Welcome to the blog tour for VIOLINS AND VAMPIRES, the first book in the adult paranormal romance series, Vampires of the Daemonverse, by Cee Bee. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
VIOLINS AND VAMPIRES (Vampires of the Daemonvers Series #1) by Cee Bee
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: VIOLINS AND VAMPIRES Series: Vampires of the Daemonverse Series #1 Author: Cee Bee Publisher: Monster House Books Release Date: August 25, 2022
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Lexa Kozlov must pay her family’s massive debt to the mob… all while raising even more money to save her little sister. The result? Lexa’s trapped in a never-ending (and incredibly illegal) stakeout for the Bratva. She barely has time for sleep, let alone find love.
Enter Caelin Vass, the handsome Scotsman who runs Empire Investments. Caelin offers Lexa a new job with dollars galore, as well as a hot bod (that would be his own) to contemplate every workday. Even so, Lexa isn’t sure she should take the gig. Freaky things keep happening whenever Lexa and Caelin are together. Simply put, the energy between them is magical, sensual, and way overwhelming. Lexa faces a big question: is she leaving her old prison just to enter a worse one… or is Caelin Vass all he seems and more?
***12,000 word novella, previously published on Kindle Vella as Blood Slave***
Vampires of the Daemonverse Series
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires
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Excerpt #3 Lexa
Present Day
I explore the bedroom. The place looks untouched. Someone even made the bed. The curtain is pulled aside, revealing the wall safe.
Which is closed.
Over the years, I’ve gotten good at guessing safe combinations from a distance. I’m pretty sure I know how to open this one. It takes a few tries, but I’m able to unlock the door.
Sweat beads on my forehead as I pull the safe open.
When I last saw Vice open this thing, it was crammed with gold bars. My body trembles with surprise.
This time, the walk-in safe is empty.
I step inside the safe itself. It’s been cleaned out. The picture that was stuck to the inside of the safe door is gone as well. A flash of white catches my eye. A scrap of paper sits on the floor. Leaning over, I scoop up the small document.
It’s a picture of me.
The pic shows me in Big Apple Coffee, sitting at my fave seat by the window. My heart sinks.
Vice knows who I am. I’m exposed.
I’ve been so careful to be the secret earner for Konstantin’s organization. What a disaster. My head feels wobbly on my shoulders. I shuffle back into the bedroom.
And things get worse.
Someone sneaks up behind me. The next thing I know, I’m pressed against the nearest stretch of wall. An electric charge of fear runs through my nervous system.
It’s happened. I’ve been discovered. Someone’s out to hurt Konstantin. Who is it? Italians? Irish?
I do surveillance, I don’t battle thugs. At this point, I should dissolve into tears. Instead, something inside me awakens. An ancient power streams through my veins. Rage overtakes my mind.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“It’s my building, lass.”
That voice is low, rumbling, and haunting my dreams. My anger instantly turns into something else. I know who this is.
“Caelin,” I whisper.
When he next speaks, Caelin’s warm breaths fans over my bare neck. “Aye.”
Lights flash before utter darkness surrounds us. Any reflection from the streetlights vanishes. Magic is at work. My breath catches.
A moment ago, the bedroom blinds were closed. Somehow they’ve now opened. Moonlight shines into the room. Cool tendrils of mist twist across the floor and around our bodies. I’m still pressed against the wall.
Only now, I’m naked.
So is Caelin.
Somehow, my vision from before has come to life.
I can’t see the man, but I feel the hard planes of his chest and thighs against my back. My legs now stand more than shoulder-length apart. I sense Caelin’s length pressing outside my entrance, all velvet skin over steely muscle. His rough breaths sound in my ear, making my insides twist with want.
Caelin slides his warm palm down my arm. Everywhere he touches, there’s a trail of want. How can this be happening again?
Not sure I care anymore.
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Author Cee Bee
About the Author Author Christina “CEE BEE” Bauer has sold more than 1M copies across her 45+ epic fantasy books for young adults. She’s recorded (and narrated) eight of her books into audiobooks, as well as led the translation of her novels into four different languages. USA Today has called her work “must-read paranormal fantasy.” Bauer is an autism advocate and quirky loudmouth whose writing style really isn’t for everyone. But if you like stories with complex worlds inhabited by chicks who kick ass and take names, then read on!
Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at ChristinaBauerAuthor.com.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates
Welcome to the cover reveal for THE RISE OF THE WITCH, a standalone young adult paranormal fantasy, by Elle J. Rossi, releasing June 2023. See below for the cover and information on the book.
Synopsis Elemental witches have been oppressed and controlled for untold millennia by jealous humans who fear the power of their blood. Even those witches who believed in purity were persecuted, as mixed-element babies were killed, tested, and experimented on in a desperate attempt to keep their powers at bay.
Laws and regulations have been implemented to keep the Elementals from truly blending, to keep fire from marrying water, air from uniting with earth, but these laws cannot stop hearts from connecting. Love knows no boundaries and sometimes rules are broken for a greater purpose—to allow a being of power and chaos to be born into this world.
I am Ailynn. And I am that being—the first chaos witch. Birthed with the combined power of all five elements, I stand against those who would seek to keep us apart.
I will not be caged. I will not be silenced. I am here, and I will not be forgotten.
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Author Elle J. Rossi
About the Author Elle J. Rossi grew up in rural Indiana surrounded by great people, a huge family and more animals than she could count. But the sites and sounds of the world beckoned, so she left her small town to escape into a creative world full of music. As a full time singer she was able to lose herself in a thousand different songs in a hundred different places.
After meeting the love of her life and settling down, she yearned to find a new and fulfilling creative outlet. Overly fond of the happily ever after, she wondered what it would be like to have her own characters lead her down dark and twisted paths. The very first word on the very first page sealed her fate. She’d found a new love. She’d found her escape.
Now along with weaving haunting tales about the journey to love, she’s creating cover art for authors around the world and loving every second of it. For fun, she cranks country music to take her back to her roots, and sings karaoke anytime she gets a chance. Her husband, two children, and two cats that rule the roost keep her company along the way and guarantee she doesn’t get lost in the enchanted forest. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
Welcome to the blog tour for SHADOWS OF NIGHTSHADE, the first book in the young adult paranormal series, The Garden of Eternal Flowers, by Lyla Oweds. See below for information on the book, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SHADOWS OF NIGHTSHADE (The Garden of Eternal Flowers Series #1) by Lyla Oweds
Synopsis I dream of a time where I was warm, safe, and loved.
But my waking reality is starkly different.
Anxiety plagues me and spirits haunt the shadows. No matter how fast I run, I can’t seem to escape my past.
The only solace and steady force in my life is my best friend, Finn.
And now… there’s a ghost haunting me. And I’m not certain if it wants help or if it wants to kill me. There’s only one person who can understand: Finn’s brother, Damen.
However, in reaching out, I’m betraying Finn and setting things into motion that cannot be undone.
But nobody ever said that doing the right thing was easy.
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The Garden of Eternal Flowers is a re-envisioning of my Grimm Cases series. Eternal Flowers has taken my original vision of Bianca’s story and transformed it into something new and beautiful. Some chapters are similar, and some dialogue is the same, as The Grimm Cases, Origins, but overall, about 75% of the book has been entirely revisioned with new plot points, mystery, and interpersonal relationships. Also, unlike Origins (originally a Wattpad release), there is now a clear beginning, climax, and conclusion in each individual novel, which allows them to be read alone or as part of the ongoing series.
I hope that you will enjoy Shadows of Nightshade as much as I enjoyed writing it. Truly, it is an honor to write about Bianca and her boys, and all of these characters are near and dear to my heart.
Trigger Warning: This series deals with the aftermath of severe childhood trauma.
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Excerpt #3 “It’s nothing,” Miles muttered. “Just… ghosts.”
“Oh.” That was it? Did he not like ghosts? But did he not realize that ghosts were everywhere?
Although, to be fair, I did not like to be around most people. And they were everywhere too. I, too, was exhausted from the overstimulation.
I could relate.
“Don’t worry.” I squeezed his hand. “We can work together. Okay?”
Miles slowed down, and my chest tightened as the rude nature of my question hit.
“I-I don’t want you to do everything for me!” I clarified. “It’s… I thought, maybe if we worked together, we could get finished faster.” His expression remained unchanged, and I added, almost begrudgingly. “I’ll give you some money, obviously.”
It made sense, if both of us were doing the job, we should share the profit.
His nose wrinkled in distaste. “I’m not going to take your money.”
“But…” I’d been keeping track of their spending and was working out a payment plan with interest. “I already owe you—”
“I’m not taking any money from you,” Miles interrupted. “Ever. Do you understand?”
“Okay.” I understood that he believed this, but who knew what the future held? Where there was a will, there’s a way.
Miles narrowed his eyes. “Why do I feel you don’t actually understand?”
“I don’t know,” I answered. How was I supposed to know how his mind worked? Only he could answer that question. “Why do you feel that?”
I was somewhat curious to know.
He looked at me before his shoulders slumped and he sighed. “I’m too tired to think.”
He was kind of cute, all disheveled and confused. When he was this vulnerable, it was easy to ignore the rest of the world and focus on him. His arm brushed against mine, and my heart began to beat a little faster.
There was something horrifying beginning to curl in my stomach.
I could never let him know. Even acknowledging such feelings was unsafe.
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Author Lyla Oweds
About the Author Lyla Oweds is a paranormal / urban fantasy author who resides in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania with her husband, children, and animals. While she enjoys all genres of fiction, she has a deep appreciation for fantasy, romance, mystery, crime, and horror. Lyla has a bachelor’s in anthropology and will be completing her master’s in information technology in 2023.
