at his handsomeness. I couldn’t see him as well the first night that we met, but now that I was looking at him in the brightness of the day, I couldn’t stop staring. The sun rays shining down on him only made it harder for me to turn away, but when my eyes landed on the Life Stones dangling from around his neck, I frowned.
A slow and devious grin crept up Psycho’s lips. “Found you.”
Right as I started to run, white lighting blasted from Psycho’s fingertips. He didn’t expect me to slide under it, roll to my feet, and continue running. I was experienced in having others try and use their powers to keep me from escaping, so I naturally knew how to get around some things.
I heard crackles of lightning slicing through the air behind me, barely missing me by a hair each time. Splinters of wood exploded from the trees, warning me not to slow down. Psycho was probably more experienced in chasing his victims than I was in running from my attackers, so I had to consider that he was leading me in the direction that I was going.
I wanted to stop and turn but changing direction would be dangerous. I could turn right, making myself an easier target, I could go in the opposite direction, giving him a few seconds time to zap me, or I could just charge at him and catch him by surprise. He was just an elem. It was the brights that I had a hard time fighting against, since they were so fast and strong, but Psycho－
Fire roared past my face, causing me to slide to a stop. I wasn’t paying attention and had almost been burned. The heat of the flame kept me from running through it, making me think back to Artemis and his hot iron rods. I couldn’t believe that my thoughts of being burned again had hindered me from escaping. I had run through fire plenty of times before, patting off the fire patches as I got away, but this time I couldn’t move. Artemis had done something to my mind, causing me freeze in fear.
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Author Destiny Hawkins
About the Author Destiny Hawkins is a multi-genre author with a dark imagination and a love for magic.
She enjoys working on her graphic designing business : Vibrant Designs LLC, writing, listening to music, reading, and of course watching some anime! Her favorite genres to read and work in are Fantasy, LGBT, Paranormal, Romance, Dystopian, Sci-fi, and young adult.
Destiny loves creating stories and building worlds that both teach and entertain! When writing she sticks to her slogan: Where beauty can be found in darkness.
Get ready for The Unbroken, Book Three of The Descendants Series!
Today is release day for ROCK STEADY, the first book in the adult contemporary rock star romance series, Kenner Brothers, and the sixth book in the Rock Hard series, by M.J. Roberts. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
ROCK STEADY (Kenner Brothers Series #1) by M.J. Roberts
About the Book Title: ROCK STEADY Series: Kenner Brothers Series #1 Author:M.J. Roberts Publisher: Eminent Press Release Date: September 6, 2021
Genre: Adult Contemporary Rock Star Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Go on tour with the sexy Kenner Brothers in Rock Steady, the first in the spin-off series from the award-winning Chord Brothers books.
Venom Kenner is the lead singer of Dirt Cherry, a band well known for their dirty lyrics and larger-than-life antics. With heart-stopping good looks, loving parents, and becoming famous at a young age, Venom is used to getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants it–and he wants Jenna.
Jenna Demptation’s life has been one hardship after another. When her older sister becomes the PR manager for Dirt Cherry and strong-arms Jenna to help for the summer, Jenna is happy to get away from her crappy day-to-day life. Until too-good-looking-to-be-real Venom sets his sights on Jenna and sets her nerves into overdrive. Jenna makes an art of shying away from Mr. Hot-Pants McHottie. She has been hurt way too much in the past to trust anyone, far less someone as perfect as Venom, so she’s determined to keep their relationship completely professional, despite their sizzling chemistry.
But Venom knows in his heart this relationship is worth a shot and he’s not going to let a little thing like hesitancy get in his way…
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Excerpt
Then the game starts. It’s three times more exciting watching from these seats than any other game I’ve ever seen. There’s a longer than usual break during the inning change, and I hear a chant of “Besar a la chica. Beso. Beso. Beso!” What? I look up at the huge screen on the side of the stadium and it’s displaying a close-up of me and Venom, larger than life, in a cartoon heart with the word ‘Beso’ at the bottom.
“Oh my God, we’re on a kiss cam?!!”
I look at Venom and he smiles.
“Argh! You planned this, didn’t you?”
Venom shakes his head.
“They zeroed in on you because you’re famous. Gaah! It’s you’re fault they’re all watching us.”
Venom slides his hand around the back of my neck and leans forward a little, and it’s all I can do not to back up.
“You gonna embarrass me in front of seventeen thousand people?”
“Maybe,” I whisper.
“Please don’t,” he whispers back. He applies gentle pressure to the back of my neck, pulling me to him. He looks down at my lips and swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. We lean closer to each other and a spike of nerves makes me jittery.
Then he kisses me.
The crowd roars.
Everything fades away as his warm lips slant over mine. I expect him to be bold and forceful but he’s gentle, almost timid as his lips press softly over mine. I groan into his mouth and he ups the intensity, but never tries to push. My heart leaps into my throat, and then it’s over.
Venom pulls back. We’re still on the big screen. I look stunned, well-fucked instead of fantastically-kissed. Venom smiles at the camera and waves sheepishly. Then the camera focuses on the field.
“You planned that! You freakin’ planned that.”
Venom shakes his head. “It would have been a great idea, but no. I didn’t even know they had that here.”
“They have that everywhere!” I whisper shout.
He shrugs again. Annoying.
The nice lady next to me puts her hand on my shoulder and gushes about how cute we are. When she’s finishes cooing she mumbles, “Such pretty man, you two will make such pretty babies.”
I feel sick.
Concentrate on the game. Go Toros. Hot Mexican guys in tight pants. Do not look at Venom.
Venom puts his arm over the back of my seat and I squint at him, blasting him with my ‘not interested’ look.
He smiles bigger. Could this guy be any more annoying?
I ignore him. This is easy to do because the game is exciting. Much faster than American games.
The lady next to us buys her whole family sodas and insists on buying us some too because we are ‘so adorable’.
I suck on an ice cube and try to calm down. The warmth from Venom’s arm is burning a hole in my upper back. He smells like churros, soap, a light cologne or deodorant that smells like a combination of Hugo Boss and cut grass. Under all that he’s some chemical bomb of musky male hotness. It’s unfair. I’m immune.
This isn’t a date. Dates lead to other things. Sexy things. Rock stars throwing you out like a disposable diaper, things. That would never work.
About the Author M. J. Roberts is a writer, editor, and teacher – with more than two million copies of her stories in circulation worldwide, Roberts is well loved for creating characters who feel as real as your most cherished friends. Roberts works to diligently to create believable, lovable characters, witty dialogue, prose ripe with metaphor, exciting plot twists, action that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and romance scenes that sizzle.
Roberts is a multiple award-winning author including first place in the prestigious Summer Lovin’ Romance Literary Contest 2015 for the novel Risk Your Heart.
Roberts also writes under the pen name Natasha Action. Roberts is originally from New York but lives in the southern United States for the purpose of endless comic material.
She’s married to a professional musician (A.K.A. The Rock and Roll God) because she is too busy tormenting imaginary characters and counting her blessing to pursue her longtime dream of Rock n’ Roll stardom herself.
Author Michelle Jester is is revealing the cover to IT NEVER OCCURRED TO HER, a stand-alone adult contemporary romance, releasing October 29, 2021. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
Synopsis For two years Gabriel has followed every lead, no matter how small, in the hope of finding his wife who has been kidnapped. He and the police always seem to be one step behind, until investigators give him information that helps him launch the plan to find her.
When Lena looks up into the eyes of her husband, who she hasn’t seen in two years, she is humiliated and wants nothing more than to run before he recognizes her. And so she does. It’s only when she faces a desperate situation that she is forced to return and ask for his help.
As fate twists its way through both of their lives, they realize it doesn’t matter how much they have prepared to face the realities of losing someone, or finding them again, redemption is in letting go of the past, and finding a future just off the beaten path.
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Author Michelle Jester
About the Author Michelle Jester lives in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana with her husband, high school sweetheart and retired Master Sergeant. Together they have a son and daughter. She is a hopeless romantic and has been writing poems and stories for as long as she can remember.
One of her prize possessions is a bracelet with only a yellow, Rubber Duckie charm on it; which she wears every day to remind her to enjoy the fun and happy things of life!
Award-winning author Michelle Hazen is revealing the cover to SO YOU THINK YOU’RE A MATCH?, the first book in the adult contemporary romantic comedy series, Friends Make the Best Lovers, releasing August 24, 2021. See below for information on the book, preorder links, details on her giveaway, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
SO YOU THINK YOU’RE A MATCH? (Friends Make the Best Lovers Series #1) by Michelle Hazen
Synopsis A “wickedly funny” friends-to-lovers romantic comedy. Fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne will swoon their way through this romp from the friend zone to forbidden love.
Harlow’s an ambitious career woman who always plays by the rules. Bishop’s a happy-go-lucky bad boy who will bend any law to save his sick sister. Why, then, did their dating app declare them a match? The man is fifty shades of wrong. Sure, he makes her laugh, but there’s more to relationships than laughter, right?
She should definitely stop texting him. Yup. Any day now.
Soon, they’re making fun of all their app matches to each other. One bad date rescue later, they’re roommates with accidental benefits.
Harlow’s having too much fun to slow down, and things only get better when she’s tapped for her dream job…as long as everyone in her life passes a background check. No problem. Except Bishop is hiding a huge secret about how he pays for his sister’s cancer treatments.
And it’s about to change everything.
“Complex characters strive with serious issues, and yet the story glimmers with charm, romance, and laugh-out-loud humour.” -India Holton, author of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
“You’ll have a smile on your face for the whole read.” -Kristin Wright, Amazon-bestselling author of The Darkest Flower
“The chemistry is amazing and Michelle Hazen is so wickedly funny you won’t be able to put this book down!” -Devri Walls, author of the Venators series
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Award-Wining Author Michelle Hazen
About the Authors Award-winning author Michelle Hazen is a nomad with a writing problem.
Years ago, she and her husband ducked out of the 9 to 5 world and moved into their truck. She found her voice with the support of the online fanfiction community, and once she started typing, she never looked back.
As a result, she’s written most of her books in odd places, including a bus in Thailand, an off-the-grid cabin in the Sawtooth Mountains, a golf cart in a sandstorm, a rental car during a heat wave in the Mohave Desert and a beach in Honduras. Even when she’s climbing rocks, riding horses, or getting lost someplace wild and beautiful, there are stories spooling out inside her head, until she finally heeds their call and returns to her laptop and solar panels.
