Accepted Wisdom

ARC Review Modern Monsters by Kelley York

2015-06-05T19:19:00.001-05:00

Title: Modern Monsters

Author: Kelley York

Source: NetGalley and Entangled Publishing

Genre: YA Contemporary

# of Pages: 352

Release Date: June 2, 2015

My rating: 5/5 Stars

Buy Links: |Amazon|B&N|

Synopsis:

Vic Howard never wanted to go to the party. He’s the Invisible Guy at school, a special kind of hell for quiet, nice guys. But because his best friend is as popular as Vic is ignored, he went…

And wished he hadn’t.

Because something happened to a girl that night. Something terrible, unimaginable, and Callie Wheeler’s life will never be the same. Plus, now Callie has told the police that Vic is responsible. Suddenly, Invisible Vic is painfully visible, on trial both literally, with the police, and figuratively, with the angry kids at school. As the whispers and violence escalate, he becomes determined to clear his name, even if it means an uneasy alliance with Callie's best friend, the beautiful but aloof Autumn Dixon.

But as Autumn and Vic slowly peel back the layers of what happened at the party, they realize that while the truth can set Vic free, it can also shatter everything he thought he knew about his life…

My Review

*I received this e-ARC from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review*

What if your life was uprooted and you were haunted by rape and deception? What if you were accused of being a rapist and a liar when you were innocent? Do you think you could survive society’s judgment? Could you handle living in the constant fear of bodily harm? Most rape stories are told from the perspective of the victim, but in Modern Monsters the story is told through the eyes of the accused. It’s raw and edgy, a new take on a horrible situation that will force your mind open to things you never considered before.

Vic is the main character and the man accused of rape, something he would never do. I was surprised by the manner in which he dealt with the situation: In his agony, he is most concerned with the well-being of Callie, the girl who accused him. He is upset and devastated, but his empathy for her situation makes him a selfless person with a kind and gentle heart. He makes it his mission along with Autumn, Callie's best friend, to find out who the real perpetrator is. When the guilty person is revealed you will be in utter shock... it totally stunned me speechless.

*My Thoughts & Writing Style*
This is the first time I've read any of Kelley York's work and now I want to read more immediately. The characters were so realistic (especially Vic) that I forgot I was reading fiction. It's challenging finding dark YA fiction that isn't sugar coated, but Modern Monsters pressed the boundaries and made for a fantastically candid read. I flew through this 350-page book in in 2 days! I remember a status update I wrote for this book in which I said that I felt I was watching a Law & Order: SVU episode, and that's the easiest way for me to sum up this novel. It would make for a heck of an episode for that show or even a Lifetime channel movie. It does have mature subject matter, but rape is real and opening up conversation about it is one way to educate, foster understanding, and empower women who have experienced something similar. This book shows a different aspect to this crime that is often overlooked. Give it a chance... you will be glad you did.

BLOG TOUR The Test By: B.A. Sherman

2015-05-27T09:29:00.000-05:00

The Test

By: B.A. Sherman

Release Date: May 1st, 2015

Add it to your Goodreads TBR:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25232777-the-test

The Test opens in what appears to be a hospital room where a patient is being injected with some sort of fluid. In the next scene, Greg, a 17-year-old living in the small town of Parsons, Kansas, is devastated when he loses his mother and sister in a horrific car accident caused by an escaped mental patient.

To put behind him the desolation and loss he feels and also to get road rage drivers off the streets, Greg becomes a cop. He is good at it. During this time, life begins to turn around for him: he falls in love and marries Mica, and finds a renewed passion for life. The family moves to Denver and Greg takes a job as a police officer there.

As Greg works the mean streets of Denver, a dark feeling inside of him begins to bubble up. This unexplainable thing, which he tries to keep buried, erupts with full force and with some deep dark strength, it now controls him.

Greg becomes obsessively driven by this inner voice telling him to go out and kill. First it is road-rage drivers, then anyone whose looks he doesn’t like. Unable to control the voice and the urges, he cannot help alienating his wife and daughter, who eventually leave him and move back to Kansas. Greg begins screwing up at work on the force and increasingly getting into arguments. One black night out on a job, he ends up cornered by his own officers and is shot. Evil has been conquered…or has it all just been a test?

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http://www.amazon.com/Test-Greg-Dorn-Book-ebook/dp/B00VAL0SI2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

PAPERBACK: $9.99

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Test-Greg-Dorn-1/dp/1511456884/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

CREATESPACE: https://www.createspace.com/5397493

In the small town of Parsons, Kansas, 17-year old Greg is devastated when he loses his mother and sister in a horrific car accident caused by an escaped mental patient. To put behind him the desolation and loss he feels-and also to get rid of road rage drivers from the streets-Greg becomes a cop. He is good at it. During this time, life begins to turn around for him: he falls in love and marries his high school sweetheart and finds a renewed passion for life.The family moves to Denver and Greg takes a job as a police officer there. As Greg works the mean streets of Denver, a dark feeling inside of him begins to bubble up. This unexplainable thing, which he tries to keep buried, erupts with full force and with some deep dark strength, it now controls him. Greg becomes obsessively driven by this inner voice telling him to go out and kill. First it is road-rage drivers-then anyone whose looks he doesn't like. Unable to control the voice and the urges, he cannot help alienating his wife and daughter, who eventually leave him and move back to Kansas. Greg begins screwing up at work on the force and increasingly getting into arguments. One black night out on a "job", he ends up cornered by his own officers and is shot. Evil has been conquered...or has it all just been a test?

B.A. Sherman's passion is writing psychological thrillers. He lives in Colorado with his wife and daughter and, when not writing novels, he is a police officer in Colorado. He has been in law enforcement for 24 years. The Test is his first full-length novel.

The short stories and books he writes are based on experiences he's had over the years, with "a heaping spoonful of fiction," he says. He has published one short story, The Truth, currently available on Amazon.com.

When he's not writing and working, Brad enjoys hunting, camping, fishing and skiing. These are areas he plans to write about in the future, perhaps incorporating them into a thriller or two.

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR:

Twitter: @BAsherman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bradley.a.sherman
My Website: www.basherman.com

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COVER REVEAL Death of the Spirit by Rick Chiantaretto

2015-02-13T06:01:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday the 13th!

The cover for Death of the Spirit (Crossing Death #2) is finally here, but it isn't enough to do JUST a cover reveal and giveaway. We want to give something to EVERYONE! So for this very special release, scroll down to get Death of the Body (Crossing Death #1) FREE.

Death of the Spirit (Crossing Death #2)

Author: Rick Chiantaretto
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Occult, Suspense
Release Date: March 13, 2015

Synopsis:

I have no idea who I am anymore.

In Los Angeles, I would have given anything to go home to Orenda, my world where magic was alive and nature spoke to me. Now that I'm back I feel out of place, burdened with responsibility. The human part of me misses the simplicity of Earth, the mage part begs for connection with magic, and the demon part? I don't want to admit that exists.

As the darkness inside me grows, I'll learn to sacrifice for the greater good, as my people have always done. In order to save my family (both mage and human alike), I must face my nightmare, embrace the demon, and descend into the shadowy world of my enemy—the Hell of the Damned.

Once there, I will have nothing left to fear but myself: Edmund Gavel, human, mage, demon... maybe monster.

Cover

Cover by Eden Crane Design

Click here to preorder - $2.99

About the Author

I've often been accused of having done more in my life than the average person my age, but if I were completely honest I'd have to tell you my secret: I'm really 392.

So after all this time, I'm a pretty crappy writer.

I have some books published and a bunch half written (when you have eternity, why rush?). I've been favorably reviewed by horror greats like Nancy Kilpatrick, and my how-to-write-horror articles have been quoted in scholarly (aka community college freshmen's) papers.

I enjoy the occasional Bloody Mary, although a Bloody Kathy or Susan will suffice.

Mostly, I just try to keep a low profile so people don't figure out who I REALLY am.

Giveaway

Haven't started the Crossing Death series?

Good thing today is lucky Friday the 13th!

I grew up in a world of magic. By the time I was ten I understood nature, talked to the trees, and listened to the wind. When the kingdom of men conquered my town, I was murdered by one of my own-the betrayer of my kind.

But I didn't stay dead.

I woke to find myself in a strange new world called Los Angeles. The only keys to the life I remembered were my father's ring, my unique abilities, and the onslaught of demons that seemed hell-bent on finding me. Now I must learn who I really am, protect my friends, get the girl, and find my way back to my beloved hometown of Orenda.

Click to GET IT FREE:

Amazon | iBooks | Smashwords | Kobo

Cover Reveal Two Truths and a Lie by Ashley Stoyanoff

2015-02-01T09:49:00.000-06:00

Two Truths and a Lie

By: Ashley Stoyanoff

Publication date: Feb. 28th, 2015

Genres: New Adult, Romance
Designed By: Okay Creations

Synopsis:
One year ago, I became a missing person. I left everything behind—family, friends, school. It seemed like a good idea at the time. My only option, really, until I realized running from a police officer isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

It’s been exactly three-hundred and sixty-five days since I left home, but I’m finally ready to take the step I should have taken a year ago. I’m done hiding. I’m done running. I’m going to take my life back.

It was supposed to be easy. A meeting with Jason Pierce, a private investigator, was set up for me. All I had to do was go to him, let him do his thing, and then I could go home, or so I thought.
That is, until I met Jason and things got … complicated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashley Stoyanoff is an author of paranormal romance books for young adults, including The Soul's Mark series and the Deadly Trilogy. She lives in Southern Ontario with her husband, Jordan, and two cats: Tanzy and Trinity.

In July 2012, Ashley published her first novel, The Soul's Mark: FOUND, and shortly thereafter, she was honored with The Royal Dragonfly Book Award for both young adult and newbie fiction categories.

An avid reader, Ashley enjoys anything with a bit of romance and a paranormal twist. When she's not writing or devouring her latest read, she can be found spending time with her family, watching cheesy chick flicks or buying far too many clothes.

Ashley loves hearing from her readers, so feel free to connect with her online.

Author links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter |

Pre-Valentine's Day Sale Reclaim Me by A.O. Peart

2015-01-27T12:20:00.001-06:00

Title: Reclaim Me
Series: Change Me/McCoy Raven Brothers

Author: A.O. Peart

SYNOPSIS

When the past comes charging back, the choice is never easy.

Abused as a child, Willow Conrad has managed to develop compassion for others early in life. She believes there is some good in every person, even in the “lost souls”. But when Seth, her boyfriend, loses his temper one last time, she is left badly beaten and broken inside.

Jack McCoy has finally grown up. He used to engage in street brawls to release his anger and reassure himself of his own worth. Serving in the Marine Corps and then becoming a firefighter has put his life back on track.

When Jack’s friend asks him to help Willow, he doesn’t hesitate, despite a reckless predicament he narrowly escaped that very evening. But when he stands face-to-face with Willow, he knows his past is back to haunt him.

Will they take the second chance and let not-so-forgotten feelings resurface and blossom, moving past what drove them apart before? Or will Jack relapse into his destructive ways and lose Willow forever?