Writing is her moonlighting passion, and she loves having the opportunity to share her perspective as a disabled (profoundly hard of hearing) woman. During the daylight hours, Lyla works as a principal / lead design and development specialist focusing on user experience and accessibility. When not working, Lyla is usually indulging in one of her many hobbies such as amusing her children, gardening, crocheting, interior decorating, baking, cooking, or playing video games..
Welcome to the pre-order blitz for CONTROL, the first book in the young adult paranormal romance series, The Lockwood Trilogy, by Melissa Cassera, releasing March 28, 2023. See below for information on the book, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
CONTROL (The Lockwood Trilogy #1) by Melissa Cassera
Synopsis
For Natalie Covington and Henry Thorne, only one thing is certain: things are about to get out of control.
18-year-old Natalie has big ambitions but very little control over her situation. She’s trapped at an elite boarding school on a private island, where cell phones are forbidden, militant guards line the iron gates, and her practically prearranged boyfriend has eyes for another girl.
Everything changes when a mysterious new student arrives named Henry Thorne. Henry is a “precog”—a hidden society of people who can see the future, and who are forbidden to reveal their powers. When Henry has a grisly vision of Natalie being murdered, he ultimately decides to save her and face the consequences. But the consequences of changing the future are more dangerous than Henry imagined, unlocking a wide conspiracy among his kind that’s linked to Natalie’s past, and a desire that threatens to consume them.
CONTROL is the first installment in The Lockwood Trilogy. This fast-paced Upper YA/New Adult Paranormal Romance is filled with thrilling turns, self-discovery, spicy language, light steam, and a cliffhanger ending that will leave you obsessing for more.
Reader Discretion: this book contains graphic language, violence, and some heat. Best suited for 16+.
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Author Melissa Cassera
About the Author Melissa Cassera is a Professional Screenwriter, Author, and award-winning Publicity Expert based in Washington State.
Melissa and her work have been featured in Variety, LA Times, Success Magazine, and Fast Company. She was named one of the nation’s Top Personal Branding Experts by The Huffington Post.
On-screen, Melissa is the writer of THE OBSESSION THRILLOGY (Lifetime Network’s first trilogy of movies.) She is also the writer of the films SECRET LIVES OF COLLEGE ESCORTS, NIGHTMARE NEIGHBORHOOD MOMS, MOMMY’S LITTLE STAR, DADDY’S PERFECT LITTLE GIRL, HER STOLEN PAST, and GIRL FOLLOWED. Melissa also sold an eight-episode dark comedy series, ADDICTED, to Fullscreen. She has two additional feature films, WHO KILLED OUR FATHER and NIGHTMARE PAGEANT MOMS, coming to Lifetime Network in 2023, and six additional film projects in active development.
When Melissa is not whipping together obsession-worthy words, she can be found drinking too much coffee, playing at the lake with her dogs, or getting lost in the romance section of a bookstore.
Welcome to the cover reveal for CONTROL, the first book in the young adult paranormal romance series, The Lockwood Trilogy, by Melissa Cassera, releasing March 28, 2023. See below for information on the book, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
CONTROL (The Lockwood Trilogy #1) by Melissa Cassera
Synopsis
For Natalie Covington and Henry Thorne, only one thing is certain: things are about to get out of control.
18-year-old Natalie has big ambitions but very little control over her situation. She’s trapped at an elite boarding school on a private island, where cell phones are forbidden, militant guards line the iron gates, and her practically prearranged boyfriend has eyes for another girl.
Everything changes when a mysterious new student arrives named Henry Thorne. Henry is a “precog”—a hidden society of people who can see the future, and who are forbidden to reveal their powers. When Henry has a grisly vision of Natalie being murdered, he ultimately decides to save her and face the consequences. But the consequences of changing the future are more dangerous than Henry imagined, unlocking a wide conspiracy among his kind that’s linked to Natalie’s past, and a desire that threatens to consume them.
CONTROL is the first installment in The Lockwood Trilogy. This fast-paced Upper YA/New Adult Paranormal Romance is filled with thrilling turns, self-discovery, spicy language, light steam, and a cliffhanger ending that will leave you obsessing for more.
Reader Discretion: this book contains graphic language, violence, and some heat. Best suited for 16+.
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Author Melissa Cassera
About the Author Melissa Cassera is a Professional Screenwriter, Author, and award-winning Publicity Expert based in Washington State.
Melissa and her work have been featured in Variety, LA Times, Success Magazine, and Fast Company. She was named one of the nation’s Top Personal Branding Experts by The Huffington Post.
On-screen, Melissa is the writer of THE OBSESSION THRILLOGY (Lifetime Network’s first trilogy of movies.) She is also the writer of the films SECRET LIVES OF COLLEGE ESCORTS, NIGHTMARE NEIGHBORHOOD MOMS, MOMMY’S LITTLE STAR, DADDY’S PERFECT LITTLE GIRL, HER STOLEN PAST, and GIRL FOLLOWED. Melissa also sold an eight-episode dark comedy series, ADDICTED, to Fullscreen. She has two additional feature films, WHO KILLED OUR FATHER and NIGHTMARE PAGEANT MOMS, coming to Lifetime Network in 2023, and six additional film projects in active development.
When Melissa is not whipping together obsession-worthy words, she can be found drinking too much coffee, playing at the lake with her dogs, or getting lost in the romance section of a bookstore.
Welcome to the cover reveal for QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD, the tenth book in the adult paranormal romance series, Guardians of Hades, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Felicity Heaton, releasing January 31, 2023. See below for information on the books and series, preorder links, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD (Guardians of Hades Series #10) by Felicity Heaton
Synopsis
Hades, the wickedly dark god-king of the Underworld, needs a queen…
And he’s chosen Persephone.
All Persephone has ever desired is control of her own life, and someone noticing her once in a while. Kept in her mother’s shadow, and overlooked by the entirety of Olympus, her dream seems impossible… and now she’s doomed to wed a dull god of her mother’s choosing…
Until she crosses paths with a handsome, dark warrior who rouses wildfire heat in her veins—a male whose immense power is unmistakable, and who matches the fearful tales whispered in Olympus—stories of a cruel, heartless king who rules his realm of death with an iron fist.
When Hades abducts her and imprisons her in the depths of the Underworld, a dormant part of her awakens. And as she slowly discovers the truth about him, Persephone isn’t sure whether the snarling, dark beast of a king is her doom… or her saviour… but she knows one thing…
She will embrace the fire he awakens in her with every heated glance, and every vicious growl.
And use it to tame him and forge her dreams into reality.
Because, Persephone, the quiet, gentle goddess of nature, desires a king.
And nothing will stop her from claiming his black heart.
Queen of the Underworld is a forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance novel retelling the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone, and a prequel in my Guardians of Hades series. In the vein of an adult beauty and the beast, it features a grumpy-sunshine pairing that will steal your heart, with a secretly cinnamon roll hero and a secretly fiery heroine, and a powerful forever kind of love. All Guardians of Hades books have no cliffhangers, a guaranteed happily ever after, and some strong language.
About the Author I’m a NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY and International Best-Selling Author writing passionate paranormal romance books and series for adults.
I love to create detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! All of them alpha as you would expect in paranormal romance, and every book with a guaranteed HAPPILY FOREVER AFTER!
Sign up to my newsletter for exclusive sneak previews, freebies, special offers and more! (copy / paste link into your browser): http://bit.ly/FH-VIPS
Fans of paranormal romance books by authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter, Larissa Ione, Kresley Cole and Christine Feehan will love my books too.
Welcome to the book blitz for HUNTED, the first book in the young adult paranormal series, Dhampyr, by V.M. Nelson. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Tasi, an eighteen-year-old, head-strong, blood-drinking, dhampyr, has been hidden away in a small town in Maine since the death of her parents. Though she had trained to fight and kill vampires, she never believed those skills would be useful in her mundane life. That’s where she’s wrong.
In one moment, her life changes forever, and her aunt’s final words ring in her head.
They want your blood.
Now orphaned and charged with protecting her sister, Emily—a sister who doesn’t know what they are or that she’s about to endure a life-threatening change—Tasi has no other choice but to follow directions left for her. She is to find an ally who lives in New York City. This is the only way Tasi will figure out why she and Emily are being hunted before they end up drained of their blood.
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Tasi
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Excerpt #2: South Station was bustling with people. The building had high ceilings, lots of shops, and from the aroma swirling through the air, some tasty eateries. Chatter filled the atmosphere, and as we approached the lower platform, horns blared from trains pulling in and out. Announcers over the loudspeaker called out train numbers and destinations. Emily had said little to me all morning, knowing I was still beating myself up over last night. She knew how stubborn I was and that I might snap if provoked. It’s not one of my best attributes. But when I was ready to talk, she would know.
I glanced over at my sister. She gave me a small, knowing smile. Her voice echoed in my head. We’re both alive. I knew I was acting stupid. As long as that was a onetime mistake and I didn’t put Emily at risk again, I had to let it go.
Emily shifted her weight. Her lips were tightly pressed together as she wrinkled and unwrinkled her freckled nose. I bumped her with my elbow, then turned to her, extending my arm. “Hi, I’m Tasi, and I’m done being stupid and feeling sorry for myself.”
She let out a giggle. “Finally.” She ignored my arm and gave me an enormous hug. I leaned my cheek against her forehead. “If I had to sit on a train in silence until we reached New York, I think I would have lost my freaking mind.”
“Yeah, me too.” The tightness in my stomach lifted.