She’s currently addicted to The Walking Dead, hiking, and Tillamook cheese.
Today is release day for for HEAD OVER HEELS FOR THE HOLIDAYS, the seventh book in the adult contemporary romance series, Lost Harbor, Alaska, by USA Today bestselling author, Jennifer Bernard. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
HEAD OVER HEELS FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Lost Harbor, Alaska Series #7) by Jennifer Bernard
Synopsis Ever since her ex-boyfriend dumped her on Christmas Eve, the holiday season has been tough for Maya Badger—especially since Lost Harbor, Alaska, pulls out all the stops for the holidays. Sure, she could focus on her police work and her father’s recovery from heart surgery. But when her dad’s home healthcare nurse turns out to be her childhood buddy—all grown up and the stuff of her naughtiest fantasies—she may have a solution to her holiday blues. After all, Jay-Jay always was the perfect playmate!
Rune Larsen hasn’t been skinny little Jay-Jay in a long time…not since he and his teen sister were forced to change their names to avoid Cara’s stalker. Taking a job in tiny, remote Lost Harbor seems like the perfect way to stay one step ahead of danger. The fact that his childhood friend is the town police chief is a bonus. Not to mention the fact that Maya has grown into a beautiful bronze goddess. Hell, even her serious cop side is a turn-on…though he’s up for the challenge of bringing some fun back into her life.
In fact, if they can navigate a stalker, a runaway yak, eleventy-billion holiday parties and a criminal investigation into the dark side of Lost Souls Wilderness, Rune just may convince Maya to fall head over heels for the holidays…and beyond.
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Excerpt Without thinking too hard about it, Maya rose to her feet and grabbed Rune by the collar of his jacket, pulling him close. “How about a fake kiss?” she asked quickly. “Just make it look good from a distance.”
He flashed her a pirate grin and cupped her face with his free hand. “My pleasure. I’m an excellent fake kisser.”
“Come on, hurry.”
He bent his head over hers, but he still didn’t go for the kiss. “You can’t hurry a fake kiss, or it will look fake. We’re flirting, we’re completely caught up in each other, we don’t even care that we’re drifting on the open ocean. Keep looking at me, just like that except without the ‘what the hell are you talking about’ expression.”
She smothered a laugh and relaxed her face into a dazzled smile. As if Rune was the most wonderful thing in the world, better than chocolate and bubble baths combined.
He blinked, as if she’d momentarily thrown him off his game with her smile. A personal triumph, she figured.
“That’s…good,” he said, a little more strained than before.
For a fake kiss, he sure was overthinking it. They needed to get this thing done.
She took command and wrapped her hand around the back of his neck. Tugging him down, she offered him her mouth. “Let’s do this,” she hissed. “Tick-tock.”
Honestly, why did she always have to be the one with any common sense? If those men onshore had binoculars, they were already watching. To throw them off, she only had a few moments. If the men thought they’d been busted, they might rework their entire comms system. The lead would be worthless. The source would be burned. The case back to square one.
And then all thoughts of logic flew from her mind as Rune claimed her lips with a kiss that sent shock waves through her system. Warmth…sizzle…sunshine…all of it swirled together in a rush of brilliant pleasure. His lips were firm and generous at the same time, as if they were inviting her into his world. A world where she would be queen and he would be whatever she needed.
A kind of exhilaration swept through her and she parted her lips for more. He gave it to her, sweeping his tongue inside the cave of her mouth, where every surface tingled and warmed at his touch.
Fake kiss, my ass.
This was the real thing and she couldn’t get enough of it. She drank him in as if she’d been starving for this, pining for it. Her mind—always working, always on guard—let go like an anchor releasing her to drift on the current. She lost herself in the flood of pure physical joy.
She staggered as the boat got slammed with a supersized wave. Rune held her tight so she didn’t lose her balance. “I need to steer this thing,” he murmured against her lips before turning back to the helm.
“Yes. Yeah. Of course.” She ran her tongue across her lips, tasting salt from the spray and sweet from Rune. She plopped down onto the bench as he wrestled with the wheel. Picking up her binoculars, she focused on the spot where the two men had been.
They were gone—or maybe her angle had changed and she couldn’t see them anymore.
She dropped her glasses and sighed. Hopefully she hadn’t messed anything up by making them suspicious. “Go ahead and pick up speed. Let’s keep going toward Mount Sage for a bit.”
“Roger that.”
Was his voice a little gruffer than usual? Was it the effect of the salt in the air?
He put the boat in gear and they cruised farther into the bay. She watched the little cove as it receded into the distance, swallowed up by the greater landscape of forests and rugged outcroppings.
What now? How to handle this? She and Rune had kissed, and there was no way she could forget about it the way she had when she was a kid.
Maybe never mention it again?
Or maybe do it again?
The tempting thought hovered out there like the promise of an ice cream sundae after a long week. Treat yo-self, she could imagine her cousin Reecie in Anchorage saying. Go for it, Kate would urge. I knew it, Jessica would say.
“Tell me when you’re ready to head back,” Rune said. “It’s your call.” His voice had returned to normal. She wondered what he was thinking about this situation. Then again, he didn’t overthink things like she did. He probably wasn’t worried about it at all. He probably kissed people all the time—all those non-girlfriend “girls” he’d talked about.
“I will,” she told him. “Give it a few more minutes.”
“The other thing is your call too,” Rune said softly, his attention still on the choppy water ahead.
“What are you talking about?”
“I know you’re trying to decide what to do about that kiss. I can see your wheels spinning from here.”
“I’m not—okay, I am. I didn’t intend for it to be like that.”
“It’s my fault.” His voice shifted to a jaunty cheerfulness. “My pride was hurt that you forgot the first kiss. I was aiming for ‘best kiss.’ One that you wouldn’t forget. That’s all.”
It wasn’t all. She could hear it in his voice. It was so much more complicated than that. Friendship, attraction, sizzle…all that, lined up against her better judgment. But even so, it touched her that he was trying to make the whole thing easier for her.
“Best kiss? Isn’t that a little arrogant?” She adopted a teasing tone to match his.
“Second best? Third? Just tell me it wasn’t the worst. Gotta start somewhere.”
“It wasn’t the worst.”
That was as far as she could go right now.
And maybe it was the best. Because right at this moment, she couldn’t think of any other specific kiss that might compete with it.
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Author Jennifer Bernard
About the Author Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found cuddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. Sign up for her newsletter for book news and fun exclusives.
Welcome to the book blitz for GRAVES’ ANATOMY, the first book in the new adult urban fantasy series, Luna Graves, by Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on their giveaway.
GRAVES’ ANATOMY (Luna Graves Series #1) by Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson
About The Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: GRAVES’ ANATOMY Series: Luna Graves Series #1 Author: Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy Release Date: November 17, 2020 Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Tattoo artist Luna Graves’ life turns upside down when her estranged father dies and she learns it’s her destiny to be a doctor…to monsters.
Destiny? Fairy tale endings? Things that go bump in the night? Luna Graves doesn’t believe in any of them. Her father took off when she was three, and she’s worked hard to become one of the best young tattoo artists in Los Angeles. Of course, there was that mysterious exchange she had when she was 12 with Heath Guillaumet, who might not have been human…naw, that was just her imagination.
When her estranged father dies, Luna discovers that he led a secret life as an uphir, a doctor to the shadowkind — what we would call monsters. Now that he’s gone, she has to take his place — or be killed by the powerful Council. Thrust into a world she doesn’t know, the stubborn Luna refuses to give up on her original dreams. Soon Heath Guillaumet will return to unleash a disease last battled by the Knights Templar…the Black Death.
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Excerpt #2 It was one of the few remaining no-man’s lands in downtown Los Angeles – the kind of area that was commonplace before the neighborhood’s transition into “DTLA.” A desolate block of Wall Street, down where the fabric district jutted up against the flower district and all of the storefronts were blocked off by corrugated metal doors.
Silence reigned. To the west and north, loft windows lit up the night.
Chelle strode down the center of the street, her black overcoat swinging by her sides. The chunky heels of her Doc Martens boots splashed through puddles left after the flower sellers had hosed down their stalls. Her high cheekbones gleamed in the amber streetlights. Like Minx she was a matianak, a type of creature that could pass for human. But Chelle knew the matianak, though vastly outnumbered by humans, were the superior species. They measured their lives in centuries, and, with their tall, thin builds, had it particularly well now that Rubenesque was no longer the physical ideal. Of course, eating wasn’t an issue as they were incubi and succubi. It was a misunderstanding that they gained energy from sex, however. What really provided them with nourishment were human feelings like anger, grief, pain and passion. Sex and touching were just the most economical ways to get there.
She turned down a decrepit alley, her boots crunching on gravel. Rats gathered on the lip of a nearby dumpster glanced up, then returned to feasting on garbage. Save some room, guys, she thought. Fresh pickings are on the way.
Chelle’s target was up ahead: an alley door, covered in dull red peeling paint.
A six-foot-high statue rested next to it: a stone gargoyle. The fierce features were worn with age: cocked eyebrows, squinted eyes, long claws. It would seem out of place if it weren’t for the broken beer bottle at its feet and the green and yellow graffiti tags on its haunches.
Chelle’s footsteps were steady, unfaltering. As she passed a streetlight it flickered, one-two, one-two.
When Chelle was eight feet away from the door, the stone gargoyle opened yellow eyes and turned its head. A low growl sounded from its throat.
Chelle froze. Her prey was in her sights.
The gargoyle’s lips twitched into a snarl, revealing long canines and a glistening black tongue. It shifted its weight, turning to face Chelle.
A smile played around the edges of Chelle’s lips. She raised her right hand in front of her face, watching as her sharp red fingernails receded and long talons emerged from her nail beds. Come on, bitch.
For a moment both matianak and gargoyle remained still, staring at each other.
They leapt at the same moment, as if responding to some agreed-upon signal. Their bodies crashed together in mid-air, the gargoyle’s muscled jaws aiming for Chelle’s neck. At the last moment she pivoted, all willowy grace, and the gargoyle’s teeth closed on air. She ducked and the gargoyle sailed over her, landing in the alleyway and thundering toward the street before turning around, the growl in its throat growing deeper.