* Due to mature themes, strong language, and sexual situations, this series is intended for adult readers only

BUY IT BEFORE PRICE GOES BACK UP!

~ AMAZON US ~

~ AMAZON UK ~

AUTHOR BIO

A.O. Peart writes romantic comedy, romantic suspense, paranormal, and urban fantasy novels. Her Bestselling romantic suspense novel Resist Me has been listed as #1 in several Amazon categories and on Bestseller lists, including the Movers & Shakers. Books in her NA contemporary romantic comedy series Almost Bad Boys were also listed as Bestsellers on Amazon and were nominated by the Indie Romance Convention 2014 for four different categories, including The Best Indie Upcoming Series, while Angela was nominated as Best Indie Author of the Year 2014 http://indieromancecon.com/nominations/. Almost Matched was voted as #36 among "The 50 Best Self-Published Books Worth Reading 2014"

Angela lives in the Seattle area with her family and a chronically curious cat Cinnamon. You can often spot her in one of the countless Seattle Starbucks locations, feverishly typing on her computer and sipping coffee with cream—or rather cream with some coffee in it. Don’t be surprised when a paperback you ordered from her arrives “decorated” with coffee and chocolate stains (kidding!)

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | NEWSLETTER | AMAZON

Book Blast Losing It: A Collection of V-Cards

2015-01-27T12:01:00.000-06:00

I am so super excited about this collection!

Two weeks until release!

Here's what's in store:

22 stops. 22 different prizes. 22 true stories from the Losing It authors.

Join our Twitter Party! February 11 from 7-9PM EST. Use hashtag #Vcard

Join us in the Champagne Room, our private Facebook page, where you'll have VIP access to excerpts, discussions, and giveaways.

Request exclusive access here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332424686965271/

*Must be 18 to enter

Want to get involved? Help support our campaign on Thunderclap. It's free and fast.

Got a book blog? There's still time to sign up for the Losing It Release Blitz.

Want Losing It to appear on your eReader the second it releases?

Be one of the first to receive this oh so satisfying collection of all new, never before published scenes. Over 200 pages with 22 authors. All for 99 cents!

Amazon US| AU | UK | CA | DE

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Add the collection at Goodreads

Release Day Blitz Seducing Destiny (The Fae Chronicles book 4) by Amelia Hutchins

2015-01-20T16:53:00.002-06:00

Seducing Destiny (The Fae Chronicles book 4) by Amelia Hutchins is available now!

Less than six months ago my life was twisted and flipped on its side.

Things have changed so much I barely recognize myself anymore.

I am no longer an Enforcer.

I am no longer a Witch.

I no longer hate the Fae. (For the most part)

And the sex-on-a-stick-gorgeous-Fae? He isn't really the Dark Prince.

No, he is the father of my children and with the babies on the way, the land dying and the Mages closing in; alliances will have to be formed if we are all to make it through the war that is coming to our front door.

Between warring Gods and Goddesses, how are any of us supposed to win?

Add to Your Goodr eads TBR List

**BUY LINKS**

| Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N |

Excerpt:

“You’re carrying twins, my twins, and I like this bump. I like the sight of you carrying my children in this beautiful body,” he whispered huskily as he placed both of his palms on my swollen midsection, just in time for the babes to kick him. “They can feel me,” he replied with sincerity. “I already feel them linking us together. We’re a family, and nothing and nobody will change that.”

About Amelia:

Website|Facebook|Series Facebook

Author of Fighting Destiny a fast paced Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance with hot alpha males, and a sassy heroines. I have three kids, and married my best friend, who is also the most amazing man ever. I live in Washington State with way too many trees, and love it. I have been writing as long as I can remember, and I am also the page owner of Erotica Book Club.

BOOK HIGHLIGHT SON OF SET by Kelsey Ketch

2015-01-13T16:49:00.005-06:00

Title: Son of Set
Author: Kelsey Ketch
Series: Descendants of Isis #2
Genre: Upper Young Adult Fantasy
Publication: May 2nd, 2014

“. . . the Sons would never just let him go—alive.”

Seth O’Keefe has broken the laws of his god. He never thought he would sacrifice his own future to protect a Daughter of Isis. But when the Sons of Set discovered Natti is the Secret Keeper, he had no choice. Now, Seth and Natti are on the run from his father, who wants nothing more than to see Seth dead. With no allies, Seth turns to the Daughters of Isis for help, hoping they would protect Natti. But when they meet the Daughters, he discovers a secret that puts both their lives in more danger. Low on options, Seth sees only one possibility for survival. He must help Natti solve an ancient puzzle and find the secret name of Ra.

Natara “Natti” Stone is having a hard time swallowing the truth. She can’t believe what she has learned in the past twenty-four hours: Seth is a Son of Set blessed with charm; she is a Daughter of Isis blessed with a sliver of Ma ‘at; the locket her grandmother gave her holds an ancient Egyptian secret linking to Osiris and Isis. That along with being tortured and brutalized by the Sons of Set, she can hardly hold herself together. Thank God for Seth’s touch! That warm, tingling sensation that drowns it all out. Yet her heart struggles to stay focused. She must quickly embrace her destiny before the secret name of Ra falls into the wrong hands.

*Note: Content for Upper YA*

Purchase

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

____________________________________________

•Excerpt•

Natti awoke and sat bolt upright in the bed, gasping for breath. Her heart raced and a headache flared right between her temples. The nightmare seemed incredibly real, Sean’s eyes and the dagger ingrained in her mind’s eye. Looking around the little hotel room, she pulled the sheets closer to her chest. She felt cold and alone in the queen-size bed, which only heightened her lingering fears. Everything appeared ominous in the dark; the shadows seemed to slither along the walls. These hauntings were eating her alive from the inside out.

Her pulse pounding wildly, she glanced at the second bed. Seth’s chest rose and fell under the blankets. He looked so peaceful, and though the idea seemed wrong, she knew she would feel much safer curled up in Seth’s arms, like back in the hospital when her friend, Wanda, had been drugged. She pictured herself resting her head on his chest, his warmth easing her back to sleep.

She knew she shouldn’t for a number of reasons, the top being he had the reputation of sleeping with half the girls at Setemple High School. And if it was true he had a power as mind-bending as a drug, then those girls, most likely, weren’t doing it of their own free will. The thought sickened her, yet it didn’t deter her need for his comfort. Was she becoming addicted, just like he had said? The Ma ‘at feather or whatever “blessing” she had was supposed to protect her, but if it was, she couldn’t tell.

If I even have a “blessing” at all.

She pulled her knees up to her chest, wishing Seth had brought Anubis, the stuffed jackal he had given her at the Pharaoh’s Festival. It had become her most precious keepsake and a source of comfort when she felt lost and confused. She also wished Seth hadn’t surrendered the locket, which she never finished translating. At least that would have occupied her mind for a while as she tried to piece the family secret together. Except she already knew what the secret was, supposedly: the location of the secret name of Ra. And now it was in the hands of the cult Seth keeps referring to as the “Sons of Set” or the “Sons.”

The darkness seemed to continue to press in on Natti, making her restless. Wrestling with her conscience, she slipped out of her bed, lifted Seth’s covers, and crawled in. She was quiet and careful, trying not to wake him. Finally able to place her head on his pillow, she snuggled up next to him.

Her body jerked when his arm draped over her. “You have no idea how often I’ve dreamed of this moment,” Seth whispered in a drowsy voice.

He moved closer, slipping one arm under to support her head and shifting the other around her waist. His hand slid under her “Keep Calm and Carry On” nightshirt to massage her spine, his nimble fingers rotating in small circles over her skin. Natti snorted softly, secretly loving his touch and hating herself for it. The feel of his flesh was smooth as silk and every lean muscle flexed steadily while he moved his hand up behind her neck. Her body warmed, completely aware of every place their skin made contact. Thank the lord for her nightshirt and the Calvin Klein pajama bottoms Seth slept in. There was hardly any space between them, and yet, he managed to pull her even closer.

“So to what do I owe the pleasure?” Seth asked.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Natti breathed, her galloping heart drummed in her ears.

“Hmm.” A smile pulled at Seth’s perfect lips. “So you crawled in looking for some company?”

“Well, I would have stayed in my own bed, but you forgot to pack Anubis.”

A laugh rumbled in Seth’s throat. “What is it with girls and stuffed animals?”

“Oy, you gave him to me,” Natti shot back while slapping her hand against his chest. “And he’s been providing comfort when I need it ever since. But since you left him behind, you’ll just have to take his place.”

“I guess I can live with that.” Seth stroked the back of her neck, sending goose bumps over her skin.

The room was quiet. With no sight and no sound, Natti was only left with her heightened sense of touch and smell. She memorized Seth’s embrace; every little shift of his muscles and every little movement of his fingertips. The gentle heat that took her breath away slowly radiated through her system. She felt closer to Seth right now than she had ever felt with anyone in her life. Yet she hardly knew him. She knew who he was and even what he was, just nothing really about him. What music did he like? What kind of films did he watch? What was his favorite past time? Well, actually, she already had a sense what his answer would be to that last question just by knowing his reputation. Still, she wanted to know more. Rattling her brain for a conversation starter, she asked the simplest question she could think of.

“What’s your favorite color?”

He groaned in response and crinkled his brow. “Is that what it would have taken to get you into bed with me? Knowing my favorite color? We could have fixed that long ago.”

“No,” Natti hissed. “This is just a conversation. You know, something normal people do.”

“I know what a conversation is.” Seth’s perfect grin glistened in the dark. “There’s just other things I’d rather be doing in the middle of the night, like sleeping or . . .”

Natti’s cheeks burned when his hand moved south. “Bloody hell, Seth!” She pushed his hand back to the small of her back. “I’m talking about things like your favorite class subject, when your birthday is—”

“What’s my favorite color?” Seth mocked with a hidden smile, his exhaustion weighing in his voice.

“What about you? What’s your favorite color then?”

Taken aback by his abrupt turnaround, Natti sputtered her answer. “Red.”

“Hmm.” Seth fell silent, his eyelids drooping a bit. Natti shifted, thinking he had dozed off. She closed her eyes, his warmth gently pulling her into sleep.

“History. March fifteenth. Black,” Seth finally responded.

“Wait—What?” Natti jerked, now fully awake again.

“The answers to your questions.” Seth’s eyes opened, taking her in while they laid together in the dark. His hand skimmed her hair, pulling a lock toward him. “My favorite subject is history. My birthday is March fifteenth. And my favorite color is black, like the color of your hair.”

A smile pulled at Natti’s lips. “Is black even a color?”

“Hey, don’t knock it.” He paused, looking deep into her eyes. “I’ll admit, though, lately I’ve also become enamored with a unique shade of purple.”

Natti swallowed a lump forming in her throat. Seth leaned his forehead to hers, their noses touching. Even in the dark, his gaze captured her, drawing her full attention.

“You know how tempting it is to kiss you right now?” he said, an intense, fiery tingling sensation growing strong throughout her body.

Natti could barely speak as she melted into the sheets. She really wanted to kiss him. He was too tempting with his heat, his eyes, and the feel of his body conforming to hers.