Our embrace ended as they announced our train. We headed for the back and found some empty seats together. The seats were arranged in fours, which could be an issue, depending on who filled the seats facing us. I hoped no one would sit there, or at least would leave us alone if they did.
While we waited, I watched the hordes of people filing onto the train. Some whispering to each other, dressed in casual attire. Others with their suits on, storing briefcases overhead. The murmurs grew louder as more people boarded the train car. My body was tense, and it became hard to separate the oblivious people from the ones who may be threats.
“If we have time, can we go to the giant toy store in Times Square?” Emily asked. “It has an indoor Ferris wheel!”
“Yes, once we find Sonya. I want to make sure we find a place to stay before we start sightseeing.”
“Okay.” She clasped her hands together.
As we continued talking, a girl not much older than me stopped in front of us. Her hair was a thick golden blonde. It was pulled back in a half ponytail, and the curls bounced with her slightest of movements. Her lips were narrow and cheekbones high.
Sickness stirred in my gut, and the hairs on the back of my neck sought refuge.
“Are these two seats open? My friend is running late, which is so typical. It’s hard to find a good traveling partner these days. So annoying.” Her emerald eyes sparkled like gems.
“Sure.” Prickles coated my skin as she eyed me.
She sat down across from Emily. “I like the window seat. I hope you don’t mind.” She directed that to my sister.
“No . . . no, it’s fine.” Emily gave her a small smile and focused back on me. She saw what I had.
Our seats were in a section too close to other travelers for either of us to do anything. We were safe for the time being. However, my first thought was to lead the girl somewhere private so I could kill her.
She sat still as she looked out the window, her flawless complexion hard as stone. Yup, she was one of them, but did she know who we were? The train jerked forward, reminding me we were in this for the long haul. The trip was about four hours; that was four long hours with a filthy vampire sitting across from us. That’s the problem with big cities. These large transportation centers provided enough shelter so vampires could hide out there during the day.
“So, are you guys headed to the city? Business or pleasure?” She studied my eyes, as if waiting for me to stumble or hesitate.
“A little of both.” I showed no fear as I locked my eyes on hers. “You?”
“Business, mostly. I hope my friend made it. It’d be such a shame if he had to catch a later train. Plus, our boss would be really unhappy with him if we screwed up our task.”
Great. I hoped he missed the train, because if it was a friend of hers, I didn’t want to meet him.
Turning to Emily, I noticed her apprehension. She was readying herself for the worst. Part of me wished I hadn’t given her those stakes. Our eyes met, and I hoped she deciphered my visual message to relax. Still feeling a little rebellious, I pressed my luck. “So, what kind of business, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Her ringlets fell off her shoulders as she leaned closer, showing me her venomous fangs. “Pest extermination.” She scowled.
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Emily
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Author V.M. Nelson
About the Author V. M. Nelson is the author of The Dhampyr Series. She writes upper young adult paranormal, urban fantasy with a touch of romance thrown in. When she isn’t writing, you can find her playing video games.
Virginia resides in Minnesota with her partner and three children. She has always had an obsession for myths, legends, and fairytales. If asked, she would prefer to live in an alternate universe with vampires and fairies.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE GUARDIAN, the fifth book in the adult paranormal romance series, The Cities Below, by Jen Colly. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE GUARDIAN (The Cities Below Series #5) by Jen Colly
Savard was in a mood to die, but when a human insists on saving his life, death is no longer an immediate option. He knew of no species – human, vampire, or demon – that could see him while in his invisible Spirit form. Unique to this world, this woman’s singularity was a danger to the entire vampire race.
Waking behind bars in an underground vampire city was not how Sera envisioned her night drive ending. She has come to expect nothing from those who pass through her life, but this man, dying on the side of the road, proves to be different. Savard fights to free her from tyrannical vampire laws and to hide her unique abilities. What Sera doesn’t understand, is why he would fight his growing love for her.
Savard’s haunted past threatens to tear them apart. Soon, Sera discovers just how far her guardian is willing to go, and what he’s willing to do, to keep her safe.
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Excerpt #2: Savard watched her delicate jaw drop at the sight of his fangs. Never in his long life had he shown a human what kind of creature lurked behind the visage of a man. He waited for her scream, expected her terrified flight or even a fainting spell. Instead of acting like a normal human, she just sat there, taking it all in, processing, and then out of the blue, the minx slugged him in the shoulder.
He groaned, not so much from her punch, but from stabilizing his core muscles to keep his body upright. Through gritted teeth, Savard asked, “What the hell was that for?”
“Give it a guess,” she huffed, not frightened, and certainly not shying away. “You can speak. Just say what you are. You didn’t need to threaten me with the pointy teeth.”
“Wasn’t a threat…won’t bite,” he mumbled. He knew he was behaving poorly, but his body ached, his hunger beat a heavy cadence against his tongue, and this woman had ruined his plans for a quick death.
His eyelids drifted shut, his head tilted back against the cushion. He was getting worse. The pain was there, but not exactly excruciating, making it easier to speak. His body was numbing out, going cold on the inside. Sensation was slipping away, along with life.
“If you’re what I think you are, then…” her soft voice trailed off, as if redirecting her question. “What can I do? Be honest.”
“Nothing you’d be willing to do,” Savard said, cracking one eye open to observe her reaction, and when she shifted closer, he suddenly realized she still held his hand. In fact, her grip had never wavered. Even after he’d bared his fangs.
“Like letting you bite me? How can you be sure I wouldn’t?”
“I’m not asking.”
“But if it would help you…” Her delicate eyebrows scrunched together, and she asked in earnest, “Would it help you? And would it hurt?”
His lips twitched, the beginnings of a smile that never fully formed. For some reason, he found explaining the nuances of a vampire’s bite to this innocent human amusing. “Blood heals. A bite is more pleasure than pain.”
“I wouldn’t turn into a…”
“No.”
“When you bite someone…” Her voice was hesitant, the first subtle hint of trepidation he’d found in her. “Do they die?”
“No. Life is precious,” he said quietly.
Deafening silence surrounded him and he closed his eyes again, the calm lulling him. Several minutes passed, or perhaps more, and then he unexpectedly caught her scent. The soft, delicate flesh of this woman had a scent all its own, and he opened his eyes to see her leaning close to him, her hand pulling that fluffy white-blonde mass of randomly braided hair away from her neck. Savard growled, closing his eyes against the temptation, and turned away from her.
“Why not?” she asked, her steady voice sending shivers through his battered body.
Teeth clenched, he said, “You should have left me there.”
About the Author Jen Colly is the rare case of an author who rebelled against reading assignments throughout her school years. Now she prefers reading books in a series, which has led her to writing her first paranormal romance series: The Cities Below. She will write about anything that catches her fancy, though truth be told, her weaknesses are pirates and vampires. She lives in Ohio with her supportive husband, two kids, one big fluffy dog, and four rescued cats.
Welcome to the book blitz for MOON TAMED, a standalone adult paranormal romance, by Audrey Greene, releasing December 6, 2022. See below for information on the book, preorder links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Coraline Patten enjoys nothing more than facing new challenges, but when she’s asked to evaluate Moonriver’s ruling faction, she worries she’s bitten off more than she can chew.
Allasandro Stephans has reigned since she’d been a child, unwavering in his dedication to Moonriver. His heir, Calden, has supported him every step of the way. Together, the shapeshifting widower and his son appear to be the perfect men for the job of preserving and protecting their home.
When Moonriver’s heir asks her to free his father from the burden of leadership, Coraline is determined to do what is best for her people, even if it costs her the love of her life.
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Excerpt #2 Sila snickered. “With that comment, you just guaranteed your selection. That is what normal people call testing their luck. Have you worked for the Hunters before?”
“No.” With Sila, short and to the point worked the best. If I gave her a single opening, she would talk me to death and force me to regret my decision to be her friend.
Sila meant well, however, even when she drove me mad.
My friend rubbed her hands together. “They’re pretty nice to work for. While most of them are predatory shifters, they’re respectful of time and energy. It helps they can smell fatigue and frustration, and they understand a happy worker is a better worker. They stop problems before they become problems as a general rule. The male temps get the short straw—they get into pissing contests with the Hunters. Us women? We already know how to avoid the pissing contests. We win when we don’t play the game.”
When Sita started spouting sexist nonsense, it often sourced from a bad night with her latest suitor. “Did you have a bad date last night?”
“It was horrible. Who knew a Legacy researcher could be so clueless? I educated him, but there won’t be a second date. He was so dry I thought about asking him to do my laundry.”
The few times I’d dated a Legacy member, I’d emerged better educated but lacking in the basic relationship department. Members of Legacy lived for the pursuit of old knowledge. Intellectual company appealed, but I also longed for the other facets of a good relationship, including physical affection, sweet nothings, and someone I could be near in safety and comfort.
Still, Legacy members could be taught, and I’d met more than a few who were kind to a fault but oblivious. “Maybe you should give him a second try, Sila. You bothered to educate him. Why not benefit from your tutoring. Is he nice?”
“He is disturbingly nice,” she complained.
Well, some problems had simple solutions. “Teach him to get a little rough with you, then.”
“I might. He texted me this morning. I replied that I was getting my work assignment. You think I should try him again?”
“He’s nice and can be taught, Sila. Find out if he cooks and cleans. If so, he might be the perfect man.”
“You make a good point.” Sila sighed, dug out her phone, and tapped at the screen. “There. I told him that, assignment allowing, I’m free most nights this week if he’d like to get together. This might be for the best. I was about to hit up someone from Moonward.”