Facing the dull red door, Chelle raised both arms in front of her. A soft breeze played around her feet, and her long coat billowed around her legs. The door began to shake in its hinges: barely perceptible at first, then stronger, stronger…
The gargoyle leapt, smacking Chelle in the back and sending her to the ground. The door fell still.
It tried to bite the back of her neck but she elbowed it, knocking it to the side. In a blur of limbs, teeth and claws, the two creatures rolled in the alley muck, fighting with everything they had.
A few of the rats looked up from the dumpster, distracted from their evening meal.
Just a few minutes more, guys. It’s almost over.
The loss of focus cost her. Sharp teeth flashed, sank into Chelle’s shoulder. She screamed, in rage as much as pain, and drew her right hand back. Her long talons glinted in the low light. Now you’re just pissing me off.
With a quick stabbing motion she plunged her talons into the gargoyle’s abdomen, puncturing the stony flesh. Gray fluid spurted out and the gargoyle let out a high-pitched, piercing scream.
Her advantage secured, Chelle raked her fingernails through the creature’s belly. Three deep gashes opened. The gargoyle writhed.
Chelle threw the gargoyle to the side. Enjoy being rat food. She thought she heard the rodents closing in but didn’t bother to look back.
Her focus was only on the door. She ripped it off its hinges and headed into the dark.
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Authors Jace Anderson and Adam Gierasch
About the Authors Tattoo artist Luna Graves’ life turns upside down when her estranged father dies and she learns it’s her destiny to be a doctor…to monsters.
Destiny? Fairy tale endings? Things that go bump in the night? Luna Graves doesn’t believe in any of them. Her father took off when she was three, and she’s worked hard to become one of the best young tattoo artists in Los Angeles. Of course, there was that mysterious exchange she had when she was 12 with Heath Guillaumet, who might not have been human…naw, that was just her imagination.
When her estranged father dies, Luna discovers that he led a secret life as an uphir, a doctor to the shadowkind — what we would call monsters. Now that he’s gone, she has to take his place — or be killed by the powerful Council. Thrust into a world she doesn’t know, the stubborn Luna refuses to give up on her original dreams. Soon Heath Guillaumet will return to unleash a disease last battled by the Knights Templar…the Black Death.
Welcome to the book blitz for OUR FRIENDSHIP MATTERS, a stand-alone young adult contemporary, by Kimberley B. Jones. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Leah and Sasha are 17-year-old friends who had been close to one another since elementary school, but as the summer approaches they find their friendship tested in ways they never anticipated.
Following graduation, Sasha’s privileged life and perception of the world around her is suddenly altered when an old childhood friend persuades her to join in a campaign against an injustice after his best friend is killed by a cop.
But joining the protest has unforeseen consequences for Sasha, distancing her from Leah, who becomes jealous of Sasha’s new friends and finds herself on the opposing side, protesting alongside her group of new white friends.
As the tension mounts between the two bitterly opposed factions, a tragedy strikes and threatens to make Sasha and Leah enemies. Can they find a way to resolve their differences, putting them to the side and learn to accept each other’s viewpoints? Or is their long friendship finished for good?
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Excerpt #3 I followed Murray over to the bike sheds. He unlocked his bike, while I waited by the back wheel. He glanced up from where he was fiddling with a combination lock that wove between his spokes. It gave me enough time to wonder what the hell I was doing here.
“Most girls who’ve accompanied me to the bike sheds got more than just a kiss.”
His face lit up with a cheeky grin that caused my stomach to flip.
“Don’t hold your breath.” I shook my head and laughed with satisfaction at using his own joke right back at him. To my surprise, he laughed with me. It kind of annoyed me that he found it funny, too.
“Are you really so desperate for a kiss?” I was scared to hear his answer and quickly added. “That smile of yours won’t work on me.”
Murray rolled his bike out of the shed. “Works on every other girl.”
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Author Kimberley B. Jones
About the Author Ally was born in London but grew up in Suffolk which is where most of her YA Fantasy novels are based. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, and together they are raising two cats, their son and daughter. When Ally is not writing (or at her day job), she loves spending time with her family at the local beach, in the forest or watching way too much Netflix. Ally loves a cup of tea and has been known to order one on a night out.
Welcome to the book blitz for KENNEDY AND TRISTAN, the first book in the adult romantic suspense series, Moretti Crime Family, by Frances Paul. See below for the for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive teaser excerpt, the book’s trailer, and details on her giveaway.
KENNEDY AND TRISTAN (Moretti Crime Family Series #1) by Frances Paul
From the author, Frances Paul comes an electrifying standalone romance thriller that breaks all the rules!
Kennedy & Tristan is a suspense that will have you holding your breath as you turn each page.
In a time of war even love can change sides.
A young Civil Engineer student travels to Italy to complete her studies at a prestigious university. Instead, she crosses paths with Tristan Moretti, a man whose business dealings dwell deep within the underworld–a world she never thought she’d be a part of. But Tristan becomes a force Kennedy can’t ignore. A man whose touch she can’t get enough of. She knows it’s dangerous. She knows falling for Tristan will lead to a lifetime of consequences. Still, she can’t stay away. Tristan has taken his father’s place as head of the Moretti Family–a role he’s been preparing for his whole life. He knows the kind of darkness that lurks within the shadows of his world, how it corrupts innocence, and ruins lives. But once he realizes Kennedy is the only woman he’ll ever want, nothing can stop him from having her. He’s determined to rule with her at his side and vows to protect her no matter the cost. As a lethal power slithers its way into their world and shakes the very foundation of the Moretti family, Tristan and Kennedy find themselves at the edge of survival where a decision must be made.
Do they stand together and fight…or will they be torn apart and fight each other?
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Author Frances Paul
About the Author Born and raised in Accra, Ghana and now living in Cincinnati, Ohio. A banker, wife and mother of two amazing kids. She finds writing to be a great passion of hers and a path she was born to follow. She began by writing short stories at a young age. Now, she has four published books and working on a few more projects. She’s a crazy tea lover, loves to travel, eat, and enjoys learning about different cultures. Authors she is inspired by are Sidney Sheldon, Nora Roberts and Jeffrey Archer. Hope you enjoy her books as greatly as she enjoyed producing them.
Welcome to the book blitz for PRIME VECTOR, the first book in the adult scifi series, Prime Vector, by D.A. Hicks. See below for the for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, the book’s trailer, and details on her giveaway.
PRIME VECTOR (Prime Vector Series #1) by D.A. Hicks
Synopsis If you like immortals in space, romance, and fast-paced thrilling action, you’ll love Prime Vector!
PRIME VECTOR, Season 1
During a routine tour to Earth, first-year cadet Catita witnesses the murder of her immortal twin. To unravel the mystery behind her sister’s death, Catita will have to assume her sister’s identity and join the dreaded Forever Queen’s immortal army.
Tek, a mercenary from Earth, has finally found a way to save his sister from a terminal illness. That is, if he’s willing to pull the heist of his life: kidnap the Martian princess in return for his sister’s cure. But the princess has a mission of her own and leaving Mars isn’t an option.
As both Catita and Tek struggle to do right by their loved ones, their paths cross and they soon find themselves in the middle of a century-old feud to control the virus that gives its host immortality.
Season 1, Ep 1 – The Immortal Oath
Season 1, Ep 2 – The QEC Trials
Season 1, Ep 3 – The Titan Orbiter
Season 1, Ep 4 – The Girl in the Labyrinth
Season 1, Ep 5 – Letters to Elizabeth
Season 1, Ep 6 – Wela’s Prime Secret
Season 1, Ep 7 – The Leader of the Loyalists
Season 1, Ep 8 – The Sentient Being
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Excerpt Tek disappeared into the dark storage room. A gust of wind lashed down the narrow hallway, carrying a small trace of his scent—a mix of ocean breeze and sweat. Smiling, I stared at the dilapidated red door, breathing him in, memorizing every detail.
Downloading to Earth hadn’t been a mistake. I was glad to have met him. The guy from my dreams had turned out to be way more than I thought. He was brave and kind. The best part was he didn’t die today, as he had in my nightmares. I made a mental note to ask Ry if she was sure she’d never seen him. Why else would Tek be in my head? Ry messed with my thoughts on a daily basis. Maybe Tek had been a residual afterthought.
Immortality and the virus had been around for over one hundred years, but we still didn’t know everything about it. Ry and I were Wela’s guinea pigs. Since we were little, she’d been impressed by how well Ry’s compulsion worked on me. She figured it had to do with the fact that we were twins.
“First-year,” Captain Weston called out to me.
Time to go home, but first I had to deal with the consequences of everything I’d done tonight—sneaking out of the Epoch, riding in a vehicle next to Ry, sailing across the bay with Tek, and saving Ari. No, I wasn’t sorry at all for any of it. I wasn’t sorry for wanting more. I pursed my lips to chase the grin off my face before I turned to face Captain Weston and Ry.
Mak had already left the bar, and all the commandos kept busy outside searching the marina. At least we were alone in here, and I wouldn’t be getting my ass chewed out in front of Ry’s entire unit. Thank the Titan for small favors.
The wide gash on Ry’s temple dripped with her silvery blood. It glittered and bubbled before it healed completely. The process was so fast it was as if I had imagined her wounds, though looking around the room, I knew that wasn’t the case.
Ry stood tall, oozing strength and confidence. Her shiny hair draped her shoulders, framing her pink cheeks as if her face were a work of art. After tumbling around the dirty floor of the bar fighting Mak, Ry should be covered in cuts and scrapes, but she wasn’t. Captain Weston and my sister made quite a pair—flawless, impossibly beautiful, and lethal.
Captain Weston’s intense blue eyes under thick brows regarded me with the same disdain as the rest of Ry’s unit. He pressed his lips together, and his strong jaw flexed. For a beat, I imagined running my hands through his blond hair. It looked so soft and shiny, like strands of gold. Suddenly, it didn’t seem so bad to be killed by someone as handsome as him.
Wait, what? What the hell?
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Author D.A. Hicks
About the Author D. A. Hicks is the alter ego of Diana A. Hicks, an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband.