A sudden flashback to the halls of Setemple High caused her to hold back and bite her lower lip. It had been her first kiss with Seth. The very thought of it still coursed fire through her veins. It had only been a distraction. A method he used to pickpocket her grandmother’s letter before abandoning her and leaving her in the hands of his friend, Ky.

“Don’t push it,” Natti mumbled. “Not after you used the last one to pinch from me.”

His eyes searched hers, his voice deep with pain. “You really don’t remember then.”

Natti tried to think of what he was referring to. “Remember what?”

Seth attempted a charming grin, but it faltered. “Never mind. It wasn’t important.”

He lightened his touch, withdrawing a bit. The sensations that were running rapid finally eased. She watched Seth’s expression fill with disappointment, making her wonder what she had forgotten that had been clearly special to him.

She slipped her hand along his well-formed abs and over his chest. She could feel him shiver. Goose bumps appeared over his skin. Her own body also reacted to the touch, her skin prickling with little sparks. She froze when he caught her gaze, desire shining in his eyes like a beacon in the night. Reality struck, and it struck hard. She wanted him too.

“Maybe I made a mistake.” Natti’s body quivered, and she moved back. What had she been thinking, crawling into a guy’s bed? In a freaking hotel no less! What kind of impression does that give? “I shouldn’t have come over here. I’m sorry.”

Seth strengthened his grip, his voice tight with emotion. “No. It’s fine. Stay.”

A strange calm replaced her abrupt urge to run. She looked at Seth, feeling the tingle of magic under her skin. She was scared. She stupidly crawled right into his element, and she knew in her heart she was too weak to resist any advance. His fingers reached up and stroked her cheek. With the warm breeze from his touch, her excitement and fear were whisked away, leaving her to feel only a bliss that affected her very being. She lowered her body back into Seth’s arms. Her muscles relaxed into his embrace. She gave into the power, unsure if she was staying of her own free will or if he was controlling her actions. Either way, it was too late. She had stepped into his web, just like the oracle at the Pharaoh Festival had warned. But maybe if she kept him talking, nothing ominous would come of it.

Natti’s voice came out flustered when she finally spoke. “We used to talk about you. My mates and I, that is. Back in school.”

Seth perked up. “Really? What about?”

“Oh.” Natti tried to be sly with her words while thinking about Jen, Kevin, and Wanda. She missed them all very much. Even more than some of her friends back in London. “Different things.”

Seth raised a brow and smiled. “Like how devilishly handsome and extremely charming I am?”

“Actually, we couldn’t decide if you were a vampire, a werewolf, or a fae.”

“Say what?” Seth jerked. “What plebs have you been talking to?”

Natti rolled her eyes. “Well, you can’t really blame us. With your looks and how you charm most of the teachers and students, Jen figured you had to be paranormal.”

“And what did you think? Did you think I was a vampire or a werewolf?”

“No. I only thought you were a spoiled rotten rich kid whose only charm was his father’s money.” A malicious grin spread on her lips. “And I still stand by it.”

Seth crinkled his nose, smiled, and shoved her back slightly. Natti burst into laughter; her first real laugh since the day of the fire. Her body released all its tension in one fell swoop. The high was addicting, her adrenalin soaring to new heights. Finally, as her body became weary and calmed, she could still hear Seth laughing beside her. A laugh that was as soothing as Big Ben chiming out the time, giving her a sense of home. Natti basked in the sound until Seth abruptly faded from sight and Sean’s cold eyes flashed before her. She gasped and pushed away as the icy cold emptiness burned her insides.

“Natti.” She felt Seth pull at her waist. “Natti, stop!”

______________________________________________ •About Kelsey•

During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble Café in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate.
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook ________________________________________________

•Giveaway•

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Happy New Year + GoodReads 2014 Reading Challenge Update

2015-01-02T23:53:00.000-06:00

Accepted Readers,

I know I haven't been around lately... I've been taking a much needed break away from the internet. I won't be posting much for a while but I hope to be able to get back into the swing of things soon. I just wanted to wish each and every one of you a belated Happy New Year!! I hope your year has started out being amazing already!

I also wanted to update you guys on my progress with my GoodReads 2014 reading challenge...I set my goal at 50, but only managed to squeeze in 47 (well actually 46, I included one that I started on Dec. 26th 2014 but finished on January 1st, that will actually be my first read of 2015). So close right? This year I've decided to go with the same goal amount of 50. I really hope to surpass it though.

Did you reach your reading goals? What are your goals for this year?

To check out which books I read in 2014 click the link below:

https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/1076210

I plan on doing a post for my top 10 reads of 2014 along with sharing a reading challenge I hope to participate in... so I'll chat with you guys soon!

XOXO-

Helena

Reclaim Me Scavenger Hunt

2014-12-20T10:47:00.000-06:00

Reclaim Me

Change Me/McCoy Raven Brothers

By A.O. Peart

When the past comes charging back, the choice is never easy.

Abused as a child, Willow Conrad has managed to develop compassion for others early in life. She believes there is some good in every person, even in the “lost souls”. But when Seth, her boyfriend, loses his temper one last time, she is left badly beaten and broken inside.

Jack McCoy has finally grown up. He used to engage in street brawls to release his anger and reassure himself of his own worth. Serving in the Marine Corps and then becoming a firefighter has put his life back on track.

When Jack’s friend asks him to help Willow, he doesn’t hesitate, despite a reckless predicament he narrowly escaped that very evening. But when he stands face-to-face with Willow, he knows his past is back to haunt him.

Will they take the second chance and let not-so-forgotten feelings resurface and blossom, moving past what drove them apart before? Or will Jack relapse into his destructive ways and lose Willow forever?

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Book One in the Change Me Series

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One fateful morning changes everything.

Lisbeth Anderson, the lone eyewitness of a shocking murder, believes the FBI witness protection program may be the only way for her to survive. But when a powerful explosion reduces the safe house to ashes, killing all of the FBI agents on duty, will she turn to a perfect stranger for help?

Ethan McCoy, a former-Marine-turned-firefighter, has never really cared for any woman. He lives his life to the fullest, enjoying the bad boy stigma and cultivating a particular taste for dominant sex. Girls come and go, allowed to stay only long enough to satisfy Ethan’s wild appetite.

One morning at dawn, Ethan’s ***{FIRE}*** brigade is called to a fatal house explosion that levels the structure. When he pries open a trap door to the hidden panic room under the house, he finds a gorgeous, though disheveled brunette. Lisbeth instantly turns Ethan’s world upside down, and he’s overcome by the burning desire to protect her, no matter the consequences.

A.O. Peart writes romantic comedy, romantic suspense, paranormal, and urban fantasy novels.

Her Bestselling romantic suspense novel Resist Me has been listed as #1 in several Amazon categories and on Bestseller lists, including the Movers & Shakers.

Books in her NA contemporary romantic comedy series Almost Bad Boys were also listed as Bestsellers on Amazon and were nominated by the Indie Romance Convention 2014 for four different categories, including The Best Indie Upcoming Series, while Angela was nominated as Best Indie Author of the Year 2014 http://indieromancecon.com/nominations/.

Almost Matched was voted as #36 among "The 50 Best Self-Published Books Worth Reading 2014" http://www.indieauthorland.com/50-self-published-books-worth-reading-201314-40-31/

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The XOXO New Adult Collection Release Day Blitz

2014-12-08T05:46:00.000-06:00

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MY UNEXPECTED FOREVER by USA and NYT Bestselling Author Heidi McLaughlin They say you should expect the unexpected, I didn't realize my unexpected would be the forever kind.

FOR EVERLY by Raine Thomas The last thing physical therapy student Everly Wallace wants is a relationship, but when she’s roped into working with sexy Major League pitcher Cole Parker, she’ll discover that it just might be the one thing she needs.

INDELIBLE by Bethany Lopez Sam's a single mom, working her way through college while raising her toddler. Judd's a college baseball player, who on the outside, looks like he doesn't have a care in the world. Can two people at different stages in their life find a way to make a life together?

TATTOOED DOTS by Kimberly Knight Brooke and Easton learn that people are brought into their lives for many reasons. Over time, they find out what those reasons are. Some are to be a temporary acquaintance while others are there for life.

MANGLED HEARTS by Felicia Tatum Can two loves find their way back to each other despite an addiction and a hardened heart, allowing their love to overcome it all? Can these mangled hearts be mended?

BREAKDOWN by Amanda Lance After Charlotte Ferro's suicide attempt is ruined by a handsome do-gooder he introduces her to a world of fast cars and cool criminals. But can their newfound friendship survive the secrets of their past?

MAVERICK by Anna Cruise International surf sensation Kellen Handler has it all – fame and fortune and more women than he can count – but he's riding his own personal wave toward disaster. Can PR genius Gina Bellori rescue his reputation...and his heart?

DO ANYTHING by Wendy Owens A broken heart is only the beginning for her. He thinks he has his life figured out. Will they risk their hearts on a new chance at love?

RESIST ME by A.O. Peart Ethan, a former-Marine-turned-firefighter, has never really cared for any woman, while living his life to the fullest and enjoying the bad boy stigma. Until the street-smart Lisbeth comes along, and instantly turns Ethan’s world upside down, making him want to protect her, no matter the consequences.

THE MAN TEST by Amanda Aksel Couple therapist Marin Johns tries to prove that all men are liars and cheaters by beginning a fictitious relationship. Will her new "boyfriend" be the statistic or will Marin regret the satisfaction of being right?

A RISK WORTH TAKING by Heather Hildenbrand For college grad, Summer Stafford, watching her parents’ divorce has taught her that, above all, love is a risk. For a drifter like Ford O’Neal, love isn’t just a risk, it isn’t even on the table. But attraction quickly leads to something more and they are both forced to realize they’re risking a whole lot for a summer fling.

UNINTENTIONAL VIRGIN by A.J. Bennett Nineteen-year-old Karma points is cursed. Cursed with a ridiculous name, self-esteem issues and the inability to lose her virginity. That is until Jax, the tattooed bouncer, comes into the picture.

THE FALL OF SKY (PART ONE) by Alexia Purdy Singing duo Audrey and Liv Westing hope to be discovered as the next big thing. While fumbling through their turbulent existences, they attract the eye of a deadly but powerful Cartel family.

A FIREFIGHTER'S FLAME by Dani Hart If you dig into the deepest parts of your soul, what would you find? Happiness,pain, love, regret, peace, sorrow? Follow Lennox's journey of rediscovery, falling in love, and searching for her own fairy-tale ending.

STEALING PROMISES by Brina Courtney One moment can change your life forever. One moment to find love. One moment to lose it.

FIRESIDE SERIES by Morgan Black A cowboy with a mysterious past. A ranch princess with an eye for the one she can’t have. What happens when their two world collides one weekend in a snowstorm?