I winced. Of Moonriver’s factions, Moonward attracted the most ambitious men and women with an interest in magic. Witches made up most of the membership, but they accepted all types. “Dangerous dates are not wise, Sila.”
“I’m looking for love. That is dangerous.”
No kidding. Before I could reply, our manager rang his little silver bell so he could deliver the news—and reveal who would assist the Hunters. “I’ll keep this as short as possible, as we have a busy day. I already drew the name for the Hunter contract while you gossips talked up a storm.”
When Almon Friarin went the route of serious efficiency, we had a higher number of requests than normal.
“Today is going to be fun,” Sila predicted.
I huffed and refrained from cursing. “Sure. It’s going to be about as fun as a lobotomy.”
Before I could further embarrass myself, our boss said, “Line up for your assignment. You’ll just have to accept I won’t be turning our job into a circus today. Maybe tomorrow. The Hunters of Moonriver have asked for discretion.”
“Well, this sucks,” Sila muttered. “He lured us all here so nobody would skip out on a crazy day.”
“You’re probably right.” My fellow co-workers queued up to receive their assignments, and I joined the line, dragging Sila with me. “Be grateful it’s not a parade. Or worse, a positive reinforcement day.”
“Good point. There is only so much public praise I can handle a year. A ten-minute lecture on how good I am at following basic instructions would break me today.” Sila made a show of shuddering. “Last time, one of the clients had sent him a photo of my work along with praise. I almost perished.”
I knew of one way to derail my friend before she delved deeper into the dark waters of her self-inflicted stress. “Did you get a raise?”
“Ten cents an hour for accomplishing perfection.”
Well, that backfired in a painful fashion. “I’ve never gotten a raise for perfection,” I informed her.
“I asked for it. Did you?”
The next time I got pulled into our boss’s office, I would make a point of asking. “Did the ten cents an hour actually help your budget?”
One of the distinct disadvantages of remaining unaffiliated was our pay; the factions made a point of paying their members competitive rates for their work. Migrant workers made up the majority of the unaffiliated, although holdouts like me existed.
I accepted lower pay and less say in the governing of Moonriver in exchange for flexibility and freedom.
“Every penny counts, except when it doesn’t.” Sila shrugged.
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Author Audrey Greene
About the Author Audrey Greene writes sweet paranormal and urban fantasy splashed with some romance and hints of science fiction. She lives in California, loves going to the beach, and appreciates taking the time to smell the roses.
Welcome to the book blitz for MAGIC AND MAYHEM, the second book in the adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy series, The Wrong Witch, by Annie Anderson. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
MAGIC AND MAYHEM (The Wrong Witch Series #2) by Tammy Lowe
A week ago, I was the perpetual screw up of the Bannister coven and a probationary agent for the Arcane Bureau of Investigation. Somehow, I’ve managed to get myself mated to an Acosta Alpha, pissed off my family, and gotten on the radar of a dark Fae.
As much as I’d like to bury my head in the sand, I have a badge to secure—and with a new case on my proverbial desk—a job to do. Because I’m not the first witch that the Fae has tried to steal, but I will definitely be the last.
Just as soon as I get this curse under control…
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Excerpt #2 Wren’s badge smacked me in the face, the hard metal shield catching me in the forehead. “A strike against my freedom? A strike against my freedom? You don’t know the first damn thing about me if you think I’m just going to let you railroad me into anything, Nico Acosta. I’m going to my cabin by myself, and I’m going to bed by myself, and I’m going to Savannah. By. My. Self.”
There was a problem with all three statements, namely that none of those things were true.
I bent, snatching her badge from the ground, and in my distraction, Wren skirted around me, marching double-time to her cabin.
Welp, in for a penny, in for a pound.
Catching up to her in no time, I put a shoulder into her belly and lifted her over my back. Wren screeched as I adjusted course, heading for my—or rather, Wyatt’s—cabin.
“You put me down right now,” she ordered, but I was doing no such thing.
I’d tried sleeping without her last night, and that didn’t work, and after the events of the previous twenty-four hours, there was no chance in hell I was trying it again tonight. Plus, the woman needed healing. Again. Already. The remnants of an acid burn and poison from a dart still coursed through her tired body.
We passed Wyatt on the trek to his cabin, the big man trying not to laugh at our antics as he polished a bright-green apple on his plaid jacket. “You’re sleeping somewhere else tonight.”
What had Wren called me? High-handed? Well, I was an Alpha, and I needed that cabin more than he did right now.
“I figured,” Wyatt said before biting into the apple. “Good luck, buddy.”
I’d fucking need it. Wren kneed me in the chest and elbowed me in the back. I’d need to teach her how to get out of this hold later, but for now, I needed her in a space—any space—with me.
Preferably sans clothes, but I’d take what I could get.
About the Author Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.
Welcome to the series reveal for THE POWERS THAT BE SERIES, books 1 through 3 of the new adult paranormal romance series by Ali Lucia Sky, releasing October 11, 2022. See below for information on the series, an exclusive excerpt from book 1, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
THE POWER THAT BE SERIES by Ali Lucia Sky
About the Book Title: THE POWERS THAT BE SERIES Series: The Powers That Be Series #1-3 Author: Ali Lucia Sky Release Date: October 11, 2022
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis This World is just one of thousands of Worlds the Makers have created. The Universe and Makers are playing with those who live on it.
GABRIEL
No one who had met Michaela Beauchamp could come away from it unscathed. She was a shrew–argumentative, crass, and the focus of all my wet dreams. I loved to hate her. We were at war and I was determined to win. I didn’t want her to just go away, I wanted to watch her fine ass as she went in that direction.
MICHAELA
Whoever thought Gabriel Langdon was more than a pretty face never met the douchecanoe.
He had very few redeeming qualities. He was dumb, frustrating, and constantly featuring in all my sexiest dreams. I wasn’t difficult to please. I was reasonable. All I asked was that the Universe bless me with the absence of this jackhole!
THEA
What is one to do when you summon a hitchhiker and they take up residence inside your head? No fifteen-year-old girl has a good answer. With my brother and neighbor circling one another in a strange mating dance, I barely know how to ask for help.
I mean really, all I did was a little spell to Invoke Helpful Spirits and Positive Energy Beings.
Note: THE POWERS THAT BE series is a New Adult book series and for readers 18+ due to sexual content, substance abuse, reference to sexual assault, and profanity.
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Excerpt #1 Not to mention that the fucker taunts me.
At least his sister is cool. Weird as all get out but kind and fun in a super odd, yet one hundred percent acceptable way. Refreshing. She was all sorts of refreshing.
Thirteen years of friendship with Gwen Lapsley molded me for a life full of serial melodrama. My history with her was a series of stories about betrayal, acquisitions, and life lessons—mostly learned as tawdry chapters of sex education. Sometimes with photographs or illustrations. I will most likely keep some as evidence in case I need to protect myself from a vengeful Gwen at any time. That is the kind of friendship we have, and it requires a state of Mutually Assured Destruction.
Still most of my life experience sits at the heels of Gwen’s tales. And she doesn’t have to embellish or lie. Gwen isn’t the type to swerve or cease.
Thea was one more person I could come to live vicariously through.
Unlike the Dipshit Langdon, the Younger Langdon was a full-on rebel.
A weirdo.
Strange, even.
Everything she did was Dora-level whacky—and utterly amazing. Perfectly wonderful. Complete fucking magic. I could sit and talk to her for hours on end.
After Gwen got it on with Gabriel, the highlight and play-by-play of his sexual proclivities were far too much. Thea was more than happy to share disparaging insults at dipshit’s expense with me. Her least favorite topic was Gabriel. She and Dora didn’t even call him Gabriel or Gabe.
Get this! They called him Gabby.
Fuck me, gold. Pure gold in them thar facts. I love it. Love that shit hard.
Gabby the dipshit.
Gabby the Asshat.
Gabby the Douchecanoe.
Yeah, that got mileage.
“So, what’s this shit you got going on here? What exactly are you trying to do?” I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips to the side.
Thea was like Dora in that she was into the spiritual stuff. Dora’s into nature, energy, and all that give more, take less stuff. My mom loves that shit. Thea does spells and rituals. She doesn’t call it witchcraft though, it’s Wicca. I don’t know if it was a politically correct thing or if witchcraft is something us commoners say because we watch too much TV.
I mentioned it to Dora once trying to clue-in and not offend my new friend. She told me that ‘Wicca was a religion, and witchcraft was legends and myths—just tales said to promote secular misunderstandings of good and evil in nature.’
Yeah if it all sounds like flibberty-jibbet to you, I don’t know what it means either.
Thea’s black rimmed eyes focus on me, and her shimmery purple lips spread into a charming Cheshire Cat smile. “You want to know what I’m doing?”
The girl looks like someone plugged her in. She’s beaming with excitement. “None of the people I used to know ever wanted to know about what I do! They think Wicca is devil worshipping. At first, people would look away or just leave if I brought it up. They thought I was a loser. Then they just stopped being there. Like you know, I would invite Satan to come to sit with us at lunch or something.”
Her friends sounded like assholes. I grin. “I’m not sure it’s not devil worship, but Dora allows it in her house.” I made air quotes and said, “a house that only nurtures happiness, health, and wellbeing.”
I keep quoting Dora because she is a kick to listen to and some of the things she says are rote to the point that I hear her tell them even when she isn’t there.