Connect with D.A. Hicks on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
Author SamiJo McQuiston is revealing the trailer for ABNEY KELLY AND THE YULETIDE SHENANIGANS, the first book in the young adult fantasy series, Abney Kelly, releasing October 9, 2020. See below for the cover, information on the book, the book’s trailer, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
ABNEY KELLY AND THE YULETIDE SHENANIGANS (Abney Kelly Series #1) by SamiJo McQuiston
About the Book
Title: ABNEY KELLY AND THE YULETIDE SHENANIGANS Series: Abney Kelly Series #1 Author: SamiJo McQuiston Release Date: October 9, 2020 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Links:Goodreads
Synopsis Abney Kelly seems like your typical thirteen-year-old trying to find her place in the world. She’s shy, awkward, has no friends, and is bullied constantly. However things are not always as they appear, after being pushed into a clover patch, a creature who says he’s her assigned guardian whisks her off to a school in Tìr na nÓg, called Yule.
Turns out she’s a Changeling, and it’s time she learns what that means. Between making new friends, discovering that all the monsters in her nightmares are real, and starting at a new school, Abney didn’t think life could get any harder as she splits her time between the human and Fae realms.
That is until her house matron warns them about Nicholas Kringle. He is stalking his prey throughout realms and collecting the hearts of those on his so-called nice list. At a New Year’s Eve party, Abney and her new gang use an Ouija board and discover that one of their friends is on Kringle’s list.
Determined to stop their friend’s death, Abney and company set off on a chilly adventure, to try to change fate, but only one thing is for certain… This year they’ll end up on the naughty list or die trying.
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Author SamiJo McQuiston
About the Author SamiJo is a first-class shenanigator, decorated coddiwompler, narrator, and author of, The Abney Kelly series. She lives in Wyoming with her dog, two cats, and four chickens. She participates in tomfoolery frequently and plans to get into waggishness in the future. Vive La Pete!
Welcome to the book blitz for THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOOKING GLASS, a stand-alone adult romantic suspense, by Kathleen Harryman. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOOKING GLASS by Kathleen Harryman
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOOKING GLASS Author: Kathleen Harryman Release Date: June 29, 2020 Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis She wakes up to a life she doesn’t recognize…And to a husband she can’t imagine loving.
Kate find herself in a hospital with no memory of who she is or anything about her life. Everything is blank.
An attractive, well dressed and obviously wealthy man stands there claiming to be her husband. Yet, as she first looks into his cold eyes, she wonders how she could have loved and married the man.
As Kate is taken home to her luxury mansion. she realizes her ordeal is just beginning. Life with the controlling Liam, her husband, is more than she bargained for.
Then, her memory starts to come back and the truth emerges…
“A well written, thought-out, intriguing and beguiling story by the author, as told by the characters involved.” ~ Goodreads Review ~
“The Other Side of The Looking Glass by Kathleen Harryman was intense, intriguing, well paced and an absolute pleasure to read.” ~ Goodreads review
Read this romantic suspense thriller from the author of Hidden Danger and When Darkness Falls, The Other Side of the Looking Glass is a tale of subterfuge, mystery, mistaken identity and true love.
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Excerpt #3 Liam
Opening the file, I look at Pete’s report. While a sister is mentioned, there are no photographs, nor is there an age or date of birth. At the time, this missing information didn’t bother me. Now, it sends anger slithering through my veins. The answer to the problem of Kate’s coming death should have been contained in this file, not left to a chance encounter. The oversight is going to cost Pete, but for now, I smile. The sister isn’t just Kate’s younger or elder sibling. No, she is her twin. Her identical twin.
I flip through the photos I have taken, cropping and enlarging the woman’s face on the screen. There is no telling them apart. For the first time since getting Kate’s cancer diagnosis, my body relaxes.
The waitress sets my gin and tonic on the table and I dial Pete’s number.
“I’ve sent you a number of photos. You need to start explaining why you failed to tell me that Kate has an identical twin sister.”
Pete owes me, and I am collecting my debt – plus interest.
No one feeds me incorrect information without paying the price, and Pete is about to discover that price. With Charles leaving to go live in some godforsaken remote place in Scotland, there is no one to stop me.
The phone echoes with the urgent fumbling of a man not prepared to accept his fate. My lips grow thinner.
“Well, I haven’t got all day. Frankly, I’ve waited long enough. How many years is it since you compiled the information on Kate for me?” I don’t wait for Pete to answer. “I’ll tell you, Pete. Six years. Six years, and in that time, you never bothered to check that the information I paid for was complete. You know I’m not a tolerant man, Pete. Tolerance is for fools, and I will not be treated like a fool.”
“You didn’t specify how far back to go, so I only did a preliminary scan of the time before Kate was taken in by her aunt. I did inform you about the sister. The aunt sold her to a couple who couldn’t have children. You weren’t interested in the sister at the time.”
I put down my glass with a thud. The occupants of a table near me look over but are soon engrossed in their conversation once again.
“Don’t you ever try and weasel your way into thinking that this is my fault. It’s not going to go away that easily. The issue here isn’t whether I was interested in the sister at the time or not, it’s that you should have done your job properly. You didn’t, you were sloppy, and now you owe me.”
“Mr. Thornton…” Pete stutters, and I can sense him gathering his excuses.
“I wouldn’t go down that road if I were you, Pete. People like you are ten a penny. You have no living relatives, no wife or children. It’s fair to say no one will miss you.”
“Are you threatening me?” Pete sounds stunned.
The poor man really is stupid, despite being an excellent private detective. If he thinks his sloppy work won’t have any consequences attached to it, he’s a silly, silly, silly man.
“No, Pete, I’m not threatening you. I am telling you that you have twenty-four hours to finish getting all the information on Kate and her sister. And, to clarify – when I say all the information, I mean down to blood type and pimples, or you can kiss your existence goodbye. I hope I have made myself understood.”
“Yes.” Pete bites out the word like someone is holding a gun to his head and threatening to pull the trigger.
The image makes me smile.
“Good. I shall see you tomorrow at ten a.m. sharp, at my office.”
“But that’s only sixteen hours away.” At least Pete can do the maths.
“Then you’d better get going, before I move our meeting forward.” I hang up, leaving Pete spluttering into his phone.
Picking up my drink, I start working out my options.
First things first. I have to get the real Kate out of the way and into her final resting place. I will have to curb my impatience and ride out the forty-eight hours left.
The sun no longer feels unwelcome. Like my brightening mood, I find its radiance has a warming effect.
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Author Kathleen Harryman
About the Author Kathleen Harryman is a storyteller and poet living in the historically rich city of York, North Yorkshire, England, with her husband, children and pet dog and cat.
Kathleen first published a suspense thriller in 2015, The Other Side of the Looking Glass. Since then, she has developed a unique writing style which readers have enjoyed and is now a multi-published author of suspense, psychological thrillers, poetry and historical romance.
Welcome to the book blitz for GIRL WITH THREE EYES, a young adult adult fantasy, by bestselling author, Priya Ardis, releasing October, 2020. See below for information on the book, a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
GIRL WITH THREE EYES by Priya Ardis
About the Book Title: GIRL WITH THREE EYES Author: Priya Ardis Publisher: Vulcan Ink Release Date: October, 2020 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Links:Goodreads | Pinterest Board
Synopsis She would hate her third eye less if it actually gave her special powers.
When her secret is threatened, she may be the only one who can save the kingdom.
Sixteen-year-old Kira puts on a show about having empathic abilities, but she miraculously wakes a highborn boy from a coma after a near-fatal accident on mountainous slopes. When his father threatens to expose her “magic” to the queen, she attends the kingdom’s most elite academy as a bodyguard.
Soon, she’s immersed in a strange new life—one of being a simple student trying out for the school’s skyboarding team. Her fake life becomes the life she’s always wanted, but Kira cannot escape who she truly is. Nothing in the court of the Raj is as it seems…
Will she risk her freedom to unmask a killer before the crown falls?
Girl with Three Eyes is a young adult fantasy series. If you like strong female protagonists, futuristic fairy tales, and epic tournaments, you’ll love this blend of Hindu lore and political intrigue in Priya Ardis’s academy fairy tale.
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Excerpt 1: The cottage reeked like vomited-on old shoe. I yawned and navigated the narrow kitchen, squeezing around the cooking area. My elbow hit a cabinet. Wincing, I rubbed the spot and let out a relieved breath. The dry-wick fabric of my long sleeve tunic hadn’t gotten a hole. Another perfect morning. The smoky whiff of something charred lingered in the air. A half-burnt pan lay on the stove. My father had tried to cook in the middle of the night, no doubt. Hungry after another drunken binge. Nothing ever changes.
Splintered rays of soft morning light tried to stream in through broken shades. I leaned over and began opening them. I stopped halfway. My reflection in the window showed a normal forehead, smooth plain skin, but I always wore the headband…just in case.
A snore called my attention to the front of the cottage. My father slept in an armchair in front of a dead fire at the hearth. His tall and bulky form filled the armchair completely. To think, he’d been a knight once, a captain in the King’s Guard. It still showed in his physique, but I accepted long ago he would never be so noble again. An overturned bottle dripped amber beads of alcohol onto a dirty plate abandoned at his feet. At least it contained the spill. By accident, he’d managed to be a little clean.
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Author Priya Ardis
About the Author Priya Ardis writes Blood&Treasure fantasy romances which include coming of age, bad boys, globe-trotting, and a spoonful of sassy banter.
She loves books of all kinds–but especially the ones that ensnare you and let your chai go cold. Her novels come from a childhood of playing too much She-Ra and watching too much Spock. She started her first book at sixteen, writing in notebooks on long train rides during a hot summer vacation. Her favorite Arthurian is the Lady of Shalott by Lord Tennyson.
What does she like to read? Books with fantasy and magic with a cool heroine that’s really just the girl/boy next door. Books with all the feels. And, hello, Mr. Darcy anyone?
Welcome to the release week blitz for SEDUCED BY SNOWFALL, the third book in the adult contemporary romance series, Lost Harbor, Alaska, by USA Today bestselling author, Jennifer Bernard. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SEDUCED BY SNOWFALL (Lost Harbor, Alaska Series #3) by Jennifer Bernard
Synopsis Dr. Bethany Morrison is used to being the responsible one. The serious doctor everyone relies on. She isn’t used to needing a rescue–especially from a sexy, lighthearted firefighter like Nate Prudhoe. And yet ever since she moved to Lost Harbor, Alaska, he’s been there for her. Is it any wonder she turns to him in her most embarrassing moment—when she needs a fake boyfriend?
Nate’s more than aware that Bethany doesn’t take him seriously. And that’s fine; relationships, a family of his own…those things aren’t for him. Not when he knows how painful the loss of a loved one can be. But when he discovers a mysterious injured runaway hiding out in the firehouse, it’s his turn to ask the lovely doctor for help.