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Blog Tour+ Guest Post Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett

2014-11-28T05:31:00.000-06:00

Accepted Readers,

Welcome to my second tour stop for Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett! Today I will be featuring a guest post from Rob himself. If you're interested in reading my review you can find it by clicking here. This is for all you sci-fi fans out there! Enjoy <3

Apocalypta:
A Novel of the Future
By: Rob Matchett

Released: June 30th, 2014
Genre: science fiction/post-apocalyptic
Number of Pages: 613

Blurb:

Apocalypta is a novel about a post-apocalyptic world at the cusp of the 25th century. With the discovery of a synaptic memory chip holding the memories of individuals in the past, there is an attempt to avert a return to the terrible conflagrations of the past. This chip - 'the eyes of god' - holds salvation through the truth. The main character, implanted with the chip, bids the reader to follow history back to our present time in order to understand the future. Moreover, humanity has a chance to become members of a galactic confederation, which through various species have been instrumental in our emergence from earliest times. Many unusual characters color this story, which is ultimately about the struggle for humanity to rise to a higher place in its long quest for survival.

Book Links:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Chapters.Indigo | B&N| Kobo

AUTHOR GUEST POST:
The Challenges of Writing

I think the artist and his or her work are as inseparable as a blue sea and sky, both reflect each other. One writes what one knows. And if one pretends, well, provenance be damned. The commercial success of any literary enterprise precludes its essential value in a world rife with entertainment that clammers for approval. That is the rub. I subscribe to a populist notion of what touches the common chord, the quality of which makes for the best read – to be enriched by language, action, setting and character. Any great story must have a fundamentally human element that people can identify with both emphatically or otherwise. Personally, I have undertaken to emulate in my own true sense the best I have known in the literary tradition. I am who I am and must express myself accordingly. Yet I want to present something new. There is little ‘new’ in human affairs unless we discover something perhaps supernatural, and even there how can we relate to something beyond our experience. For example, in my book Apocalypta, we meet alien people, some millions of years beyond our present level of evolution. What kind of compassion, or other, would they possess to see us as relative equals in the universal scheme of things if we behave in an open and considerate manner. Would they fear us, as we would fear cave dwellers hundreds of thousands of years ago here on earth? Likely we would presume the worst because that’s who we are and project our fear of them because we fear each other. And they would understand that and protect themselves, or remove themselves from our general view until we were emotionally adjusted, in spite of our technical advances and relative enlightenment. There are just too many considerations. So, is a literary project as such doomed to fail? I think not if the human element is given its due, and I leave the answers to the reader when presented with the reality of such a human dilemma in regard to actual aliens. Some of these alien people live for hundreds, even thousands of years – how about a little human genetic modification? We would turn it into a commercial venture! Think of the medical potential – the technical. We could develop anti-matter electro-gravitic machines that bend space and travel the galaxy…it’s real.

I think the writer must be wired to believe in themselves as messengers. If not, have we devolved to something akin to McWriters? And stories become as generic as the next? I hope not. Or perhaps writing is being displaced by multimedia venues – tabs, video and such – youtube, facebook and satellite technology. Instant communication changes society in ways we have not been prepared for – it just happens that way. Will the need to curl up with a book end? Consider a highly evolved species of humanoid: from what I gather novels and like outputs have gone the way of the dodo. They are mere expressions of an emerging species attempting to make sense out of cruel and unforgiving nature – survival of the fittest – striving for immortality and self-worth. Taking writing to the next level becomes an existential transformation where perhaps telepathy suffices to inspire and entertain. It is a long way from Queen Enheduanna the first person to put their name to their work in ancient Sumer over five thousand years ago. So five thousand years into the future, or a hundred thousand, indeed a million – what will become of the novel or poem? Would I still want to curl up with a book? Yes. The mind needs to be fed, indulged.

As a discipline, writing is my barometer for self-esteem, or rather feeling something necessary. When low pressure in my life happens it forces the writing process by a painful guilt or depressive insistence that writing will relieve. When high pressure is released, the atmosphere is open and diffuse where writing takes on a more benign whimsical devil-may-care approach. I am the host and I will make my mark! There is a higher spirit that can be tapped into. Character and plot take on lives of their own. Play God! It’s out of my hands; I’m just the messenger. This is where discipline must steady the hand. I must stay the course and weave a thread or two even when none seems to be had. To each their own. Some write mad parables on a roll of toilet paper. Others use their script stylus quill on parchment with a bottle of ink. Most with a decent word processor. Here one can edit and rewrite with a voracious turn over. The tools of the trade now make it accessible to the multitudes. As a result, millions of writers dot the constellations, immortalized. Many called, few chosen.

Rob (Robin) Matchett was born in Paris, France, in 1956 of Canadian parents, and moved to Canada at four years old. Apparently on the way, he spent hours in a porthole watching the sea, pondering existence. Now his life continues through a porthole – a regret being he didn’t remain in France a few more years. Though, embracing Canada he went native, steeped in the elements from where land-locked on the crest of a giant windblown hill, he commands from the bridge of a ship, foundered on springs, fields and forests. Still unreleased from the yoke of his servitude, he dabbles in the stars, unlocking secrets from history and the future. Many transfigurations have occurred, of which he has faithfully transcribed into various literary forms, including novels, poems and film scripts, and continues to do so. Among other eclectic interests, he is known to be well-read; enjoy wholesome kitchen garden culinary pursuits; calvados; has musical inclinations, and often known to be wired into the Grateful Dead. He is of a retiring nature, addicted to movies and documentaries, considered a professional obligation rather than lesser appraisals.

Rob’s Links:

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1st Prize: $50 Amazon.com gift certificate and autographed copy of Apocalypta

2nd Prize: $25 Amazon.com gift certificate and autographed copy of Apocalypta

3rd Prize: Autographed copy of Apocalypta

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Blog Tour+Review Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett

2014-11-26T05:44:00.000-06:00

Accepted Readers,

Welcome to my first tour stop for Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett! Today I will be featuring my review and a giveaway from the author. Make sure to come back on November 25th to see a guest post from Rob himself. This is for all you sci-fi fans out there! Enjoy <3

Apocalypta:
A Novel of the Future
By: Rob Matchett

Released: June 30th, 2014
Genre: science fiction/post-apocalyptic
Number of Pages: 613

Blurb:

Book Links:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Chapters.Indigo | B&N| Kobo

My Review

Writing Style:

Rob Matchett's writing style is best described as complex and poetic. It was absolutely mesmerizing with a beautiful flow.

My Opinion:

I'm a fan of dystopian novels and this book automatically caught my attention. I took a bit of a risk reading it because I don't normally read books that fall mainly into science fiction genre; I find them to be rather boring or hard to understand. However, that was not the case with Apocalypta... This novel had me in sheer interstellar bliss! It had so many oddities and inventions that filled my mind with wonder. I enjoyed the creativity expressed in even the utmost simplest details, such as the character's names. The plot continuously kept me guessing and stirred my curiosity; I couldn't wait to see what would happen next! Conspiracy theories, aliens, unbelievable gadgets, and deceit, this book has it all! If all science-fiction read like this, I would have started reading it sooner!

To-Read-or Not-To-Read:
If you are a fan of dystopian novels but are looking for something different with a literary flare, this book is for you.

Rob’s Links:

Twitter | Facebook | Website | Goodreads |

1st Prize: $50 Amazon.com gift certificate and autographed copy of Apocalypta

2nd Prize: $25 Amazon.com gift certificate and autographed copy of Apocalypta

3rd Prize: Autographed copy of Apocalypta

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Book Tour Hunting in Bruges by EJ. Stevens

2014-11-11T06:36:00.000-06:00

Today is the release of HUNTING IN BRUGES, the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. To celebrate, we are having a book and swag giveaway!

About the Hunters' Guild series

The Hunters' Guild series is an urban fantasy series written by E.J. Stevens and set in the world of Ivy Granger. The series is told in the first-person point-of-view of Jenna Lehane, a Hunter with a troubled past, a proficiency with weapons, and an intolerance for monsters who target the innocent.

Hunting in Bruges
(Hunters' Guild #1)
by E.J. Stevens

Release Date: November 11, 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Buy on Amazon
Add to Goodreads

The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vamps in Bruges.

Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters' Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there's no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.

On second thought, maybe Bruges isn't so bad after all.

With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters' Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city's scenic canals. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.

Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions--but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.

Keep reading for a chance to win

a Hunting in Bruges signed book, t-shirt, and more!

Book Excerpt: Hunting in Bruges

Chapter 1

I’ve been seeing ghosts for as long as I can remember. Most ghosts are simply annoying; just clueless dead people who don’t realize that they’ve died. The weakest of these manifest as flimsy apparitions, without the ability for speech or higher thought. They’re like a recording of someone’s life projected not onto a screen, but onto the place where they died. Most people can walk through one of these ghosts without so much as a goosebump.

Poltergeists are more powerful, but just as single-minded. These pesky spirits are like angry toddlers. They stomp around, shaking their proverbial chains, moaning and wailing about how something (the accident, their murder, or the murder they committed) was someone else’s fault, and how everyone must pay for their misfortune. Poltergeists are a nuisance; they’re noisy and can throw around objects for short periods of time, but it’s only the strong ones that are dangerous.

Thankfully, there aren’t many ghosts out there strong enough to do more than knock a pen off your desk or cause a cold spot. From what I’ve discovered while training with the Hunters’ Guild, ghosts get their power from two things—how long they’ve been haunting and strength of purpose. If someone as obsessed with killing as Jack the Ripper manifests beside you on a London street, I recommend you run. If someone as old and unhinged as Vlad the Impaler appears beside you in Targoviste Romania, you better hope you have a Hunter at your side, or a guardian angel.

The dead get a bad rap, and for good reason, but some ghosts can be helpful. There was a woman with a kind face who used to appear when I was in foster care. Linda wasn’t just a loop of psychic recording stuck on repeat; this ghost had free will and independent thought—and thankfully, she wasn’t a sociopath consumed with bloodshed. Linda manifested in faded jeans and dark turtleneck and smelled like home, which was the other thing that was unusual about her. Most ghosts are tied to one spot, the place where they lived or died. But Linda’s familiar face followed me from one foster home to another. And it was a good thing that she did. Linda the ghost saved my life more than once.

Foster care was an excellent training ground for self defense, which is probably why the Hunters’ Guild uses it as a place for recruitment. Being cast adrift in the child welfare system gave me plenty of opportunities to hone my survival instincts. By the time the Hunters came along, I was a force to be reckoned with, or so I thought.

The Hunters’ Guild provides exceptional training and I soon learned that my attempts at both offense and defense were child’s play when compared to our senior members. I didn’t berate myself over that fact; I was only thirteen when the Hunters swooped in and welcomed me into their fold. But learning my limitations did make me painfully aware of one thing. If it hadn’t been for Linda the ghost, I probably wouldn’t have survived my childhood.

The worst case of honing my survival skills had been at my last foster home, just before the Hunters’ Guild intervened. I don’t remember the house mother. She wasn’t around much. She was just a small figure in a cheap, polyester fast food uniform with a stooped posture and downcast eyes. But I remember her husband Frank.

Frank was a bully who wore white, ketchup and mustard stained, wife-beater t-shirts. He had perpetual French fry breath and a nasty grin. It took me a few weeks to realize that Frank’s grin was more of a leer. I’d caught his gaze in the bathroom mirror when I was changing and his eyes said it all; Frank was a perv.