Thea laughs and nods in agreement. “Yeah, Aunt Dora is awesome. My mom is like her at heart but rather conservative in action. I love my mom, but she’s frighteningly normal. Gabby is like my mom and dad—sleepy, boring. All of them think that naming me after Aunt Dora is what made me weird.” She smiles happily about the name and the connection. For all the dark make-up and tight black clothes, Thea wasn’t what I imagined a goth to be. She was bright and cheerful. Upbeat even. She smiles a lot. All the goths I saw on TV were long faced and disenfranchised.
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Author Ali Lucia Sky
About the Author Ali Lucia Sky is the author of The Powers That Be series. She lives in Southern California with her husband and a house full of kitty cats and a yard full of crows.
She loves laughing, drinking good coffee, vegan food, and supporting animal rescues.
When she isn’t writing or dreaming of new stories, she can be found planning her next vacation because traveling is life.
If you encounter her in the wild, don’t be offended if she should run away. She’s timid with strangers, but can be plied with shiny things and pictures of your cat or dog.
Welcome to the book blitz for VIOLINS AND VAMPIRES, the first book in the adult paranormal romance series, Vampires of the Daemonverse, by Cee Bee, releasing August 25, 2022. See below for information on the book, preorder links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
VIOLINS AND VAMPIRES (Vampires of the Daemonvers Series #1) by Cee Bee
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: VIOLINS AND VAMPIRES Series: Vampires of the Daemonverse Series #1 Author: Cee Bee Publisher: Monster House Books Release Date: August 25, 2022
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
Lexa Uznetsov is trapped To save my sister, I take on my father’s massive debt to Konstantin the Rus, leader of the New York Bratva. My life becomes a never-ending (and incredibly illegal) stakeout for the mob. There’s barely time to sleep, let alone find love. In desperation, I approach Caelin MacGregor, the handsome Scotsman who runs Empire Investments. After all, what’s the worst that can happen?
Caelin MacGregor is a lost king Ages ago, I ruled a clan of Bloodkin vampires. My people are born to wield magic, drain humans, and live forever. That’s all over now. I’ve been alone for a thousand years. Today, I no longer care about the sunrise, let alone truly desire a woman. Then, I look upon Lexa. My world turns upside down…
Vampires of the Daemonverse Series
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires
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Excerpt #2
Alexa Another Saturday night, another stakeout.
This time, I’m in the Big Apple Café, watching the apartment of Dr Khatun. It’s a lot of nursing the same cup of java while staring out a window.
Suddenly, a man pauses on the sidewalk outside. This isn’t just any guy, mind you, but Caelin MacGregor, the so-called King of Empire Investments. Rumors are, Vass is a ruthless in business and a bastard in general. I believe those tales. Then there are other whispers. Folks say Caelin is a vampire with mind control powers. I have a different opinion on that.
What a load of B-S.
Caelin pauses, giving me a chance to inspect him more closely. To say that Caelin is just handsome is like declaring that the Mona Lisa is simply a painting.
The slightest shiver rolls across Caelin’s shoulders. Inch by inch, he turns toward me. My pulse skyrockets. Our gazes meet.
Everything goes haywire.
Lights flash in the coffee shop. Street lamps pulse and crackle. A breeze strikes up out of nowhere. Mist pours across the floor. An electric shock of worry moves through my limbs.
This can’t be good.
Everything in the coffee shop goes dark, except for a few beams of moonlight. Moments pass as my eyes adjust. Once I can see clearly again, I can’t believe what’s around me. The cafe is empty. The street outside is deserted as well. The entire city appears dark and abandoned.
And I’ve changed, too. Now I’m sitting on the tabletop with my skirt up and legs parted. A man towers before me.
It’s Caelin.
Maybe I should scream now or run for the exit, but I don’t. Instead, my entire being seems frozen in shock… Except for my ability to soak in more details of Caelin. Up close, this so-called king even more magnetic. A gentle scruff lines his chin. His face is framed with strong bone structure. His full lips appear ripe for a kiss. The gentle scent of musk and leather assaults me. It isn’t fair for this man to be gorgeous and smell good as well.
All this time, Caelin has been staring at me with a look that can only be described as worshipful hunger. Don’t get me wrong. I make side money in bikini contests. Getting ogled is nothing new. But I’ve never been visually devoured in the way that’s happening right now. The sheer intensity makes my core twist with desire. With every cell in my body, I want to touch the curl of hair at the base of Caelin’ neck. Some part of me screams that this whole situation is impossible.
More of me doesn’t care.
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Author Cee Bee
About the Author CEE BEE writes stories that blend epic fantasy, steamy romance, and lots of sass. If you want immersive tales that transport you to fresh worlds (and new book boyfriends) then you’ve come to the right author. To learn more about CEE BEE, please visit www.ceebeeauthor.com. Her new book, VIOLINS AND VAMPIRES, is available on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZYVCNC3
CEE BEE also writes young adult fare under the name Christina Bauer. Check out Christina’s books at www.christinabauerauthor.com. There’s a literal sh*t ton of them.
Welcome to the book blitz for MATES: MINERVA, the first book in the adult paranormal comedy series, Magical Misfits, by Bridget E. Baker. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
MATES – MINERVA (Magical Misfits Series #1) by Bridget E. Baker
Synopsis
Fans of the television series FRIENDS will love this supernatural romp on the magical side of NYC.
Forget Murphy—it should be called Minerva’s Law.
Paranormal affairs officer Minerva Lucent has always wanted to stand out by making a difference in the supernatural world. Unfortunately, she’s only managed to stick out—like a sore thumb. Her stun spells often misfire and freeze people by mistake. Her magical restraints have been known to pull objects to them like magnets. And last week, her truth spell caused a perp to start singing in verse.
But when a coveted guardian position opens up, Minerva’s determined to finally show everyone that she’s the witch for the job. She makes a plan to redeem her reputation, and she’s about to set it in motion, when her old finishing school pal, Roxana Goldenscales, shows up on her doorstep in dire need of assistance.
Can Minerva enact her plan and help Roxana (knock on wand!)? Or will she have to choose between becoming a guardian and being a good friend to her old mate?
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Excerpt #2 I wait until Ricky’s gone before I start to fan myself.
“He’s just being nice, you know.” Peter shrugs. “I couldn’t care less whether they know who I am. Guardians’ average life expectancy is thirty-five. Did you know that?”
I did, actually. “But what they do for the world can’t be measured.”
“Okay, Sparky,” Amber says. “Let’s go check on Mr. Shuffles.”
I know what my partner’s doing—trying to defuse this situation before I wind up on probation again. But guys like Peter have mocked me my entire life, and I always have to be the one to stand down. I’m sick of it.
“You’re an interesting guy,” I say. “When you were in school, did you learn what a Venn diagram is?”
Peter frowns.
“If I were to make one with a circle for stupid, and a circle for bully, and a circle for unattractive, you’d probably be the only officer here who managed to hit dead center in all three.”
Peter frowns, but he doesn’t look as apoplectic as he usually would. I’m guessing he doesn’t know what a Venn diagram is and didn’t really get my insult. Even so, he fires back. “You better rush off to check on that filthy vampire you put in lockdown before you really make me mad.”
“Uh-oh, Peter Chester, really mad? What must that look like? More spluttering? An even redder face?”
“Keep making jokes,” he says. “In the meantime, I’ll tell the Chief that he’ll have yet another chance to write a recommendation for the only mage on the force who can’t even bond a familiar. I bet he only recommends you in the hopes he might finally get rid of you.”
That one stings. I’ve tried more than six times to bond a familiar, but that particular spell never takes right for me, even when I tried it with a dog, and they’re so eager to bond that humans can practically do it. “I just haven’t found the right animal yet.”
“Thanks to a hunting accident, my uncle’s a little slow,” Peter says, “and even he has a rat.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that your relative bonded a rat,” Amber says. “Like calls to like, after all.”
Peter’s lip curls, and his partner, a brand new recruit, one of the burliest werewolves I’ve ever seen, is striding across the room toward us.
The Chief’s door opens abruptly. “Shift change.” He tilts his head at me. “First night back went alright?”
I nod.
“Great. Now go get some sleep so you’ll be fresh tonight.” I often wonder whether the Chief has auditory spells cast around the precinct. He casually opens his door in the middle of escalating fights a little too often.
Or maybe it’s just part of being a good Chief.
“Yes, sir.”
Amber walks out with me. “Don’t let them get to you. That guy just has an inferiority complex—”
“He’s not wrong, though.” What committee in their right mind would select a mage who can’t even bond a familiar to be a guardian?
Amber knows me well enough not to argue any further. Sometimes I just need to wallow. “See you tonight.”
Most people think the eight p.m. to eight a.m. shift is brutal, but I don’t mind working four twelves a week. I get eight hours of overtime, and I still have a three-day run of days off every week. Not too bad.
Usually I spend the drive home listening to classical music so that I can wind down and go to sleep. But this morning, even that doesn’t help. I’m just as keyed up when I exit the subway near my place. Peter’s a jerk, but he’s right about one thing. I can’t keep applying to be a guardian and being shocked when I don’t get it. The definition of insanity really is doing the same thing over and over and expecting something to inexplicably change. I may not be the most talented or consistent mage, but I’m bright.
Unfortunately, that’s not enough.
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Author Bridget E. Baker
About the Author Bridget loves her husband (every day) and all five of her kids (most days).
She’s a lawyer, but does as little legal work as possible. She has three quarter horse geldings, a Holsteiner (jumping) horse, and she spends too much time riding and not enough time writing. (Or too much time writing and not enough time riding, depending on your perspective!)
She has more chickens than she’ll admit to having, two lions head rabbits, a cat, two dogs (one bouncy and one yappy). She makes cookies waaaaay too often and believes they should be their own food group. In a (possibly misguided) attempt at balancing the scales, she kickboxes daily.