As winter closes in, the line between fake and forever keeps disappearing. How could Nate know that every moment spent with Bethany would chip away at the shield around his heart? How could Bethany guess that Nate’s brand of laid-back fun was exactly what she needed? It may take more than a snowstorm to make them see it’s okay to want it all…and to grab it before it disappears forever.
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Excerpt Nate could still remember the call that had come in around ten o’clock that night. The dispatcher had been taking a cigarette break, so Nate had been the lucky one to field the call.
“This is going to sound ridiculous, but I just moved in and a squirrel came into my house and I was trying to chase it outside and then there was a moose and, well, long story short but I locked myself out, and I haven’t made duplicate keys yet so I don’t have a way to get inside.”
The woman had sounded out of breath and rattled—not unusual for calls to the firehouse.
“I’ll be right there. Where are you located?”
She rattled off the address, which was within walking distance. But instead of walking, he hopped in one of the department vehicles. He didn’t want to freak out a newcomer by showing up without something official-looking.
When he arrived at the house, which he recognized as a rental often leased by hospital staff, he didn’t see anyone waiting for him. Had she found a way inside? An open window or something?
“Hello, I’m from the fire department,” he called. “Anyone here?”
Then the alders rustled and someone jumped into view. A woman with wet hair and a towel wrapped around her body picked her way barefoot across the grass. She shivered in the late August night air. In one hand she held a plunger and in the other a cell phone.
“Hi. This is extremely embarrassing, but I happened to be in the shower when the squirrel came in and…”
He held up his hand. “No explanation needed.” His gaze strayed to the toilet plunger. “Although that…”
“I was in the bathroom, it was the only thing on hand.” She waved it at him. “It worked on the squirrel.”
He glanced at her other hand. “And you just happened to have your cell phone with you?”
“That’s the only lucky part. While I was chasing the squirrel, I saw a moose right outside the window.” She gestured toward the bushes along one side of her house. “I’ve been wanting to get a good moose photo ever since I got here, so I grabbed my phone. The plunger is in case he attacked me.”
“Word of advice, never try to fight a moose with a plunger,” he said gravely.
Even with just the light from the front porch, he could see her flush. “Yes, I…can you just…maybe just get my door open?”
He showed her the tool he’d brought, which might or might not work on the front door. “I may have to pry open a window if this doesn’t work. Do you want to sit in the car while I work on it? Heater’s going.”
“That’s okay. I’ve never been in a police car before.”
“It’s not technically a police car, it just looks like one. I’m a firefighter. One of only three staff firefighters in town. Mostly we’re a volunteer department.”
She gestured with the plunger again. “Can you just…”
“Of course.” He strode to the door and inserted the pick. “I can tell you’re new around here because a lot of people in Lost Harbor don’t even lock their doors. Some don’t even have locks to start with.”
“That’s crazy. I could never live like that.” She shivered again.
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait in the car? I promise not to arrest you unless you use that plunger inappropriately.”
She finally let go of the plunger and propped it against the front steps. “I’m a doctor.”
“Okay.” He wasn’t sure why she felt compelled to mention that.
“I got straight A’s all the way through college. I don’t usually make boneheaded mistakes like locking myself out of my house.”
“Well, pobody’s nerfect.”
“Excuse me?”
“Things happen. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”
“That advice sounds good, but is it really? That’s how I got through med school, by beating myself up.”
“Suit yourself, then.” He wiggled the pick in the lock. “Hey, I left my jacket in the backseat if you want to grab that.”
She padded across the lawn to the car and used one hand to hold her towel together while she opened the door with the other. When she returned, she wore his navy blue Lost Harbor Fire Department jacket over the towel, which made for an interesting—and surprisingly sexy—look.
He ignored that fact and focused on the lock.
“Where’s the squirrel? In the house or out?” he asked as he felt the tumblers give way.
“I’m not actually sure,” she admitted. “I thought I chased him out, but it was all a blur.”
“Understandable. All right, you might want to step back.”
She didn’t budge. “Why?”
He shrugged and opened the door.
A ball of fur streaked between her legs. She shrieked and lost her balance. He reached out to grab her before she hit the ground, and her towel fell away. Luckily, she still wore his jacket, which covered her all the way to her upper thighs.
Windmilling her arms in the air, she crashed into him and the next thing he knew, he was tumbling backwards. She was falling too, and by instinct, he grabbed her so he’d land first, with her on top.
Which was how he found himself sprawled on the grass with a naked stranger on top of him.
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Author Jennifer Bernard
About the Author Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found cuddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. Sign up for her newsletter for book news and fun exclusives.
Author J.D. Evans is revealing the cover to REIGN & RUIN, the first book in her epic fantasy series, Mages of the Wheel, releasing January 23, 2020. See below for the cover, information on the book, preorder links, an exclusive excerpt, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
REIGN & RUIN (Mages of the Wheel #1) by J.D. Evans
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: REIGN & RUIN Series: Mages of the Wheel #1 Author: J.D. Evans Publisher: Whippoorwill Press Release Date: January 23, 2020 Genre: Epic Fantasy Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
Synopsis “All magic is beautiful,” she said, “and terrible. Do you not see the beauty in yours, or the terror in mine? You can stop a heart, and I can stop your breath.”
She is heir to a Sultanate that once ruled the world. He is an unwanted prince with the power to destroy.
She is order and intellect, a woman fit to rule in a man’s place. He is chaos and violence and will stop at nothing to protect his people.
His magic answers hers with shadow for light. They need each other, but the cost of balance may be too high a price. Magic is dying and the only way to save it is to enlist mages who wield the forbidden power of death, mages cast out centuries ago in a brutal and bloody war.
Now, a new war is coming. Science and machines to replace magic and old religion.
They must find a way to save their people from annihilation and balance the sacred Wheel—but first, they will have to balance their own forbidden passion. His peace for her tempest, his restlessness for her calm…
Night and day, dusk and dawn, the end, and the beginning.
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Excerpt Makram reacted to her touch by not reacting at all. His body remained tense, his eyes narrowed. Naime wondered if she’d offended him, and pulled her hand back, but he spun, catching her wrist.
He held her hand up between them. “I am accustomed to being left to my own devices. We will both need to adjust to this, yes? To being allies?”
Naime nodded. His thumb circled lightly against her palm. Some of the simple easiness of his presence in her space left. Expectant tension made her hyperaware of how their spaces interconnected, where their skin met, the roughness of his calloused thumb against skin that was tender and sensitive, how much distance there was between every part of her and every part of him. There was a pull she had not perceived before, as if the most natural thing in the world would be to step closer.
“There is one thing.” His voice took on the same purr it had earlier. Naime felt too vulnerable without the shield of irritation she had kept between them. Without something to focus on that took her mind from the fact he was attractive, that when given the opportunity, he was kind and playful.
“What?” Naime was appalled at the weakness of her own voice.
“When this is over, I would like to call you by name.”
“That doesn’t seem like a very good idea.”
“No, I don’t think it is.”
But she wanted that, to hear him say her name, like they were friends. She had so few. In his eyes, void and oblivion leached outward in inky tendrils from his pupils. There was so much she wanted to know about him. About his magic. About Sarkum.
“If you win, I will agree. But also…you will tell me everything I want to know about your magic.” She twisted her hand gently free of his grip and reached for his cheek, fascinated by the manifestation of his power. She stopped before she touched him, the spell broken by the suspicion that passed over his face.
“No, your name is in exchange for me winning. If you want to know about my magic, then you have to offer something of equal value.” He turned his face a fraction, as if he meant to move it against her outstretched fingers, but did not.
“I am trusting you with all my dreams for the future. You don’t think you can trust me with this?”
“Is your name worth that much?” he asked as she lowered her hand to her side.
“Only you can decide that.” She curled her hands in her caftan to prevent herself reaching for him again.
“Well, I will have plenty of time to consider it as I prepare for this. Which reminds me that I need something else.” He scooped a handful of almonds from a plate and shook them in his fist.
Naime raised her eyebrows in question. “It is yours, for your magic.”
He grinned, and tipped his head in agreement. “Rope.” He tossed a few of the almonds into his mouth. “And grappling hooks.”
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Author J.D. Evans
About the Author J.D. Evans writes science fiction and fantasy romance and is the author of the novel, Reign & Ruin. After earning her degree in linguistics, J.D. served a decade as an army officer. She once spent her hours putting together briefings for helicopter pilots and generals. Now she writes stories, tends to a tiny human, knits, sews badly, gardens, and cultivates Pinterest Fails.After a stint in Beirut, J.D. fell in love with the Levant, which inspired the setting for her debut series, Mages of the Wheel.
J.D. currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, though she will always be a Montana girl at heart.
Welcome to the book blitz for A MAD REED SECURITY CHRISTMAS, the twentieth book in the adult contemporary romance/romantic suspense series, Reed Security, by Giulia Lagomarsino. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
A MAD REED SECURITY CHRISTMAS (Reed Security #20) by Giulia Lagomarsino
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: A MAD REED SECURITY CHRISTMAS Series:Reed Security #20 Author:Giulia Lagomarsino Release Date:December 18, 2019
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense/Holiday Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon| Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
Because Daddy set out traps to catch those f^@kers
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that grenades would soon be in there
The children were nestled, all snug in their beds
While visions of weapons danced in their heads
And Mama in her nightie and I in my boxers
Had just settled down for a fun night together
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my bed to grab my Sig Sauer
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Covered my junk and threw Mama her pants…
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Excerpt “What’s the plan?” Ice asked.
“That’s up to Chance,” I replied. “You plan to get married out of town, where we don’t have every available resource. But I won’t tell you that we can’t do it. Inevitably, it’s up to you.”
“That’s insane,” Alec spat. “We know this guy is coming for us and we’re going to leave ourselves in the open?”
“Or we use it as an opportunity to draw him out,” Chris suggested.
“You want to start a battle at my wedding?” Chance asked.
“Maybe we should-”
“I like it,” Chance grinned. “I mean, if you tell Morgan I said that, I’ll deny the hell out of it. But that sounds like a very…eventful wedding.”
“You can’t be serious,” I said in shock.
“Why not?” Chance shrugged with a little grin. “I mean, Coop’s been in hiding for how long now? I’m sure Cazzo’s ready to put his father-in-law in the ground, and it gives all of us a chance to have a little fun.”