Linda slammed the door in his face, but that didn’t stop Frank. Frank would brush up against me in the kitchen and Linda would set the faucet spraying across the tiles…and slide a knife into my hand. My time in that house ended when Frank ended up in the hospital.

I’d been creeping back to the bedroom I shared with three other kids, when I saw Frank waiting for me in the shadows. I pulled the steak knife I kept hidden in the pocket of my robe, but I never got a chance to use it. Now that I know a thing or two about fighting with a blade, I’m aware that Frank probably would have won that fight.

I tried to run toward the stairs, but Frank met me at the top landing. Frank reached for me while his bulk effectively blocked my escape. That was when Linda the ghost pushed him down the stairs. I remember him tumbling in slow motion, his eyes going wide and the leering grin sliding from his face.

Linda the ghost had once again saved me, but it seemed that this visit was her last. I don’t know if she used up her quota of psychic power, or if she just felt like her job here was finally done. It wasn’t until years later that I realized she was my mother.

I guess I should have realized sooner that I was related to the ghost who followed me around. We both have hair the same shade of shocking red. But where mine is straight and cropped into a short bob, Linda’s was wavy and curled down around her shoulders. We also share a dimple in our left cheek and a propensity for protecting the weak and innocent from evil.

Linda the ghost disappeared, a wailing ambulance drove Frank to the hospital, police arrived at my foster house, and the Hunters swooped in and cleaned up the aftermath. It was from my first Guild master that I learned of my parents’ fate and put two and two together about my ghostly protector.

As a kid I often wondered why Linda the ghost always wore a dark turtleneck; now I knew. Young, rogue vamps had torn out her neck and proceeded to rip my father to pieces like meat confetti. My parents were on vacation in Belize, celebrating their wedding anniversary when it happened. I’d been staying with a friend of my mother’s, otherwise I’d be dead too.

I don’t remember my parents, I’d only been three when I was put into the foster care system, but I do find some peace in knowing that doing my duty as a Hunter gives me the power to police and destroy rogue vamps like the ones who killed my mother and father. When I become exhausted by my work, I think of Linda’s sad face and push myself to train harder. And when I find creeps who are abusive to women and children, I think of Frank.

That’s how I ended up here, standing in a Brussels airport, trying to decipher the Dutch and French signs with eyes that were gritty from the twelve hour flight. It all started when my friend Ivy called to inform me that a fellow Hunter had hit our mutual friend Jinx. Ivy didn’t know how that information would push all my buttons, she didn’t know about Frank or my time in the foster system, but we both agreed that striking a girl was unacceptable. She was letting me, and the Hunters’ Guild, deal with it, for now.

I went to master Janus, the head of the Harborsmouth Hunters’ Guild, and reported Hans’ transgressions. It didn’t help his case that he had a reputation as a berserker in battle. The fact that he’d hit a human, the very people we were sworn to defend against the monsters, was the nail in the coffin of Hans’ career.

I was assured that Hans would be shipped off to the equivalent of a desk job in Siberia. I should have left it at that, and let my superiors take care of the problem. But Jinx was my friend. Ivy’s rockabilly business partner may have had bad luck and even worse taste in men, but that didn’t mean she deserved to spend her life fending off the attacks of the Franks in the world.

Hans continued his Guild duties while the higher ups shuffled papers and prepared to send him away. Hans should have skipped our training sessions, but then again, he didn’t know who had ratted him out—and the guy had a lot of rage to vent. I stormed onto the practice mat and saluted Hans with my sword. It wasn’t long before the man started to bleed.

We were supposed to be using practice swords, but I’d accidentally grabbed the sharp blade I used on hunting runs. I didn’t leave any lasting injuries, but the shallow cuts made a mess of his precious tattoos. I just hoped the scars were a constant reminder of what happens when you attack the innocent.

One week later, I received a plane ticket and orders to meet with one of our contacts in Belgium. I wasn’t sure if this assignment was intended as a punishment or a promotion, but I was eager to prove myself to the Guild leadership. Master Janus’ parting words whispered in my head, distracting me from the voice on the overhead intercom echoing throughout the cavernous airport.

“Do your duty, Jenna,” he said. Master Janus placed a large, sword-calloused hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye. I swallowed hard, but I managed to keep my hands from shaking. “Make us proud.”

“I will, sir,” I said.

“Good hunting.”

Top 10 Spooky Places in Bruges

Hunting in Bruges, the first novel in the Hunters' Guild series, is set in Bruges, Belgium and author E.J. Stevens is taking us on a spooky trip to Bruges' Top 10 Spooky Places. Let's see what terrifying places E.J. has planned for our tour.

Top 10 Spooky Places in Bruges

The charming medieval city of Bruges, Belgium may seem like an unusual setting for an urban fantasy novel. The city is known for its tranquil canals, historic buildings, and romantic vistas. But the moment I saw a picture of Bruges, my mind began populating its cobblestone streets with bloodthirsty vampires, flesh eating ghouls, monstrous fae, and wailing ghosts.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there really was something sinister in the city's bloody history. My research into Bruges began in earnest, and last year I completed my book research with a trip to Belgium. The pictures included with this post are from that research trip. These photos are taken during daylight hours, but I can assure you that the atmosphere becomes decidedly spooky when the sun goes down over West Flanders. Do ghosts walk the streets of Bruges? I will let you decide.

The Canals

The canals play an important part in my novel, Hunting in Bruges. Jenna Lehane, a Hunter with a troubled past, arrives in Bruges to discover that something is killing humans and disposing of their bodies in the canals. Not only are the canals filling with corpses, but there are supernatural horrors that call the canals their home. While I was visiting Bruges, the canals were the watery grave for more than one unfortunate creature. Did these ducks, pigeons, and small mammals die from natural causes, or is there something deadly lurking within these dark waters?

Jerusalem Church (Jeruzalemkerk)

I have to admit that I was completely unprepared for the experience I had within the stone walls of Jerusalem Church. The macabre altarpiece and tomb were ghoulish, but the truly terrifying part of this church lay in a crawlspace in the vaulted chapel in the back. A cloth wrapped body is on display, and though I've read that this is a replica of Christ's tomb, there is something chilling about that small chamber. My travel companion bolted out the door...and I wasn't far behind. (Note: No pictures came out of the rear tomb. The photos were completely black.)

Beguinage (Begijnhof)

Beguines were lay sisters who lived and dressed as nuns, but did not take vows. The Beguinage continues to be a place of silence within the bustling city--a silence that can seem downright eerie. During my trip, the courtyard was filled with a field of wilting daffodils. Beauty with an edge of decay seemed to be the common theme of this place. One house has been preserved in its original rustic state and visitors can wander the maze of tiny rooms filled with antique furniture and aging lace to see the way in which the Beguines lived. I swear that someone, or something, was watching me during my entire visit. With every creak of the old wooden floors, my unease grew and I made a hasty retreat to Minnewater Park.

Basilica of the Holy Blood
(Heilig-Bloedbasiliek)

12th century basilica located on Burg square in the heart of Bruges. The church houses the relic of the Holy Blood. The Holy Blood is venerated daily, and is paraded through the streets of Bruges during the Procession of the Holy Blood on Ascension Day.

Saint John's Hospital (Sint-Janshospitaal)

This place is not for the faint of heart. The 11th century hospital is one of the oldest in Europe and contains the often grotesque artwork of Hans Memling, as well as many antique surgical implements. The artwork and objects of torture are absolutely horrifying and the depictions of nuns in their traditional garb had me jumping at my shadow.

Another five notable places to add to any ghost tour of Bruges are the Spookhuis, Retsin's Lucifernum, Belfort, Blind Donkey Alley, and a viewing of Heironymous Bosch's haunting triptych The Last Judgement at the Groeningemuseum.

To learn more about E.J. Stevens and her books, connect through Goodreads, Twitter, and sign-up for her newsletter. There is an interesting article about Hunting in Bruges in the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. Hunting in Bruges releases November 11th and is available for pre-order on Amazon. You can add the Hunters' Guild series here on Goodreads.

Readers, was this your first visit to Bruges, Belgium? Have you experienced anything supernatural in and around Bruges?

What did you think of E.J. Stevens' picks for spooky places?

Hunting in Bruges Playlist

We asked author E.J. Stevens what songs best represent the characters and story of her new Urban Fantasy novel, Hunting in Bruges. This is what she had to say.

Hey everyone! I am so excited about the upcoming release of Hunting in Bruges, the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series. This book is filled with quirky characters, bloodthirsty paranormal predators, and high octane fight scenes. So, just a warning, some of this music is pretty intense.

Hunting in Bruges Playlist

The Razor's Edge by Digital Daggers
Trophy by Bat for Lashes
Heartbeats by The Knife
Vanished by Crystal Castles
Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
When Anger Shows by The Editors
Walking with a Ghost by Tegan and Sara
How by The Neighborhood
Bones by Ms Mr
The Dreaming Moon by The Magnetic Fields
Arsenal by Kidneythieves
Leaving Tonight by The Birthday Massacre
What Else Is There? by Royksopp
Scorch the Ground by Seabound
Approaching Light Speed by Wolfsheim
Dead Stars by Covenant
The Bomb by Neuroticfish
Let Me Be Your Armor by Assemblage 23
Bullet by Covenant
Ghost by VNV Nation
Wreath of Barbs by Wumpscut

What songs are on your Hunting in Bruges playlist?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E.J. Stevens is the author of the Spirit Guide young adult series, the bestselling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, and the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series. When E.J. isn't at her writing desk she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.

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Hunting in Bruges Release Day Giveaway

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Blog Tour No More Masquerade by Angel Payne and Victoria Blue

2014-11-10T07:29:00.000-06:00

Behind every good man…is the love of an even better woman. Those were just pretty words before I met Claire Montgomery. Before my fairy queen burst into my life, I didn’t recognize the bastard in my morning mirror—but her love has given me the strength to face the imposter, even embrace him. My tower in the clouds is no longer a sentence of isolation; it’s a jumping point to the stars. With Claire at my side, I’m the king I always wanted to be, the Killian Stone I always dreamed of becoming.

Which means for once, I want the mask guarding my secret to stay right where it is.

If you want the grown-up fairy tale…learn to love the dark side. Profound sentiment. Wish I could get on board with it but the prince in pinstripes has other ideas. Life has been a dream since Killian burst into the ball offering the perfect fit—his heart and mine, not the shoes, the car or the jewelry—but the treasures have become his armor, hiding the man I yearn to know. I refuse to open his little velvet box until he opens himself, letting me see even the dark hallways of his soul…

Until he lifts all his masks for me. Master of the masquerade…

Fate has always bowed to my bidding. I should have known it was just picking its time to exact the best revenge, to reveal the secrets that will destroy everything. Without my disguise, am I still the man Claire fell in love with…or another penniless prince vying for an unattainable dream?

Mistress of his ruin?

He always told me to be careful what I wish for. By demanding his truth, have I not only demolished the dream we had…but the man I’ve loved more than any other?