So if you don’t like her books, her kids, her horses, her chickens, or her cookies, maybe don’t tell her in person.
B.E. Baker is the romance/women’s fiction penname for Bridget E. Baker, who also writes fantasy, end of the world, and dystopian books that add a little magic to the world.
Please sign up for Bridget’s fantasy or romance newsletters on her website at www.BridgetEBakerWrites.com or click Follow on her bio above to get notices and updates when she releases new books!
Welcome to the book blitz for SHADOWED HORIZONS, the first book in the adult paranormal horror series, The Guardians, by Reily Garrett. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SHADOWED HORIZONS (The Guardians Series #1) by Reily Garrett
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: SHADOWED HORIZONS Series: The Guardians Series #1 Author: Reily Garrett Release Date: May 13, 2022 Genre: Adult Paranormal Horror Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Fate can have many paths. Which would you choose?
Kiera’s capacity to face death stems from training, begun when old enough to wield a knife. Befriended by wolves and raised by a group of psychic men sworn to protect humanity, she now faces mercenaries intent on reshaping the world using equal talents.
Prodigious keyboard skills and innate curiosity has led Wyatt McGlauklin to invent the unimaginable. He’s long since claimed status as the top computer science geek. Little do people know, there’s much more to Wyatt.
When a blonde spitfire steps out of nowhere to prevent his assassination, his life’s direction takes an extraordinary turn where his analytical mind can’t validate paranormal phenomena.
Fate decrees Kiera find her life partner, but she learns you don’t always get to choose whom you love. Wyatt’s arrival challenges destiny as they combine forces to preserve the world as they know it.
A must-read for fans of for fans of CM Sutter, Dale Mayer, Dean Koontz, LT Ryan, and Fiona Quinn.
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Excerpt #1 Each flip of the key ring around his index finger tallied another reason to quit the world of high stake’s business. Work stemming from a far-fetched theory had taken form and flourished beyond his imagination.
Unlike the soundless steps of his bodyguard’s booted strides, Wyatt’s tennis shoes pealed squishy squeaks through the dimly lit parking garage.
“Adam, this does not make my list of top favorite places to visit. Next time I help an old college friend, maybe we could pick a drier day and find parking other than a creepy garage?”
A rat skittered across the floor in the shadows, its gimlet-eyed stare marking the intruders’ positions. Air redolent of filth, gas, and pizza from a nearby restaurant clogged Wyatt’s sinuses, reminiscent of the alley apartment occupied during college. Since those lean years, digital fluency and hard work had jettisoned him to the top of his field.
The clash of artificial dingy light and murky silhouettes added an ominous, prophetic feeling he couldn’t shake. Water stains mingled with shapeless apparitions to create fleeting two-dimensional monsters between vehicles, ready to attack unwary travelers.
He was not a fan of inkblot tests.
I haven’t been spooked like this in years.
Adam shrugged. “As far as security is concerned, it’s not an ideal location since the street side is open, but it is the closest available. Roadside parking leaves you too vulnerable. As much as you cherish you privacy, I’m surprised you offered to help him. Why couldn’t you do it over the net?”
“Hardware issues require hands-on assistance. He’s my ex-roommate. I felt sorry for him. Modern advances in technology left him in the dust.”
“Next time, suggest a meeting during daylight hours and a place of our choosing?”
Adam narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as if listening to a far-off sound. The combination spelled trouble. His steps slowed and adopted a deliberate edge even as his shoulders tightened in preparation to strike.
“A graveyard walk would be less creepy, and a proctologist’s exam more fun.” Sweat beaded Wyatt’s forehead despite the cool spring breeze drifting over the graffiti-covered knee wall.
“This place feels off to me. Let’s get the hell out of here—” Adam stopped, holding out his right arm to halt their progress.
Wyatt’s slip on a crudely patched piece of concrete necessitated his bodyguard’s steadying hand. Dirt and loose crumbles skittered underfoot, their audio report echoing off the walls.
“Watch your step, boss. No need to broadcast our location.”
“You know,” Wyatt muttered. “People think of me as a good analytical, concrete thinker. I guess whatever higher power gifted me with intuitive abilities for logistics and computers exacted a mental tariff—common sense.” His penchant for talking when nervous filled the quiet atmosphere.
“My instincts say trouble’s GPS has locked on. Stay close.”
The soft glide of his bodyguard’s gun from his shoulder rig compelled Wyatt to suck in chilled air that seared his lungs. Each step forward carried the expectation of death.
“Intuition is your best survival tool and seldom wrong. For an athletic geek, yours is pretty good.”
Wyatt didn’t argue the conciliatory assessment. Routine sparring with Adam revealed the bodyguard had reflexes that boggled the mind.
Sudden sharp beeps shattered the silence. A sequence of long and short chirps denoting binary code identified Wyatt’s caller. His heart rate shot into overdrive. Hair on his nape prickled as he fumbled the device. Swiping to ignore didn’t recall the audible beacon.
Massive pillars supported the five-story concrete structure that supplied parking space for the attached office building. Rounding one to his left, Wyatt stumbled as Adam snatched him sideways.
The colossal brute they almost bounced off had detached from the shadows with a stealth befitting a sixteenth century ninja. Colossal mass defied speed but personified malice with a savage gaze and gap-toothed smile.
“Jesus!” Wyatt’s split-second observation induced a rush of adrenaline with the hand holding his cell thrusting forward in self-protection. “Damn. You’re big.”
Deep chuckling inspired images of the worst villains in horror movies.\
Brown hair pulled back in a ponytail swept the shoulder of the man bearing a gold tooth. A ridge of pitted, tanned skin separated the straight bushy unibrow deepening with a tilt of his head. Dark eyes retained terrible knowledge embracing and calculating endless methods for the most efficient kill.
After flicking a glance over the bodyguard in silent disregard, the brute’s appraisal raked Wyatt’s body head to toe. Thin lips widened in obvious glee.
“Time to meet your maker, prodigy.” He mimicked Wyatt’s sidestep in a lightning-fast move and knocked Adam’s gun from his hand. The pistol ricocheted under a nearby Toyota producing multiple tin-like clinks.
Time shattered into bits and pieces where each fractured instant unfurled another fragment of the ominous scene. Wyatt’s thoughts stuttered on a long blink.
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Author Reily Garrett
About the Author Reily Garrett is a writer, mother, and companion to three long coat German shepherds. When not working with her dogs, she’s sitting at her desk with her fur kids by her side.
Author of chilling suspense and snarky romance, her stories span the distance of romantic thrillers, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. Regardless of genre, each book delves into a dark and twisted imagination yet is tempered with romance and a touch of humor.
Reviews by Kirkus Reviews, San Francisco Bay Review, and BestThrillers.com best describe her work:
“This could be James Patterson, Lee Child, and Tess Gerritsen rolled into one, but the dark, twisted methods used by the serial killer could surprise even those readers…” – San Francisco Bay Review
Welcome to the blog tour for OATH BREAKER, the first book in the adult paranormal romance series, The Angel of Death & Demons, by River Starr. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
OATH BREAKER (Angel of Death and Demons Series #1) by River Starr
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: OATH BREAKER Series: The Angel of Death & Demons #1 Author: River Starr Release Date: May 5, 2022 Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis No one survives their meeting with the Angel of Death—except for me.
After being accused of rallying citizens to revolt against him and breaking the rules of engagement with demons to save my best friend—guilty as charged on both accounts—the Angel of Death demands to personally oversee my sentencing in his obsidian castle of demons and death.
I’m done for. This is the end. But my death won’t be in vain—I’ll die a martyr to the Paladins Order’s cause, and I’ll rescue my best friend at the same time. She’ll be safe and the paladins will pick a new leader. They’ll thrive and continue the fight.
Or so I think. When judgment day arrives and I’m knelt before the Angel of Death, with his onyx eyes, his ebony hair, and his seductively imposing stature, my soul doesn’t leave me.
It soars.
Because when I dare to look the Angel of Death in the eyes, everything changes. And what unfolds in my anger and vengeance’s stead is a thread of events I never could have foreseen.
I survived my meeting with the Angel of Death. But can I survive his love?
OATH-BREAKER is the first of a M/F paranormal demon romance duology full of steamy goodness.
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Excerpt #2 The Angel of Death chuckled. He actually chuckled. “Your previous leader was weak and died to demons along Alastia’s border before I had a chance get there. To accuse me of murdering not only the leader of the Paladins Order but, in doing so, also destroying the precarious truce between our people, is perhaps not the smartest move while you and your people are within my grasp.”
My blood boiled. Screw playing nice. I wished Jessa weren’t in the room. But I also knew that my pain right now—emotional though it was—would feed her power enough to help me fight if one broke out.
I glanced up to meet the Angel of Death’s stare. “Merek was not weak—”
I froze as our eyes met. It was like someone or something had punched me right in the gut. My breath hitched. My heart stopped. For a moment, it even felt as though time had, too.
The Angel of Death was breathtaking. Gorgeous. And it wasn’t just his fathomless onyx eyes and tussled ebony hair, although those had drawn me in first. It wasn’t the hard cut of his jaw or his statuesque features. Not even the faint scar along his chin that brought questions to my mind. No. None of those things were anything in comparison to the aura around him—power, position. Nor even his scent—earthy and smoky—that slammed into me a moment later. It also wasn’t the way his eyes widened a fraction the longer this moment drew on, as if he had realized it, too, now that our eyes had met.
They say that when you meet the love of your life, you just know. That that was how it also worked with your fated mate.