“Hell yeah,” Cazzo grunted.
“You guys are certifiable,” I said in exasperation. “Do you have any idea what kind of planning is required to pull that off?”
“Cap,” Derek grinned, “isn’t that what we’re trained to do?”
“Well, yeah, but this is at someone’s wedding. Our wives will be there. Some of them are pregnant. Do you really want to put them in that kind of danger? Not to mention our kids!”
“The pregnant ladies have to stay behind,” Sinner said.
“Right, I’ll let you tell Maggie that.”
“Maggie’s pregnant?” The shock in his voice matched the paleness of his skin. “Shit, Cap. Why can’t you just keep it in your pants for five f^@king minutes?”
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Author Giulia Lagomarsino
About the Author I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.
Welcome to the blog tour for GIFTED, the first book in the adult contemporary holiday romance series, Clear Security Holidays, by Ainsley St Claire. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
GIFTED (Clear Security Holidays #1) by Ainsley St. Claire
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: GIFTED Series: Clear Security Holidays #1 Author: Ainsley St Claire Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance Release Date: November 18, 2019 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis How do things fall apart so easily?
Kate:
As a former teacher, my mission is to keep the disadvantaged youth of our city engaged with school. My non-profit has been wildly successful with the kids, but now I’m forty mentors short for the Christmas season. It didn’t look like we would be able to find enough help, until Jim Adelson got involved. He may have solved my mentor problem, but he’s created another: I can’t concentrate with this panty melting God around.
Jim:
The community has been good to me. I’d built my successful security business with hard work and determination, and when I got approached to help Kate Monroe’s non-profit, it seemed a fitting way to give back. I’d offer to spend time with some kids, but it’s Kate that I find myself wanting to spend time with. With beauty obvious to everyone, and a compassionate heart she wears on her sleeve, she has me reevaluating my priorities.
When the children’s Christmas gifts go missing, Jim and Kate are forced together in the hunt.
Can true love fight through the drama to find a happy ending?
Gifted is the first book in the holiday series Clear Security Holidays. This is a standalone holiday romance suspense novel, but characters from the Venture Capital series and from Tech Billionaires can be known to make appearances.
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Excerpt #1 Kate
Forty kids won’t have a Christmas, and it’s all my fault.
Over two hundred kids from middle schools across the city and county of San Francisco—from some of the most at-risk areas—met the requirements for our contest, and I’m forty donor/mentors short for our upcoming celebration. At two hundred dollars apiece, I don’t know what I’m going to do. How do I break a promise I made to these kids on the first day of school? Go to school for seventy-five days, don’t be absent, don’t be late, and get a passing grade. If you accomplish all that, you’ll get a two-hundred-dollar shopping spree at Bullseye.
Some people think “paying kids to go to school” is a bad thing. But we get paid to come to work, and some people play solitaire on their computers while they sit there. How is that not paying you for just showing up? In a lot of low-income areas—in San Francisco and elsewhere—over half of the students that complete middle school never walk into a high school, and less than ten percent of those who do will go on to graduate. Life isn’t easy for these kids, and going to school every day is not easy with so many distractions. But with some incentive, we see improvement.
To make those incentives happen, I’ve got to figure out how I’m going to fund these last few students and find mentors to spend the day with them while they shop. I’ve tapped my network, and it’s pretty dry. But I can’t disappoint these kids; they’ve had enough disappointment in their lives.
I open the app to my bank account: three hundred dollars. I was going to use that money for my rent next month, and, you know, to feed myself. Right now, there’s no man in my life to make sure I get at least an occasional dinner. I check the account for my Visa card, and I can squeeze out maybe two thousand dollars to cover ten kids. But that still leaves me with thirty more, and still no mentors. Crap! What am I going to do?
Tess walks into my office. “Isn’t this great? We’ve never had this many kids, ever! This could mean we have at least a hundred more kids graduate, and fifteen of those will go on to college, plus sixty more to trade schools. This is amazing. Are we going to be ready?”
I force a smile. “I hope so. We’re short a few donor/mentors.”
“In this town, people spend two hundred dollars on dinner without a second thought. We should be able to find a few that will support a good cause.”
“I hope so. I’ve reached out to our board members and asked them to check with their network.”
“How many donors are we short?”
“Forty. I can leverage my credit card for ten of those, but I’m not sure how we’re going to be able to make this work.”
“Kate, if anyone will get this figured out, it’s you. Last year we had barely one hundred kids complete this project. This year we have over two hundred. You need to celebrate that.”
“I will when I lock down the rest of the people we need.”
“Well, then don’t be shy. Bug those board members.”
“I will.”
But that may not be enough. Somehow, I need to get to the big players in town.
“What about your new board member?” Tess asks.
“That’s Stephanie Paulson, and she does seem pretty well-connected. She must know a few people that can help us.”
I’ve asked her about this a few times during our meetings, but I need to try again in writing. I don’t think my board members realize how tough it is to keep a nonprofit up and running in this city.
I craft a carefully worded email to remind Stephanie of our remaining need and looming deadline, trying to sound just the right amount of desperate. We’re only a five-year-old nonprofit, but we’re making a difference. I can feel it in my bones. However, if we can’t make this happen for all the kids who earned it, we may not recover.
I send my message, and after just a few minutes, an email pops up.
To: Katherine Monroe From: Stephanie Paulson Subject: RE: Brighter Future Christmas Party
I’m sorry I keep forgetting. Thanks for the email reminder. I’ve forwarded your note to everyone in my contact list with your information. We should be able to come up with more than forty donors. We’re only asking them for $200 and a Saturday morning, for goodness sake! The party on Christmas Eve is a bonus! Let me know if you don’t hear from enough and I’ll rattle the cages, but at the very minimum, I’ll send over a check for $5,000 you can use for the party.
Keep up the good work.
XOXO Steph
Suddenly, I can take a deep breath again. This guarantees the needed money, and I’m on the road to having the volunteers as well. That’s probably the most important part. These kids need mentors, and spending the day with adults who’ve accomplished something means a lot.
My phone interrupts my thoughts. “Kate Monroe,” I answer.
“Hello, Miss Monroe? This is Jamal Jenkins.”
“Hey, Jamal. How are you?”
“I’m doin’ real good. I just wanted to make sure you saw that my name was on the list again this year.”
“You better believe I saw your name. I’m very proud of you.”
“Jose made it, too. And we have four other friends who made it this year. Once they learned they could get two hundred dollars of stuff for just going to school, they were joining us.”
“I can’t wait to see you guys on Saturday when you pick out your gifts.”
“I’ve got a list,” he says proudly. “Is it okay if I bring my baby sister to the party on Christmas Eve?”
“Of course, and your grandmother, too.”
“Just make sure the Santa you get this year is a little more realistic.”
I laugh. Last year’s Santa was our CPA, and he’s tall and really skinny. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Great. See you at Bullseye next Saturday.”
“I can’t wait.”
I worked as a teacher for five years, and it’s the hardest job there is. Not only are you responsible for educating the next generation, but many students have so much going on in their personal life that you end up being their mentor, friend, confidant, and sometimes parent as well. That’s exactly why I decided to start Brighter Future.
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Author Ainsley St. Claire
About the Author AinsleyStClaire is a Romantic Suspense Author and Adventurer on a lifelong mission to craft sultry storylines and steamy love scenes that captivate her readers. To date, she is best known for her series Venture Capitalists.
An avid reader since the age of four, Ainsley’s love of books knew no genre. After reading, came her love of writing, fully immersing herself in the colorful, impassioned world of contemporary romance.
Ainsley’s passion immediately shifted to a vocation when during a night of terrible insomnia, her first book came to her. Ultimately, this is what inspired her to take that next big step. The moment she wrote her first story, the rest was history.
Currently, Ainsley is in the midst of writing a nine-book series called “Venture Capitalist.”
When she isn’t being a bookworm or typing away her next story on her computer, Ainsley enjoys spending quality family time with her loved ones. She is happily married to her amazing soulmate and is a proud mother of two rambunctious boys. She is also a scotch aficionada and lover of good food (especially melt-in-your-mouth, velvety chocolate). Outside of books, family, and food, Ainsley is a professional sports spectator and an equally as terrible golfer and tennis player..
Welcome to the blog tour for AN ALASKAN CHRISTMAS, the first book in the adult contemporary romance series, Wild River, by Jennifer Snow. See below for information on the book, buy links, the book’s trailer, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
AN ALASKAN CHRISTMAS (Wild River #1) by Jennifer Snow
Synopsis In Alaska, it’s always a white Christmas—but the sparks flying between two reunited friends could turn it red-hot…
If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds.
Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…
Advance Praise for An Alaskan Christmas:
“An Alaskan Christmas is heartwarming, romantic, and utterly enjoyable.”—New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster
“Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged! Pure Christmas delight.”—New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde
“Readers will enjoy the mix of sexy love scenes, tense missions, and amiable banter. This entertaining introduction to Wild River will encourage fans of small-town contemporaries to follow the series.”—Publishers Weekly
“An exciting contemporary series debut with a wildly unique Alaskan setting.”—Kirkus
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Excerpt #3 Erika took one look at the stairs and shook her head. “That’s not going to work.” She lifted one boot-clad foot so he could see the high heel and he caught her as she toppled off balance.
He gritted his teeth. Of course—her nonsensical, yet sexy as all fuck heels. Heels on boots that hugged her shapely calves nicely and forced a distracting sway in her hips when she finally did go to the restroom at the bar, but not exactly grate-friendly.
He sighed as he scooped her up.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you upstairs,” he said, jogging up the stairs with her in his arms. She wasn’t heavy and he held his breath, the scent of her soft perfume overshadowing the smell of tequila on her breath.
He was glad they were calling it a night before the bar got really busy. She was far too distracting, especially once she’d let her guard down. Her unexpected smile had mesmerized him and her easy-sounding laugh had surprised him. Her body was smoking hot, but it was her dark eyes and full, pouty lips that had him fighting an odd attraction to his sister’s best friend all evening.
When she stopped spouting bullshit, she was even kind of funny in a dry humor, self-deprecating way. Too bad she couldn’t have a sense of humor like this when she was sober.
“Shit. I forgot my gloves,” Cassie said behind them. “Here’s my keys, I’ll be right back.” She tossed the keys at him and turned to head back toward the bar.
He caught the keys. “What? No…what am I supposed to do with her?”