No More Masquerade by Angel Payne & Victoria Blue from Once Upon An Alpha on Vimeo.

“No more running in ice soup, Mr. Stone.” My admonishment was gentle but stern. “You’re going to catch pneumonia.”

“Psshhh.”

“Killian!”

“I grew up in the ‘ice soup’, baby. I’m not going to catch—”

“I can’t live without you.” I didn’t try to hide the hoarse crack in my voice. “Okay? Happy now?”

For a long moment, all he did was continue to stare. After that pause, he raised a hand to the space directly over my heart—and pressed it there. “You always make me happy.”

Slowly, he drew that hand down the center of my torso. Though the action brought a thousand shivers, his face still captivated me the most. I couldn’t stop picturing what he must have been like at five years old, so young and innocent, brought into the middle of a complicated mess by adults wrapped up in their warped and convoluted sense of “doing right”.

The heart he’d just warmed with his fingers now swelled from the power of his honesty. Then it swelled and ached, bursting with the love I felt for his beautiful, brave soul. If he asked me again to marry him, I’d shout my acceptance at the top of my lungs. As odd as it was, the pain of the last week had finally brought me the Killian I’d been searching for.

Unable to hold back anymore, I leaned over and kissed him. The pillows billowed around us with the force of my passion—and his in return. His powerful body, especially the part pressing most intimately against me, swelled and grew. He circled both arms around my waist and clutched me tighter, inviting my mouth to stay right where it was as he opened his lips for me.

Warmth. Invitation. Safety, Solace. Home. He was my home.

I lost myself in that kiss. Drowned in the luxury of his taste, the perfect feel of his tongue. Moaned as his tongue stroked mine with increasing urgency, growing desire.

There was so much more to our connection than the physical need of man and woman—and never more than in that moment. The force of his need filled me, pushed me, consumed me.

When we tore back by a few inches, Killian dug a hand to my scalp. “My queen. My Claire. You’re my anchor in this ocean. My compass in this storm.”

Peering into his eyes was looking to the depths of that uncharted sea. Fathoms of darkness lived there…gray and black and pewter, liquid and shadows as mysterious as the bottom of the Pacific or Atlantic themselves. When I gazed at him like this, the origins of the world’s labels for him were so easy to understand. Cryptic. Enigmatic. Secluded. Guarded. He was unbeknownst to so many, only allowing the most worthy into his sanctum—and now, all the reasons for that made such sense.

Right now, he’d made me the most worthy person on the planet. The way he held me in his embrace, touched my skin, kissed my lips…I’d never felt closer to him. I yearned to press him for more. Dammit, why did I always want more? I needed to thank the universe for what it had already given me this week. For now, this connection was enough. More than enough.

It was perfect.

“Killian,” I whispered. “When we’re together like this, when it feels like we are the only two people on the planet, I feel like I can take on the world.” I emitted a little girl growl as he reacted to that by slowly wrapping my hair around his fingers. “I know it sounds corny…”

“It sounds wonderful.” He rasped it, seating my hips more firmly against his, letting his engorged cock slide softly between the moist lips of my sex. “Don’t stop,” he encouraged.

Denying him wasn’t an option. “We can do anything we set our minds to,” I told him, “as long as we’re together. We’re a force, Killian—you and I. I’m not sure the world’s prepared for it yet. They have no idea what they’re messing with.”

He growled again, harder and louder. “Hmmm. My fairy has tiger claws, too. Always ready to fight for what’s right.”

“Damn straight, especially when it comes to the man I’m madly in love with.” I bent and kissed him again.

“And what about the Killian Stone you’re not so fond of?” He wasn’t playing at the question this time. “Answer me. I’ve seen the look on your face when that bastard comes out to play.”

“You’re right. He is a bastard. But I love you, Killian. All of you.” I seized the chance to splay my hand to the center of his chest now—to the heart inside that beat so strong and sure. “You’re just one man. And when you are this open and real with me, I love you more than my own life. I want our lives to be one. As sure as I breathe, that’s what I want.”

We kissed again, but I let my lips linger on his for a very long time, simply tasting him, savoring him. I fitted my body deeper to his, eliciting a deep groan from him, matched by my own aroused sigh. It was no longer time for talk. Nonverbal communication could speak our remaining words—a skill my man knew just as well as fancy boardroom speeches. Thank God.

No More Masquerade (Secrets of Stone #2)

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No Prince Charming (Secrets of Stone #1)

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Angel Payne

Hi there. I'm Angel: book lover, writing addict, hopeless romantic, pop culture geek and avid shoe lover.

**I have a monthly newsletter now! Sign up for it right here: http://eepurl.com/LoNkz. It's a cool way to get exclusive info, talk hot heroes, learn about new items in the Angel Payne store, talk hot heroes, further the pie or cake debate...and oh yeah, did I mention talking hot heroes?

A bit about me... I've been hooked on books since I was a kid but it got worse in my twenties, when I discovered romances--the hotter, the better. Growing up in Southern California, with lots of surfer manliness surrounded me, was certainly a good boost for reading about delicious alpha guys and the women who adore them. When I learned I had a knack for telling these stories too, I guess you could say I was doomed--though my path toward romance novelist took a few detours via a concert-reviewing gig for my college newspaper (free show tickets...backstage passes...that was a no-brainer), artist interviews for a Beverly Hills dance music mag, personal assistant work for a record producer, dance club disc jockey, and a lot of fun in the hospitality industry.

These days, I still live in California, and have found an amazing alpha guy of my own who was brave enough to marry me. We live on a street that looks like Brigadoon, with our beautiful daughter. I have the best life ever, and never forget to thank the Big Guy Upstairs for it, either.

Victoria Blue

Victoria Blue lives in her own portion of the galaxy known as Southern California. There she finds the love and life sustaining power of one amazing sun, two unique and awe inspiring planets and three indifferent, yet comforting moons. Life is fantastic and challenging and everyday brings new adventures to be discovered. She looks forward to seeing what's next!

Angel Payne

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Victoria Blue

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Review A Taste of Winter (Lakeside #2) by Laila Blake

2014-11-08T15:54:00.003-06:00

Accepted Readers,

I have been waiting for what feels like an eternity to read A Taste of Winter by Laila Blake... I will say it was well worth the wait! By the Light of the Moon, book one in this series, is one of my all time favorite paranormal romances. It awakened an insatiable thirst in me for the paranormal romance genre that I still struggle with today. (I'm totally not complaining though because I love this addiction!)

Today I will be sharing my review for A Taste of Winter along with an excerpt. If you're interested in checking out my review for By the Light of the Moon you can view it by clicking here.

Warning:

Contains language some might find offensive, some violence and situations of a sexual nature.

A Taste of Winter
The Lakeside Series #2
By: Laila Blake

Released: October 28th, 2014
Format: E-book
Genre: Romantic Fantasy/Paranormal

Blurb:

Picking up where BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON left off, A TASTE OF WINTER is the second book in a romantic paranormal fantasy trilogy, set in alternate history medieval times. It follows the life of young Moira, a half fae noblewoman who fell in love with her shape-shifter guard and ran away from her ancestral home.

Traveling the country, searching for a safe place to stay, the two of them soon realize that life is not as kind to them as they might have hoped. They feel the sting of prejudice and bigotry in each town they visit, and the reality of poverty and winter begin to erode Moira and Owain’s blossoming love.

In the castle they left behind, darker plans are afoot. The fae spy Brody is slowly taking over, and he has no love for humans. He needs to be stopped before he can seize power and trigger another war between the races. But Moira and Owain are long gone, and Brody always seems two steps ahead.

Excerpt from Chapter 7

Moira woke with a start. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she found herself patting her head and hair trying to extinguish the flames she had dreamed. Still only marginally conscious, she moaned in pain, yowled and curled in on that body that seemed to be pummeled with incorporeal kicks and beatings.

“Owain!” she cried out, as just for a moment, the pain did not seem to hers but his—the flames not on her but on his hair and eye-brows, his face distorted in blind agony. And suddenly, like a veil lifting, the beatings stopped. She touched her face just to make sure, just to feel herself rooted in reality, but there were no burns, no pain anymore. The room was lit by her glow, but Moira still felt around in the bed as though her eyes could have deceived her and missed him.

“Owain!” she called again. He wasn’t there. She had fallen asleep in his arms, but he was there no longer.

She was out of bed a second later. Something was wrong. Very wrong. She could feel it in her skin, in her bones, in her face that still felt scorched even though she had run her fingers over it to check several times.

Where was Owain?

She found herself rubbing her naked arms. Distracted by the strong glow, she strode over to the small and almost blind mirror. She had to trust her fingers about the health of her skin, but the glow was strong enough for both mirror and widow to capture and reflect back at her. Almost too late she remembered to draw the curtains. She shivered again—not because she was cold, though. Something was wrong. It hadn’t been an ordinary dream, that much she was all but certain of. She couldn’t trust herself entirely, not when she was this scared—but even though the direct pain had left her body, her face and her skin—it was still there, had shifted deeper into a hidden place in her soul. Inside, she was hurting and the more she allowed her mind to search for that pain, the more she could feel it.
Moira uttered a confused whimper and then quickly shook her head. Tears had sprung to her eyes and she could hardly see the clothes she was grasping for. She had to find him, that was all she knew: Owain was in terrible danger, and she had to find him.

Even as she had forced a dress down over her body and tights up her legs, she could still see the glow coming from her hands and face. That, too, gave her cause to worry. It had never stayed this long before. She shivered and then found a pair of gloves and a heavy cowl to pull deep into her face.

Her fingers on the door knob, she hesitated. If anyone saw her like this, she knew there was a chance she could make it all so much worse. But she couldn’t sit there and hide, not when her soul seemed to be crumbling, battered and dying inside her body. She couldn’t stay still, couldn’t let him hurt without even trying. He wouldn’t leave her to stay safe himself and neither would she.

As she pushed herself down the staircase and all but fled through the tavern and out into the night, the feeling of pain grew stronger again. She closed her eyes but there was only heavy rain and the wind howling in her ears. Stumbling a few steps down into the muddy streets, she found herself shouting: “Owain! Owain!”

But the wind swallowed the sound.

Tears ran down her cheeks, but she was barely aware of them through the colder water that smacked against her skin with each step. Her dress was soaked almost immediately and her shoes water-logged. She slipped in the mud once, caught herself on a lamp post and called for him again. The next time, she tore her knee open on a piece of gravel. She cursed and ran on. She could feel him—the wolf and the man—could feel them cringing in agony, fighting with their last vestige of strength. He was still alive, she knew that much. He was still alive and she had to find him!

The connection was fragile and tiny—it was nothing like the way she felt in his arms when they lay together spent and happy and wrapped up in each other’s beings, each other’s souls. But it was a connection—and without thinking, without questioning, she followed.

My Review

A Taste of Winter was one of my most anticipated releases and it was certainly well worth the wait! There is something enchanting about Laila Blake's writing that will keep you under a spell even long after you put it down. This book is the perfect addition to the Lakeside series!