Now looking the Angel of Death in the eyes, not only seeing him for the first time, but feeling the weight of his presence and power, I knew what I’d always assumed to be true: Fate had never been on my side, and She was not funny.
Merek had been my mate. I’d known it the first moment we’d met. We’d clicked immediately and loved fiercely until the night of his death.
And here I was, staring down the Angel of Death, the demon king of this city, begging for him to let Jessa go, and realizing that he, too, was somehow my mate.
My fated mate. A stronger pull. An impossibly powerful connection.
The recognition was instantaneous. The bond as powerful as the sun.
I’d heard you could have more than one mate. I’d even known a few paladins in the Order whom it had happened to.
But this—now, after Merek’s death—was too much to process. This aura flitting between us was stronger than anything I’d ever felt in my entire life.
The Angel of Death growled, his lips curling. I stood straight and met his anger with my own, my fists curled and ready to attack, clunky as it might be with my wrists bound as they were. It wouldn’t be graceful, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.
“I’m glad I’m not the only one pissed about this,” I said as I drew up my bound fists. I refused to believe fate had given me another mate—especially one responsible for killing my first.
Before the Angel of Death or any of his soldiers could react, I swung wide at his face.
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Author River Starr
About the Author River Starr writes books that help you escape, especially fantasy romance full of magic and supernaturals. Favorite things: coffee, wine, chocolate, and a heavy dose of books to chase away the dark… or invite delicious darkness in.
Welcome to the book blitz for DEMON THRONE, the first book in the adult paranormal urban fantasy romance series, Demons of Morningstar, by USA Today bestselling author, Debbie Cassidy. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
DEMON THRONE (Demons of Morningstar Series #1) by Debbie Cassidy
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: DEMON THRONE Series: Demons of Morningstar Series #1 Author: Debbie Cassidy Release Date: April 14, 2022 Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Nothing brightens up a Monday like finding out you’re the spawn of Satan
The big bad is dead and now Satan’s spawn must fight for the Morningstar throne. I’m tossed into the ring, whether I want to be there or not.
I’m mostly human, a hunter by trade, and totally outmatched by my half siblings. The chance I’ll survive these tests and claim the throne is slim.
Then someone starts assassinating my siblings.
It’s only a matter of time until I’m next.
I’m not the kind of girl who depends on anyone, but there are four demons who could help me survive this fiasco—a sadistic Nightmare, a psychotic efreet, a charismatic Fallen and Sin, an unhinged monster. Problem is, like all demons, they’re absolutely, sinfully tempting.
I’m pretty sure they each have their own agenda.
I’m also pretty sure one of them is the killer.
Let the games begin.
An Urban Fantasy Paranormal Romance filled with action, mystery, sizzle and multiple love interests for our lucky heroine.
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Excerpt Sin stood, ass propped on the workbench, legs planted wide, head tipped back as a demon female knelt before him, working him noisily. Sin wasn’t touching her. His hands were braced on the workbench behind him, chest vibrating as she applied herself to her task. What was she doing with her teeth? And that gobbling noise? That was not the best technique.
I tore my gaze from her, dragging it up Sin’s washboard abs and hard pecs to find his midnight eyes fixed on me. “Nyx.” He said my name like an invitation, and I found myself fighting the urge to step forward, shove the useless woman out of the way, and take her place. I didn’t do any of that, though. Instead, I crossed my arms and arched an amused brow. “Hello, Sin, did I interrupt something fun?”
To give her credit, the demon hadn’t stopped working him; if anything, her ministrations become faster, almost desperate.
Sin placed his hand on her head. “Enough.”
She disengaged with a pop, looking up at him. “But you said you had to come. You haven’t come yet.”
He looked down at her dispassionately. “I know.”
“But that means I won’t get what I want.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
She stood slowly and turned to glare at me. “This is your fault. You interrupted us and ruined it.”
“No,” Sin said. “Your technique leaves much to be desired. Come back when you’ve perfected it and we can trade.”
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times and then pressed her lips together, pushing back her shoulders in determination. “I will be back, Sin. Mark my words.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Sin smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
The woman brushed past me and dove into the stacks, eager to get away now, but her departure left me with an unobstructed view of Sin’s demonhood, and damn…
Sin reached for himself, slowly, carefully tucking away his prize. I cleared my throat and pulled my gaze up to his face. F*ck, he had a beautiful face, hard planes and chiseled jaw, wide, flat cheekbones, and dark eyes that swam with flecks of silver. He would have been angelic in appearance if not for the slightly crimson hue to his smooth, velvety skin and the horns that curved up and back from his head.
“What do you want today, Nyx?” he asked in his deep, gravelly voice.
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Author Debbie Cassidy
About the Author Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head – in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
Today is release day for PIPER’S PURGATORY, a standalone adult paranormal romance by USA Today bestselling author Maureen A. Miller. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and a link to add it to your Goodreads TBR.
Synopsis
Is it possible to fall in love in the afterlife?
The last thing Piper Malko ever expected was to have her life snatched away so early. When she wakes up on the front steps of her brownstone to a rose-colored facsimile of her world, she is forced to come to grips with her demise. Why is she still trapped on her street, though? Was there a debate as to her final destination? Any attempt to ask the gauzy pedestrians passing by goes unheard. No one notices her. Until she sees him—over six feet of well-defined humanity staring back at her from across the street.
Russell Hughes is dead. He can remember the impact of the car. But there was no bright light. No portal to the beyond. Instead, everything around him is pink. Except for her. The attractive woman across the street.
Together, Piper and Russ try to piece together the crime that killed two strangers on the same road. If they can find their killer, then maybe they can escape this rosy limbo.
But will leaving purgatory tear them apart…just as they’re falling in love?
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Excerpt It could have been minutes—maybe even hours that she sat watching phantom figures pass by.
Motion at the street corner caught her attention. Just another foggy remnant of an Earthbound soul.
No.
Wait.
Her eyes snapped at the shock of color.
Blue.
Frustrated, she blinked away tears and grit.
It was a man.
With a shoulder propped against the building, his long back faced her. His hand was hitched in the pocket of his jeans while his head inched up, searching the sky.
Piper slowly uncurled her body and rose. Hands shaking, she tried to grab the railing for support.
Convinced her eyes were playing tricks on her, she searched the avenue. In a swirling sea of pink and red ribbons laced with airy pedestrians and transparent cars, the man stood in stark contrast.
Blue—glorious—authentic—contrast.
Piper picked her way across the street, dodging a vending truck. There was no tailwind. No scent of exhaust. And no need to dodge. Those factors didn’t register. Her focus was solely on the man now half a block away. As real as he looked in his jeans and flannel shirt, she expected him to dissolve on approach. So far, though, he remained convincingly intact. All the phantom pedestrians she had passed were bundled for the late autumn chill, but like her, he wore no coat.
This man had ruffled brown hair as if a strong breeze played with the soft ends. Hitched against the brick façade, the broad width of his shoulders was evident. Half of the blue flannel shirt was tucked into jeans that rode low over his hips.
“Hello?” she tested quietly, afraid to be rejected again.
The man’s arm jerked as he hefted off the wall. Sharp eyes flared open and traveled over her face, briefly trailing down her arms before they hiked back up to her gaze.
“Hello.”
Husky. Tentative. His voice rumbled across the space between them.
Green. His eyes were green. Not red. Not pink. Not amethyst. Not translucent. A rich, vibrant green like sunshine over a field of wild grass.
“You—you see me?”
Any other time she might worry that she sounded like a nut job, but now was not the time.
“I do,” he murmured, his eyes tracing her chin and sliding up into her hair. “Are you—” he hesitated, “—real?”
Piper almost collapsed.
“Real,” she repeated, her lips hiking into a smile.
His mouth quivered in an attempt to mimic it.
“As real as can be in this place.”
Even in death, she tried to play it cool.
Don’t look desperate.
Don’t look eager.
Don’t drool.
“Can I touch you?” she asked.
Soooo not cool!
This time his full lips settled into a smile. He raised his arm with his palm up. It was only inches away. She stared at that hand with broad fingers and a callused patch between the thumb and forefinger.
Tentative, she reached forward and tapped her pointer in the sinewy center. His fingers snapped around it, making her scream and yank free.
“Sorry,” he chuckled. “You looked like you were trying to touch a scorpion.”
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Author Maureen A. Miller
About the Author USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Miller worked in the software industry for fifteen years. She crawled around plant floors in a hard hat and safety glasses hooking up computers to behemoth manufacturing machines. The job required extensive travel. The best form of escapism during those lengthy airport layovers became writing.
Maureen’s first novel, WIDOW’S TALE, earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. Initially, she wrote for Harlequin’s digital imprint, but when the little voices in her head called for her to craft the young adult science fiction BEYOND series, it didn’t quite fit into the Harlequin world. So, she put on her big boy pants and went out on her own. The grownup in her still writes romantic suspense, but her inner adventure girl enjoys young adult adventures.
Welcome to the Blog Tour for MIRRORS AND MYSTERIES, the ninth book in the young adult paranormal romance series, Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, by Christina Bauer. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
MIRRORS AND MYSTERIES (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum Series #9) by Christina Bauer
Synopsis Rapunzel meets Jane Eyre in the epic conclusion of this fairy tale romance!
Grayson Eyre has left her old life behind. She’s no longer stuck serving Lady R, a sadistic Rapunzel from the Lowood clan of elves. Instead, Grayson now teaches at the Thornfield home for shifter orphans. Even better, her boss is none other than the sexy alpha, Dex. It’s all good until a mysterious witch, Jocasta, appears in a nearby tower, demanding that Dex and Grayson discover the true nature of all Rapunzels. If not, Lady R will return to claim Grayson… and Thornfield will be wiped out by the evil Prism Master. Can Dex and Grayson discover the truth in time? And what will it mean for their growing attraction?