“Just set her down on the couch. I’ll get blankets and a pillow when I get back,” Cassie called as she disappeared down the street.
“Great,” he muttered.
“Oh come on. Don’t act like you’re not enjoying this macho act of heroism.” Erika struggled with the pronunciation. “You were always the protector type.” She touched his chest and her eyes raked him in. She was looking at him the same way she’d gazed longingly at the chocolate Santa moments before.
He wasn’t sure which unsettled him most, the look in her eyes, the fact that she remembered something personal about him or the hardening in his pants at her touch.
He unlocked the door and nudged it open with her body. Then he promptly discarded her on the couch as instructed.
Done. She was there safely. Just leave.
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Author Jennifer Snow
About the Author Jennifer Snow lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband and four year old son. She is a member of the RWA, the Alberta Writers Guild, Canadian Authors Association and SheWrites.org. Her first Brookhollow book was a finalist in the Heart of Denver Aspen Gold contest and the Golden Quill Award. .
Award-winning, international bestselling author, Claudia Burgoa, is offering her eBook of UNTIL I FALL, a stand alone adult contemporary romance, for free for a limited time. See below for information on the book, buy links, a couple of exclusive teasers, and information on her giveaway.
Synopsis Aspen
I gave my heart to a Navy SEAL. He took it with him to his grave. Eleven years later, ignoring the yawning void is as automatic as breathing. Working brutal hours, dating a comfortably commitment-phobic guy, hanging with my best friends. Anything until exhaustion—or an extra glass of wine—claims my consciousness.
Then my neighbor’s handsome, enigmatic son invades my comfort zone. He says he’s a tattoo artist. But Anderson Hawkins’ piercing green eyes, mastery of the short answer, weird schedule, and military ink tell a different story. His touch ignites a long-dead flame inside me. A flame I’m afraid to examine too closely, even as I’m drawn to its heat.
Anderson
I retired from Delta Force and went straight into private security, but undercover work isn’t the adrenaline rush it used to be. For one thing, my Mom’s illness shifted my priorities to finding a way to save her. For another, Dr. Aspen Zimmerman, whose prickly defenses belie the unflinchingly caring heart underneath, has slipped under my skin. Now my mission is to convince her it’s safe to unlock her heart. Because I’m ready to give her mine.
Note: This contemporary romance contains a wary, overworked doctor who’s a military widow in every way but name, an ex-military hero accustomed to treading dangerous ground, brought together by a few unexpected twists and turns—and maybe the machinations of a cute dog..
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Author Claudia Burgoa
About the Author Claudia is an award-winning, international bestselling author. She lives in Colorado working for a small IT company, managing her household filled with three confused dogs, two daughters wrought with fandoms and a son who thinks he’s the boss of the house. And a wonderful husband who shares her love for all things geek. To survive she works continually to find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.
Welcome to the book blitz for MILLION MILES AWAY, the first book in the new adult science fiction romance series, Million Miles, by Alice Bane, releasing October 5, 2019. See below for information on the book, preorder links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
MILLION MILES AWAY (Million Miles #1) by Alice Bane
Synopsis For the past year, sleep paralysis has been little more than a thorn in Natalia’s side. That is, until she meets Korin, a strange but beautiful alien being who makes her question everything she knows about the universe.
Life-changing love almost feels like an invasion.
I won’t bore you with details about the mysterious medical issues I’ve had over the last year;
the sudden severe allergies to food and medication, the sleep paralysis. All I’ll tell you is that they turned my life upside down.
But I’m a rational person.
Naturally, I assumed that my mind was playing tricks on me when I saw the strange figures standing over me.
But it felt so freakishly real;
especially one face in particular that always stayed with me long after I woke up.
Something about him always drew me in and I knew he was different. He made me feel different.
All my life, romance has felt like something that was reserved for everyone but me. I’d accepted that the only love in my life would be experienced through my artwork.
Now I’m questioning everything I know about myself, about reality, and especially about love.
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Excerpt The girls would always tease me about how put together my life was. Sure, it looked good on paper; top-rated artist in my department, an amazing house which I always kept immaculate, and when I wasn’t working, I was at the gym. They seemed to think that I had a perfect life. They had no idea how much I envied them. They both had incredible relationships with gorgeous men who doted on them endlessly. They were always commenting on how jealous they were of my body, but they also never missed a chance to eat delicious foods that I couldn’t so much as smell without getting sick. They didn’t realize that my house was always clean because it was empty and sterile; just like the rest of my life.
I didn’t even have a pet. Ever since little Ivan died, I accepted that I wasn’t pet owner material. If I couldn’t keep a goldfish alive, what chance did I have with a more complex and emotionally dependent animal? Besides, with my work schedule, it would be cruel to even try.
“Before we get started with what we’ve got on today, I need to ask you guys a really important favor,” Abiola said, circling the desk to take both mine and Laura’s hands in hers. “The two of you have been such a huge part of my life. You’ve been there for me through all my family drama and I couldn’t love you more if you were my flesh and blood sisters.”
“Abi,” Laura pushed out her bottom lip. “That’s the sweetest thing you could possibly say.”
“Well, I would be so honored if the two of you would be my bridesmaids this spring. Please say yes!”
The three of us all wrapped our arms around each other in a sickeningly sweet display of female solidarity. I forced a smile and swallowed the lump in my throat as I imagined walking down the aisle on the arm of some random groomsman who had a wife or girlfriend somewhere in the church. This would be the second time I was a bridesmaid at someone’s wedding. The old saying ‘three times a bridesmaid, never a bride’ rang out in my mind.
“I would love to be a bridesmaid at your wedding,” Laura crooned.
I mustered the minimal amount of excitement I could get away with for the situation and said, “Me too. I love you, woman,” then patted Abiola on the back.
Abiola nodded and wiped at eyeliner from beneath her watering eyes. She was an old soul with a soft heart. She spent her weekends volunteering at a children’s group home. That was where she met her fiancé Trevor, and they bonded over their dysfunctional family situations. They would probably adopt a bunch of foster kids right after their wedding and live happily ever after. She deserved that; it was all she ever wanted.
“Okay ladies,” Abiola clapped her hands. “Today we’re looking for something we can use for the promotion of the OSA campus, which will be opening next year in Portland, Oregon. Boss says our primary focus is to attract engineering and architectural students for the Lunar-retreat that’s in the works.”
“So, where do we start?” Laura said, looking right at me.
“I am going to need to work up some concept drawings for the Lunar Resort. Also, if you could give me the clearest photos of the most beautiful views the Lunar Surface has to offer, that would be cool to show exactly what the students should be aspiring to be a part of. I want to see some dramatic landscapes with visible craters, maybe some rock formations. Anything to pull people in.”
“I’m on it,” Laura nodded and sat down at her touch responsive computer.
“I’ll go to engineering to get permission to use blueprints of the resort that you can use to make the concept drawings,” Abiola said, then turned and headed towards the elevator.
It was an exciting project. I used to fantasize that by the time I was ready to retire, I would be able to cash in on all the vacation time I had accrued and maybe even spend a few of my golden years at that resort. The thought of waking up in the morning and looking out the window to see the Earth just as we see the moon from down here always gave me a sense of calm.
Four hours later, all final decisions had been made on what I wanted to use on the project. Right on cue, my trusty assistants started complaining that they were starving to death.
“If I don’t get some corned beef nachos in me in the next ten minutes, I might actually die,” Laura said and stood up dramatically from her desk.
“I want waffles and bacon,” Abiola rubbed her belly.
I sighed at the memory of bacon; I would probably just have some raw vegetables and berries. I was still looking at my screen and inspecting one of the photos, trying to decide on how I would alter the image to bring it to life. My eyes burned. I clenched them shut and rubbed them, forcing them to rest. Eye strain was the enemy and this day was proving to be particularly difficult since I had hardly slept the night before. I couldn’t shake my anxiety about today’s social gathering after work. Stress and lack of sleep usually meant a big fat migraine, which was the last thing I needed at Laura’s party.
“I’m going to head to the chill room. I need a nap more than anything.”
“You better be rested for tonight’s festivities,” Laura wagged her finger at me.
“I’ll bring my party face, I promise,” I said. I stood up but couldn’t stop the oncoming yawn. “The fatigue is killing me.”
“Yeah, no coffee or sugar in your morning will do that to you,” Abiola said with a shake of her head. “I don’t know how you do it.”
“Well, it’s easy since a cup of coffee could put me in the hospital again, I guess.”
“Jesus,” Abiola pressed her fist to her mouth. “I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s fine, Abi,” I assured her. “I just need to get a little rest.”
The two girls headed down to the food court while I made my way to the sleeping pods. White, plush, and stacked like a honeycomb, they were an inviting image that screamed comfort. I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief to find my favorite lower level pod was unoccupied. Turning on the sound system, I selected a playlist I knew I could sleep through. Sometimes I would choose guided meditation tracks or audiobooks. Today’s selection was soft cello. Something about the deep tones helped me unwind no matter what was on my mind. I settled in, turning on the heated cushions and closing my eyes.
I practiced the deep breathing exercises the doctor had taught me as I pictured myself floating through a dark endless sky toward the moon’s surface. The pictures I had looked at for over four hours served to be the subject of my meditation. I inhaled deeply, focusing on relaxing my arms and legs. Exhaling, I imagined moving further out into space. In… and out…
As soon as sleep found me, I was swept up in a flurry of blinding light. My stomach turned as the light began strobing violently, causing me to feel disoriented. My body tensed as I realized it had been several weeks since I’d had an episode. Right on schedule, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Oh no, no, no, no… I can’t deal with this right now, not at work!
I struggled to wake myself, I couldn’t move. The cold sensation of a smooth metallic surface beneath me was confusing. I felt my fingertips twitch as I tried desperately to flail any and all limbs that might respond to my will, but my body remained where it was. I strained to sit up or scream, but I couldn’t even open my mouth. I was trapped, overwhelmed by the weight of my chest collapsing in on itself. If I didn’t put every ounce of will I possessed into sucking air through my nostrils, I had a very real fear that my body would simply shut down, leaving my body as a cold stiff corpse which might be found hours later in my cozy little pod. Filling my lungs with intention, I gasped for air, breath after panicked breath, hoping someone would notice and wake me.
The strobing intensified for what felt like several minutes and when it finally stopped, there remained a constant blinding light that made my eyes water. Tears streamed from the outer corners of my eyes into my ears.