This book has a bit of a slow beginning but it's during that time where the most character development happens. When the action begins, it takes you on one hell of a ride. You will cry, scream, and be shocked at some of the occurrences... I know I was. I was delighted that this book had more sexual scenes between Moira and Owian...their passion is sensual and wild-sexy-hot!

Regarding Characters:

I couldn't believe the turmoil that some of these poor characters had to endure. I know life isn't always rainbows and sunshine, but wow who would think it could be so dark and dreary.

It's upsetting on how evil Brody really is, I'm not even sure he has a soul. It's astonishing how one character can cause so much destruction and pain. He makes my skin crawl... he's a vile little snot that I wish I could punch.

Oh Moira and Owain how you make my heart skip a beat! They are one of my all-time favorite book couples! Their character development in this sequel was amazing. We get to see a softer, gentler side to Owain and a tougher, more nurturing side to Moira. I just adore how their weaknesses seem to disappear when they are together; they truly bring the best out of one another. The challenges they endure just to be in love is absolutely heartbreaking. How can a love so pure be considered taboo?

To-Read-or Not-To-Read:
I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SEQUEL! It was skillfully written in such a way that it should be considered a masterpiece! It touches on many difficult subjects, including prejudice, and will open your eyes to the hardships that go along with them. This book will make you ponder life and question why hatred even exists. It will restore your faith in love when you see what great lengths these character's go to protect the ones that they care for. In my opinion, it is a must read!

Laila Blake (lailablake.com) is an author, linguist and translator. She writes character-driven love stories, co-hosts the podcast Lilt and blogs about writing, feminism and society. Her work has been featured in numerous anthologies. Keeping a balance between her different interests, Laila Blake’s body of work encompasses literary erotica, romance, and various fields in speculative fiction (dystopian/post-apocalypse, fantasy, paranormal romance and urban fantasy) and she adores finding ways to mix and match. A self-proclaimed nerd, she lives in Cologne/Germany, harbors a deep fondness for obscure folk singers and plays the guitar. She loves photography, science documentaries and classic literature, as well as Doctor Who, Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory. You can find her across the web. To stay up to date with her most recent publications, please consider signing up for her spam-free newsletter.

Lilt Literary links:
Lilt Literary | Facebook | Twitter | Podcast

COVER REVEAL Sing For Me by Gracie Madison

2014-11-07T23:17:00.002-06:00

Sing For Me by Gracie Madison
Publication date: January 23rd, 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Cover Designed by: Berto Designs

Synopsis:

Madeline Noel fled war-torn Heaven to hide within the mortal world, but the blessing that could protect her from evil is the holy realm's forbidden power.

As a talented soprano for the Eden Theatre Company, Madeline hides among prima donnas and tone-deaf flutists. Her perfect voice may entertain audiences, but a careless laugh may shatter glass, and her greatest scream can kill. To control her unrestrained voice, the angels forbid Madeline from embracing the emotions that strengthen her song. Anger. Fear.

Love.

The demon-hunter Damascus vows to defend Madeline from Hell’s relentless evil, but he cannot protect her from her own feelings. Though they deny their dangerous attraction, her guardian becomes her greatest temptation.

Surrendering to desire may awaken the gift suppressed within Madeline’s soul, and neither Heaven nor Hell will allow such absolute power to exist.

Gracie Madison would spend every day, all day writing...if it were socially acceptable. Ever since she was a little girl scribbling with a crayon, Gracie's dedicated herself to her books and all the supernatural and paranormal, creepy and beautiful stories and characters born within the pages. Now Gracie is committed to finally sharing those books with the world. When the laptop is pried from her hands, Gracie is probably working her day job, rooting on the Steelers, or out with her husband searching for Pittsburgh’s best sushi.

Author links:

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Book Blitz Intensity by C.C. Koen

2014-11-07T06:24:00.000-06:00

Intensity by C.C. Koen
Publication date: October 13th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

What would you do to improve your life?

Twenty-one-year-old Serena Thomas is faced with a tough decision. Unable to get ahead of debt and loneliness since her grandmother’s death she finds a new job, placing the sheltered virgin in an underground escort business. She tells herself it’s just a temporary life choice, but destiny has a different plan. She meets a mysterious and gorgeous man, who happens to be her new boss. Will Serena fit in or will she be left all alone again?

Lincoln (aka: Linc) Jefferson has an unusual life. He established The Lounge, an exclusive escort club for very personal reasons. A place where the women say who, when, and what type of sex they’re willing to have. The escorts possess all the power and the money. It’s a business Linc guards at all costs. Trying to maintain the secrecy is a constant challenge and one that’s tested when he enters into a relationship with Serena. She tempts him unlike any woman, even though he’s surrounded by beauty on a daily basis. The more time they spend together the harder it is for him to keep his secrets. Will Serena stand by his side or will she abandon him?

Sparks and passion fly, taking these two on a journey neither could have expected.

PURCHASE Intensity:

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GIVEAWAY Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

One winner can choose one of the three swag collections pictured above!
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INTENSITY Excerpt - C.C. Koen

I turned toward the frameless picture windows lining the entire exterior wall and was presented with a breathtaking, unobstructed view of the harbor. Smack dab in the middle, behind an antique mahogany desk, stood the tallest, most impressive man I’d ever seen. The black suit he wore matched the surroundings, professional and sleek. The top three buttons on his white shirt undone, dark sprigs of hair peeked through and begged for my attention.

As I got closer, his eyes scanned me from head, to chest, to hips and up and down my long legs at least three times, resting on my ruby-red tiptoes.

Ha! Two could play at that game. Using the exact pace he did, I snapped mental pictures of every God given, Mr. Universe muscle. A wavy black ponytail, pulled tight at the nape, crested his wide shoulders and dipped to mid-chest, bringing my journey to a momentary pause. A taut dress shirt molded to his pecs became an instant favorite and preference I didn’t know I had. As I gravitated lower, the desk impeded my view, coming to rest at his waist and a nondescript silver belt buckle. My eyes drifted back up, wishing I could see more, but his tailored jacket without a hint of lint on it kept him hidden. Still, from what I could take in, the man had sin engraved all over him.

I stopped in front of his desk and realized my earlier assessment of him had been right. My six five in heels, shrunk to five feet the way he towered over me by several inches. “Linc?” The wispiness of my voice made me cringe. Way to go, Serena.

His answer, one sharp nod. In the corners around each eye, little wrinkles appeared as he took another long journey over my body. Knees locked together, I tried hard not to fidget. “I’m Serena. Mylaynee said my interview was at twelve thirty. I’m a little early. I didn’t mean to interrupt if you were in the middle of something.” Damn, there I went, rambling. Yeah, that would have him eating out of my hands.

Linc rounded the desk, coming toe to toe.

“You’re a virgin.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

C.C. Koen writes contemporary romance with a twist. An avid reader who enjoys mystery and suspense, her stories will never be what you expect. Determined to find adventure in her dreams and life, she enjoys skydiving, sailing and any activity that challenges her. Teacher by day, romance writer at night produce an active imagination that comes to life in her writing.

C.C. Koen’s links:
Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Release Blitz No More Masquerade by Angel Payne & Victoria Blue

2014-11-06T06:27:00.000-06:00

Which means for once, I want the mask guarding my secret to stay right where it is.

Until he lifts all his masks for me. Master of the masquerade…

Mistress of his ruin?

He always told me to be careful what I wish for. By demanding his truth, have I not only demolished the dream we had…but the man I’ve loved more than any other?

No More Masquerade by Angel Payne & Victoria Blue from Once Upon An Alpha on Vimeo.

No More Masquerade (Secrets of Stone #2)

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No Prince Charming (Secrets of Stone #1)

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Angel Payne

Victoria Blue

Angel Payne

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Victoria Blue

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Book Blitz Loving Angel by J.L. Weil

2014-11-05T06:56:00.000-06:00

J.L. Weil’s next novel in her The Divisa Series, Loving Angel, is out and we are excited to join in the release launch. Loving Angel, the fourth installment in The Divisa Series is told from the drool-enticing Chase Winters. Readers get to venture inside the overprotective, smexy half-demon’s head, and for those who have read the series, you never know what Chase is going to say or do. The first novel in the series, Saving Angel, is out if you haven’t started this series. Check out what we have for you today! There's also an excerpt for you to check out below!

Title: Loving Angel (The Divisa Series, #4)

Author: J.L. Weil
Release date: October 2, 2014

Loving Angel isn’t easy. Actually, it’s downright exhausting, but somehow she weaseled her way into my life. She has become my everything—my reason for existing—my reason for breathing. I love the ever-loving crap out of Angel Eyes. There is nothing I wouldn’t endure for her—even college.

College. Ugh.

I hope the frat boys, the jocks, and the nerds are prepared for what is about to embark on their school this fall. Half-demons. Hunters. And um, the Keystone? Yeah, that is going to take getting used to.

We aren’t exactly your average freshman. And somehow I find myself stuck with a bunch of troublesome females to look after. Angel. Emma. Lexi. Pretty sure I got the raw end of the stick.

But that isn’t the worst of it. There is someone lurking in the shadows—spying and stalking my girlfriend. He is a dead man. How many people am I going to have to kill for this girl? A better question would be how many people wouldn’t I kill for her?

As many as it took.

Angel is about to experience betrayal of the worst kind. And this time, it’s not entirely my fault—shocker.

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Don't miss the other books in J.L. Weil’s The Divisa Series!

Excerpt from Loving Angel:

For anyone who thought love was easy, well, I’d say they haven’t met Angel.

Loving Angel…it’s not easy. Actually, it’s downright exhausting.

I’d never met a single person who attracted as much trouble as she did. It was as if she oozed danger-stalk-me nectar. What was a guy to do?

Okay. I’ll admit that because of me and what I am, I had put her smack dab in the middle of a demon war, but I swear she does a bang-up job of getting herself in all kinds of gooey situations on her own.

How many people would I have to kill for this girl? Simple. As many as it took. In all honesty, a better question would be: How many people wouldn’t I kill for her?

Angel was my every thing—my reason for existing—my reason for breathing. I loved the ever-loving crap out of Angel Eyes.

Gawd. I think I might have vomited a little in my mouth.

Mushy thoughts weren’t my forte. Well, before Angel they weren’t. Not a single romantic thought had swirled in my brain. I wasn’t exactly an easy person—scratch that, half-demon to love, but somehow Angel was able to see past my rocky and rough exterior.

God bless her.

Being a badass meant I was an asshole more times than not. I had a reputation to live up to, and everything you might have heard…it’s all a hundred percent true.

In case you’ve been living in a cave, the name’s Chase Winters, and I’m not your average incoming college freshman. Nope. I’m half demon.

It’s true. My so-called father is a demon with a mega power trip. I might be only part human, but my family is just as screwed up as the next.

That being said, I finally thought it was time you heard the story from my side. Lord knows Angel fabricates everything.

For once, it was not entirely my fault that Angel’s life was at stake.

What a mind-blowing concept.

Award-winning and Bestselling author J.L. Weil writes Teen & New Adult Paranormal Romances about spunky, smart mouth girls who always wind up in dire situations. For every sassy girl, there is an equally mouthwatering, overprotective guy. Of course there is lots of kissing. And stuff.