Secrets are revealed and feelings explored in this epic conclusion to the story of Dex and Grayson!
Fairy Tales of the Magicorum: Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
1. Wolves and Roses
2. Moonlight and Midtown
3. Shifters and Glyphs
4. Slippers and Thieves
5. Bandits and Ball Gowns
6. Fire and Cinder
7. Fairies and Frosting
8. Towers and Tithes
9. Mirrors and Mysteries
10. Love and Ether
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Excerpt #2 Grayson
Pine trees tower above me. Soft breezes rustle my hair. Beams of moonlight peep through the canopy of branches. I stroll beside Dex, my hand resting on his forearm.
We’re a man and woman, walking along… something that happens every second of every minute of every hour of every day. It shouldn’t be a big deal.
To me, it is.
I’ve never touched a man before—not even the Prism Master—let alone someone like Dex. My insides are doing flip flops. Dex’s leather armor is so soft and firm. I can’t help but wonder if that’s how his skin would feel as well. And kissing? I shiver. That’s way too much to consider. A voice starts echoing through my mind. It sounds a lot like Lady R.
You’re so excited walk beside a man. How pathetic. Even from a distance, no one would think you and Dex are together. You’re too short and that dress is for a servant. And once anyone gets close enough to see your face? You’re plain as dirt.
A weight of sadness settles on my shoulders. I just escaped Lady R. Yet, she still lives on in my head. The worst part of all is simple: she’s right. Dex looks like a warrior-king of old, standing center stage in all his glory. I’m only an extra who cheers him on from behind the scenes.
My eyes sting with hidden pain. This started off as a nice moment. Now every step forward hurts me a little more.
Even though he can’t see, Dex slowly leads us to a great stone gateway. The heavy wooden door sits ajar. We step through the opening and into the city itself. It’s a lot of dark wooden buildings with slate roofs and thin windows.
And it’s dead.
Back in the woods, I feel life all around me. Insects chirp. Small animals scurry about. Everything is green and healthy. But here, there’s nothing but darkness and grim. Empty windows stare out from run-down buildings. Doorways hang loose on their hinges. Our footsteps sound like a lonely drumroll in the night.
Dex leads us toward a building made of dark wood. The tallest tower of all winds up from its center. A large wooden sign sits on a pole before the place.
Thornfield.
Seeing that name in writing brings back a memory. The first book I found hidden in the Bartlebee included a building called Thornfield as well.
“Is that your home?” I ask.
Dex inhales. “The scent is right. Why, does something look different?”
“The sign says Thornfield and the building is huge.”
“That’s the place, all right.”
An idea appears. Maybe this is a sign. After all, there are other ways where my life mirrors that book.
About the Author
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates
Welcome to the blog tour for THE STARS FORGOT US, a standalone young adult paranormal suspense, by R.J. Garcia. See below for information on the book, buy links, my five-star review, and details on her giveaway.
THE STARS FORGOT US by R.J. Garcia
Synopsis Fifteen-year-old Jacob Kelly would love to go back to simpler times. Before his parents’ divorce and the onset of his brother’s Schizophrenia. But when he returns to his hometown, things feel off. After a series of strange occurrences, Jacob fears his new house is haunted or worse yet, he is losing his mind.
To his surprise, Jacob discovers a mysterious teenage runaway, Sanctuary Daniels, living in the house. She reveals she has been kept by a figure known only as Mother, in a place where downstairs children are languishing prisoners, and upstairs children do Mother’s bidding.
Jacob’s investigation into Sanctuary’s allegations, along with their budding romance, are cut short when she is reclaimed by evil beings. Beings who unleash terror upon Jacob and his family. Now he must journey to a real haunted house to save his first love and fight for his very life.
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My Review This was such a fun read! It starts off with a bang and just keeps going. Fifteen-year-old Jacob, his single mom, and his mentally ill older brother, Michael, move back to their hometown, and into a house that may or may not be haunted. The fact that Michael hears voices doesn’t help Jacob when he starts to hear a girl’s voice coming from inside his house. After all, schizophrenia can run in families. But it’s more than just voices with someone writing on the walls of his closet. Soon Jacob is seeing things, or someone specifically — Sanctuary (Ary) Daniels, the first girl he ever crushed on in middle school, who mysteriously disappeared before he moved away.
But nothing is as it seems. Ary tells a horrific tale of abuse at the hands of her foster mother, but she also tells obvious lies about how she ended up in his house, only making everything else she tells him suspect. But Jacob is drawn to her, and not just because she was his first crush. There’s something about her that makes him trust her more than not. And that’s when things get really interesting.
Plot The story flows really well and kept me turning the pages. Chapters are short and full of action and mystery that never stops coming. The romance is sweet and well done. The author does a masterful job of weaving in twists and turns that leaving you needing to know what happens next!
The Characters I love all the characters. They’re all so interesting and fun; like the kind of people you’d want to hang out with. You know, without all the dangerous stuff happening on-page. Jacob is sweet, Michael is multi-faceted, their mom acts like you’d expect a mom of teen boys to behave — I cannot overstate how rare that is in YA. Ary is by far the most intriguing character, with good reason, which I will not spoil for you.
Top Five Things I Loved About THE STARS FORGOT US 1. Jacob. He has his flaws, but he’s one of the good ones.
2. Twists. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize you have no idea what’s going to happen next.
3. Lucas. Jacob’s cousin, and one of his best childhood friends, is deeply layered. He kept me guessing on what his angle really was.
4. Pacing. The story moved at a perfect pace, keeping my interest throughout.
5. Ary. Her sweet innocence and complex nature made her an enigma that was a fun change from many YA love interests.
Bottom Line Fun fast read with excellent pacing and wonderful characters! This makes me want to read more by R.J. Garcia.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE STARS FORGOT US Author: R.J. Garcia Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing Release Date: March 30, 2022 Pages: 298 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Suspense Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
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Author by R.J. Garcia
About the Author R.J. Garcia is a wife and proud mom. She earned her MSW and worked with foster children and as a school social worker. Writing has been her other great love. She has published several non-fiction pieces. She has been writing short-stories for as long as she can remember. To her amazement, those short stories became novels!
Welcome to the book blitz for SAVAGE CITY, the first book in the adult paranormal romance series, The Bliss Wars, by L. Penelope. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SAVAGE CITY (The Bliss Wars Series #1) by L. Penelope
Synopsis
For Talia, death is only the beginning of survival…
When a tragic accident cuts my lonely life short, instead of heaven or hell, I’m stolen away to a terrifying city of warring shifter clans—the Nimali and the Fai. The Nimali mistake me for their missing princess. Her father, the dragon king, is identical to my own. But in this world, he dotes on me with the love and affection I always craved. And in a land with no tolerance for outsiders, feigning amnesia and impersonating shifter royalty may be the only way to survive.
For Ryin, falling in love is the worst kind of betrayal…
As a Fai warrior in captivity, I’m forced to serve my enemy even as I plot their destruction. The lost princess returned much changed, now the heat between us crackles irresistibly. While helping her heal using my magical talents, I begin to question what I thought I knew about the Nimali. She remains as forbidden as ever, but she also might be the key to freedom for me and my people.
Caught between two enemy factions balancing on the knife-blade of annihilation, our lies are the only thing keeping us alive, but they just might be our undoing.
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Excerpt #2 I stare at Victor, my head still spinning. Victor all grown up—which is something he never had the chance to do. The darkness and the cold fade away. I can’t tear my gaze away from him.
As a kid, he was a little awkward, sort of gangly, already six feet tall at the age of thirteen with dark freckles and a giant, reddish-brown afro that was perpetually lopsided. I was absolutely smitten. He was the son of my father’s housekeeper, and for a few months they lived in a little apartment above the garage. I used to spy on him through my bedroom window as he shot hoops in the driveway until my stepmother complained that the bouncing gave her a migraine. He and his mother found their own place after that, and I would only see him every once in a while, on school half-days or holidays. Then, when he was sixteen, he was in a park with some friends and was killed in a drive-by shooting.
If he’d lived, he’d be twenty-eight, and that’s about the age of the man next to me—the one with Victor’s face and a different name. He’s still lean, his hair still tinged with red. But there is no light of recognition in his gaze. I’d thought for a moment, blinking to look up into his eyes, that I was in heaven and would be reunited with people who were important to me, like the pre-teen crush I never quite got over. But that spark of joy flickers and dies. If this were heaven, would he have kept growing older?
A shiver races through me, cutting through the thin fabric of my gown. And heaven wouldn’t have me somehow on the top of a giant wall surrounded by men and women who dress like futuristic renaissance faire cosplayers. They’re all in black, the material tough and leatherish and fitted with reinforced shoulders and elbows and knees. It’s pretty badass, and I wouldn’t mind an outfit like that too. Looks warm. The only other person not dressed like Mad Max meets King Arthur is Victor—no, not Victor, Ryin. Who’s dressed all in dark gray, his clothes softer and less armor-like.
He won’t look at me anymore, and I miss his attention. He’s the only familiar thing here, and even if he’s not Victor, his presence is still a grounding rod in the electrical storm that has become my life—afterlife, whatever.
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Author L. Penelope
About the Author L. Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science in college and sometimes dreams in HTML. After living on both coasts, she settled in Maryland with her husband and their furry dependents. Sign up for new release information and giveaways on her website: http://www.lpenelope.com