“Help… me…” I managed to whisper to no one in particular.
From the edge of my vision, a blurry figure leaned over me.
“Please,” I sobbed, trying to turn my head to get a better look at who it was, but I couldn’t.
My chest burned as my heart pounded out of control. I tried to calm myself by reciting the scientific facts about what I knew was happening.
During REM sleep, your muscles are essentially turned off to keep you from sleepwalking. When a person wakes up during REM, they are fully conscious but completely paralyzed. Usually, physical stimulation from someone rubbing or shaking them will pull the victim out of the purgatorial state. Unfortunately, living alone means I have no one to rescue me during these episodes, which can sometimes last for hours.
“Just close your eyes. Everything will be okay,” a distorted voice spoke through the fog of my half-conscious state.
Maybe my brain is morphing the cello music into a voice. Sleep paralysis is often accompanied by waking dreams or hallucinations, after all.
I thought I could force myself to come out of it but, instead, I moved even deeper into unconsciousness. It wasn’t like falling, but more like being underwater and sinking slowly. I struggled against what felt like a chemically induced calm. I tried again to force myself awake but couldn’t. The darkness swallowed me up and I finally surrendered to it.
To my surprise, I suddenly found myself vividly aware of two things; one, the fact that I was breathing without much effort, and two, I was no longer in my cushioned sleeping pod, but rather stretched out flat on my back on a cold metal surface. All efforts to move just made me realize that what I was experiencing was very different from the sleep paralysis I was familiar with. I could move my fingers and flex my wrists and feet. There were actual physical restraints fastened around my wrists, neck, forehead, and ankles that were preventing me from moving.
Blinking hard, I strained to look around at my surroundings. The entire room was reflective as if every surface and object was made from surgical steel. It was shockingly cold, almost like the inside of a walk-in refrigerator. I grunted, twisting my wrists in hopes that I could slip out the straps.
There was a continuous hum that was so low I didn’t hear it so much as felt it vibrating through my entire body. There was a spherical light that seemed to be floating in the air a few feet over me. The ceiling was high above that and almost too dark for me to make out anything but the vague shape of what might have been a reflection of myself and the rest of the room around me. I strained to see past the light so I could study what else I could make out in the reflective ceiling. My heart pounded in my ears as my attention was drawn to a distorted human shape in the darkness at my side.
A chill spread through my body as I realized that someone, or something, was quietly watching me struggle but I couldn’t for the life of me work out who, as the silhouette disappeared from my view the moment I noticed it. Even when I turned my eyes as far as I could, the dark corners of the room remained completely obscured. Regardless of the deafening silence and the fact that I couldn’t see anyone, I knew someone was there.
Welcome to the book blitz for HYBRID, a stand-alone adult science fiction horror novel, by Rebecca Henry. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
HYBRID by Rebecca Henry
About the Book Title: HYBRID Author: Rebecca Henry Release Date: August 1, 2019 Genre: Adult Science Fiction Horror Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Synopsis Agent Van of the CIA is sent to an Australian underground military surveillance base called Pine Gap. Agent Van finds himself thrown in a conspiracy cover up of an ancient alien race known as species X. Agent Van falls in love with Annika, a mysterious and uncommon woman who displays unusual abilities, leading Van to question her own origin. Mystery and horror explode around Agent Van during a cave diving exhibition to search for a lost colleague referred to as Agent One. The only clue for Agent Van and his team is a cryptic message carved on a wall inside the bleak cave that reads “Agent One is gone. No more Agent One.” Terror arrives as the agents are trapped inside the ominous cave. Agent Van soon learns that there is more to Pine Gap than Species X.
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Excerpt #2 I was the fourth in our group to go through the tunnel, and my insides twisted with fright. The Tomb lived up to its name. We army-crawled on our bellies through the hollow passage for what felt like forever, but was actually about ninety meters. There was hardly enough room to move; the space was so tight that there was only about three or four inches of extra space between by body and the sides of the Tomb I slithered through like a snake. I couldn’t imagine how the General was managing it. Sweat beaded on my forehead despite the cold. I stopped to gather my wits, preparing myself for the challenge ahead.
Annika’s soft voice carried from behind me. “Take shallow breaths. And move slowly, the rocks are sharp,” she instructed, her voice soothing. “Don’t panic. You can make it out. Just keep calm and keep going.”
I tried to duck my head to see her, but the space was too tight. I knew she was right; logically, I wanted to believe her words, but fear was tightening its grip.
“Maybe you should go first?” I squeezed through the tightness of my throat. “I don’t like leaving you back there alone.”
I could hear the smile in her voice. “Don’t think I’d fit,” she said with a low chuckle. The thought of the smile I knew she wore in this dark hell was enough to get me through this tomb.
“Don’t worry about me, Van,” she continued, “Caves are a second home for me. Don’t worry, I’ll meet you on the other side.”
It was quiet inside the Tomb, no wind, no noise, only the sound of my breathing, the shuffle of my teammates ahead lost in the echoing dark. My head felt heavy, my neck stiff from being cranked to the side. There was no space to relax, and sharp rocks lay all around me. I kept my eyes trained on the wall to my right, its surface mere inches from my face. Looking ahead made me dizzy; I could see nothing but a void of darkness. I moved my left elbow forward two inches, then my right, dragging my legs behind me. Rocks scraped and stung as I forced myself deeper inside the Tomb.
It was dead quiet; no other sounds accompanied me on my crawl, and it was easy to imagine I was alone—trapped. I fought the sensation and pushed down the fear. Is this tunnel getting smaller? I was breathing heavy from the effort it took to move. No breeze, no noise, no light, no other signs of life. Only the dark and my panting breath. Fear began to get the better of me, its icy finger trickling down my neck and back. What if I made a wrong move inside this death trap and unleashed a hell of rocks, and an entire mountain came down to crush me?
I shook my head to dislodge the horror from my thoughts. I focused on Annika’s words: Just keep breathing and I’ll make it out. I concentrated on my crawling, counting each slithering movement. One, two, three. Keep crawling, keep moving. Four, five six. It’s only nine meters, not a massive stretch. Seven, eight, nine, ten. Wait—what was that noise?
A strange sound interrupted my counting. I paused to listen, but only heard my breath. I tilted my head searching for its source. Sliding rocks? That wasn’t right. The sound was too steady. I wanted to call back to Annika to see if she heard it, too, but I didn’t want to scare her. Maybe it was some rookie hazing, but the General didn’t seem like the type to tolerate that stuff. You are panicking, Van. Chalking up the sound to my imagination, I continued to move. Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. I stopped. There it was again. It wasn’t my imagination.
A sharp wind blasted my face, making me blink. How was that possible? The sound grew louder, and my heart raced as adrenaline flooded my system. I needed to get the hell out of there. I no longer cared about the dangerous rocks I was crawling through. I moved my arms faster and willed my body to get out of that death trap. The sound grew louder with each movement I made. Scrape… scrape. The sound was all around me. What is that? It sounded as if someone was in front of me scraping two stones together, but that was impossible.
The strange wind blasted me again, a sharp wind as if it was mixed with ice. My frozen eyes stung, and I fought to keep them open. I drew my elbows close to my body to fumble with my headlamp, trying to aim it up ahead, but I couldn’t get it to work. The space was too tight, and I couldn’t reach to click it on. Scrape… scrape… scrape… scrape… scrape. The sound was everywhere; it rang in my head, setting my teeth on edge.
Behind me, Annika’s headlamp clicked on. “Van I’m right behind you. You’ve got to keep moving.” No longer calm and musical, Annika’s voice thrummed with urgency, and I knew we weren’t alone. Something else was in the Tomb with us—something threatening. I could feel its menacing presence as dread crept over me.
“We’ve gotta get out of this tomb, Van! Go! Go as fast as you can!” Annika’s order kicked my ass into full gear, and I crawled as fast as the small space would allow, sharp rocks slicing my torso and forearms as I continued through the Tomb. I didn’t give a thought to my own safety— it was Annika. She was behind me, and if I didn’t get out of here, she’d be trapped behind me, like wine under a cork. Whatever was in the Tomb with us would get her soon. I had to get out—fast. Annika needed to reach safety. We were getting close; I could hear our teammates ahead of us, screaming for us to move, get out now! Behind me, Annika’s headlamp went out, and total blackness filled the space. I couldn’t see my hand one inch in front of my face.
That’s when I felt it. I heard a hissing in my ear as a putrid stench invaded my nostrils. I froze, petrified in sheer terror. I could no longer hear Annika behind me. I lost sight of the opening, where I was, what was happening. I couldn’t breathe, the small space closed in on me, suffocating me. A slithering tongue touched my neck, tasting my skin. Like a deer frozen before advancing headlights, I couldn’t move as I felt whatever it was taste my perspiration. When its tongue danced across the pools of salt on my face, I sprang into frantic action. I pounded on my headlamp, begging it to turn on while I reached for the creature in the pitch blackness. I swung my fist but it found only rock. I craned around to try to see behind me, only to feel the creature lick the other side of my neck, hissing and clicking mirthfully. I jolted my head it its direction, ready to pound my fist in its skull. Nothing was there.
From the opening ahead, Agent Austin lit a flare and shined it inside the Tomb. It was lit only a moment before it was snuffed out, but it was long enough for me to catch a glimpse of the creature. It happened in a flash, and I sensed it more than I saw it. It was behind my team members in the open space, a creature hunched on all fours. Not quite humanoid, but not animal either. Its ears were pointed up, as if it were listening to us. I couldn’t make out all its features, but it appeared to be hairless with shining, white skin. The creature dragged one of its claw-like hands against the rock wall—the noise I heard inside the tomb. It stared at me with white, bulging eyes. It drew back its hideous pale lips to drag a forked tongue over sharp dagger-like teeth.
The light blinked out, and we were again plunged into darkness.
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Trailer
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Author Rebecca Henry
About the Author Rebecca Henry is a newly published author. Her debut novel is The Lady Raven, A Dark Cinderella Tale, which was published in 2017. The Lady Raven, is for those Rebecca Henry is a world traveler living abroad in England. Besides being an American author of two published books, Rebecca is also a podcast talk host on the show The Latte Talk. The podcast was inspired by her novel, Louisiana Latte and her diva sister Deb. Rebecca is a serious vegan, gardener, wife and mom who practices yoga.