Most of her books are for ages 16+. They usually have what she considers the good stuff - sexual content (oh yeah) and swearing. You have been warned ;)

An admitted addict to Love Pink clothes, raspberry mochas from Starbucks, (yum!) and Jensen Ackles (double yum!). She loves gushing about books and Supernatural with her readers.

Connect with J.L. Weil:
Blog: Website: Facebook: Twitter:

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Interested in reading book one in The Divisa Series, Saving Angel? Here's your chance to win a copy!

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Blog Tour By Sea (Supernatural Renegades #1) by Carly Fall

2014-11-03T06:44:00.000-06:00

Title: By Sea
Series: Supernatural Renegades # 1
Author: Carly Fall
Audience: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Formats: E-book
Publisher: Carly Fall
Cover by: PJ Friel
Editor: Madison Seidler
Pages: 250-300
ISBN: 1502405598
ASIN: B00MRORVBI
Date Published: 11 October 2014

While fighting the War on Drugs in Latin America, Marine Brody Teller was involved in an accident that left him with a supernatural power: a deep connection to the sea and the ability to control it.

When the mysterious Joe Smith approaches him with an incredible job offer, Brody thinks it’s too good to be true. His life-saving need and his desire to be near the ocean while earning a living are rolled into one perfect job.

Rayna Lopez lives a quiet life as she tries to climb her way up the CIA ladder, always in fear the government will learn of her family lineage. When her father asks for help getting her famous and belligerent half-sister out of trouble, Rayna reluctantly agrees to travel with her and they board a yacht where they will be protected.

Brody and Rayna realize they’ve met before, and despite a significant lack of trust between them, they face an attraction neither can deny. As they fight to keep Rayna’s sister alive, lies are revealed and secrets are told. They must both learn to trust each other, and—if they live through their voyage—figure out what to do about their whirlwind romance.

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Taking a deep breath through her snorkel, she looked back at the fish. Reds, yellows, and blues . . . it seemed every color of the rainbow was represented on swarm of beauty before her. About ten feet away, Margarita let go of another handful of cat food, and the fish teemed around her as they fed. Rayna found it mildly amusing that the fish seemed to adore the cat food, and cats loved fish.

She glanced over at Brody again, and he motioned her to follow him. She caught up with him, and they swam together, the sun warming her back. When they were out of range from Margarita and Jason, Brody laced his fingers with hers.

Rayna looked up and saw they were headed for the caves. Katie had said the fish inhabiting them were different, and Rayna looked forward to the exploration.

As they entered the cave, the light waned, but Rayna caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see a thin, dark, four-foot long fish emerge from the darkness. She gasped and grabbed Brody’s arm as the fish swam out of the cave.
Rayna lifted her head, and Brody did the same.

“That was a barracuda,” he said after removing his mouthpiece.

“That thing was huge!” Rayna exclaimed, her heart still pounding with fear.

Brody chuckled and pulled her close to him, removing his mask, and then hers. “Is Ms. Hot CIA afraid of a little fish?”

Rayna laced her arms around his neck, thankful the ocean gave them such buoyancy. “Yes,” she murmured, as he peppered her neck with slow kisses.

“Don’t worry about him,” Brody whispered, his voice barely audible over the waves lapping at the rocks in the cave. “Barracudas don’t like humans. He has no desire to nibble on your toes. Now on the other hand, I’m a different story. I want to lick, suck, and nibble every inch of you. If there’s anything you should worry about, it’s me.”

Rayna laughed despite the bolts of heat coursing through her. Her heart still pounded, but she knew it was from Brody’s touch, not fear. His lips met hers in slow exploration.

“So I should actually be worried about my Captain who has promised to protect me?” she teased.

“Oh, yes, Rayna,” he whispered in her ear. “You should be very worried about what I plan to do with you.

By Sea has been described as "amazing and suspense filled storyline about betrayal, government secrets and finding love."

Renegade by Styx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOQ4pkUAFbA

Bankie Banx - Hitchin' a Ride

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hitchin-a-ride/id392533523?i=392533525

It's Five O’clock Somewhere - Jimmy Buffett

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Give Me the Simple Life - Patrick Ki

Sugar, We're Going Down Swinging by Fall Out Boys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N68BgieLs3s

Little Lies Fleetwood Mac

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf63D4EQtV8

Interstate Love Song by Stone Temple Pilots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUoEMFYbxiI

AC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onE43h_TUUY

Bankie Banx - Bring it Out

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Carly Fall is a wife, a mother and a slave to the dog, Nicky.

She loves to laugh, thinks chocolate and wine should be considered their own food group, and wishes Christmas happened twice a year.

She is the author of the award winning and Amazon best selling series, the Six Saviors, as well as paranormal and contemporary romance.

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Tour Schedule - One Week Blog Tour for By Sea ,Supernatural Renegades #1 by Carly Fall from Nov 3 to Nov 11, 2014.

Nov 3

Kelly P's Blog - Promo

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Accepted Wisdom - Promo & Book Soundtrack

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Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - Promo & Top Ten

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Nov 4

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Book Geek - Promo & Book Soundtrack

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Patricia D. Eddy - Promo

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Portals to New Worlds - Promo, Character Interview & Book Soundtrack

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Nov 6

Trips Down Imagination Road - Review

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Nov 7

Angels with Attitude Book Reviews - Promo & Author Interview

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Social Media/Blog Tour Afraid to Fall by W. Ferraro

2014-11-02T16:44:00.002-06:00

Title: Afraid to Fall

Author: W. Ferraro

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: October 18, 2014

Jaded and hardened by the ultimate of betrayals, Clearwater Falls Sheriff Gage Dennison is content with his simple, detached life.

With only his loyal dog at his side, Gage has successfully maintained the walls he’s built around his life and heart for eight years. From his secluded house at the end of a private road, to the solitude of a small town sheriff, he has no trouble keeping everyone just where he wants them – at a distance.

But Gage soon learns his walls are not as solid as he thought them to be.

Despite all his efforts, and against his will, Gage’s new neighbor Delaney Collins threatens to crack his once-impenetrable walls.

Unprepared for the constant verbal sparring, and growing physical attraction to Delaney, Gage is suddenly fighting an internal war he never expected. His brain and reason insist he keep his distance, but his body refuses to listen. Especially when the lure of her warm, willing body soothing his bruised and battered soul is too much to resist.

As the demons of his past are revealed, will Gage crumble under the weight of his fear? Or will he find the strength necessary to tear down his walls and hold on to the only woman that offers him a second chance at love?

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Author W. Ferraro

I live in New England with my young family. I’m a stay at home mom to two very active children. For all of you who are familiar with the stress of this job, I decided to complete an item on my bucket list and write a book. I’ve always been a big reader, and I happy to say my children have fallen in love with books, this is one proud Momma.

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6566069.W_Ferraro

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/W.-Ferraro/e/B00D0YJN6U/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByWFerraro

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Three of Hearts (Hamden Series Book 1)

Three of Spades (Hamden Series Book 2)

Three of Diamonds (Hamden Series Book 3)

Breaking Spades (Hamden Series Book 4)

Book Highlight Ciara Ballintyne's STALKING THE DEMON

2014-11-02T12:16:00.001-06:00

Title: Stalking the Demon
Author: Ciara Ballintyne
Series: The Seven Circles of Hell #2

Six months ago, the disgraced wizard, Alloran, sacrificed his hand to rescue the woman he loves from his traitorous friend, Ladanyon. Despite saving the city from a demon, his reputation remains tarnished, and the council of wizards has penalised him severely for the practise of banned magic.

Now he learns his desperate efforts to stop Ladanyon led more to damnation than salvation. Finding a solution compels him to breach his sanctions and venture into forbidden places at risk of his life and freedom.

Alloran must choose between saving himself and everything he holds dear.

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Book #1

Chapter 1

Collapse

Alloran rushed through the citadel halls heedless of the rich carpets crushed beneath his heavy boots. Gisayne hung limply in his arms, and her black hair trailed over his elbow. A few people watched him pass, but none offered assistance. Over the past six months, Gisayne collapsed often enough to blunt the urgency and the panic. The faces turning in his direction bore only mild curiosity, oblivious to the fact that this time was different.

Her chest barely rose and fell beneath the thin cream silk of her night gown and robe, and blue tinged the edges of her bee-stung lips. Seven hells, was she dying? As he raced onwards, he clutched her against him and her cold skin pressed against his. With no left hand, he had no way to check for a pulse. A choked-back scream of desperate frustration tightened his chest until it squeezed the breath out of his lungs.

While juggling Gisayne, he fumbled with the latch on the door to the citadel’s hospice. Damn his missing hand to the first hell. When the door finally gave, he shouldered it open and backed into a long room lined with starkly made beds. The few occupied by sick or injured had curtains drawn for privacy. Breidmar, dressed in the red-trimmed white robes of a citadel doctor, bustled over at their entrance.

Orange brows pinched with concern over her violet eyes. ‘Again?’

‘She’s…’ The lump in his throat choked him. He swallowed hard. ‘She’s hardly breathing.’

‘This way.’ Pointing to an empty bed, Breidmar called out and strode to a door at the far end. Before she crossed halfway back, an unfamiliar girl in acolyte’s white appeared in the doorway.

Alloran placed Gisayne on the bed with gentle care. Her slack body slid from his arms, her skin pale. When he let her go, her eyelids fluttered but did not open. Nausea knotted his gut. The last time she’d fainted, the recovery was quick. Now, she looked as if death hovered over her, waiting for the moment to snip the thread of her life.

As Breidmar began checking Gisayne’s vitals, she waved Alloran off. He hesitated. What would he do except wait, patient, and idle while Breidmar tried again to determine what illness affected her? She would try and fail, most likely.

‘Are you sure this is not the falling sickness? It’s supposed to get worse with each successive bout.’

‘She’s not got the right symptoms. No seizures,’ Breidmar responded in precise, clipped tones.

Alloran frowned. He wasn’t an idiot. ‘Then what? These collapses are getting more frequent and more severe! Seven hells take you, tell me. Whatever the illness, it can’t be too complicated for me to understand.’

With her severe lips curving down, she sniffed. ‘No amount of genius can assist you to comprehend a malady I cannot explain. While you’ve made any number of miraculous discoveries, you have no particular expertise in medical matters. Leave this to me.’

‘The title of doctor is reserved only for those who have studied in the citadel, and yet you say you don’t know? After all this time, you must have some notion.’ Wisps of his black hair hung about his face, torn free of their bindings in his haste. He pushed them back with a rough motion. When they slid back into disarray, he tore the leather thong free and began tying his hair back with short, sharp motions.

The doctor scowled at him. At her nod, the acolyte whipped the curtain around the bed in a rattle of rings. The cloth brushed Alloran’s nose; he jerked his head away.

A heartfelt sigh escaped his lips before he retreated to a waiting area that comprised a group of chairs. No, sitting still would be intolerable. He changed direction and paced the length of the room, passing the rows of identical empty beds. His boots echoed in the open space. Sterile and odourless air filled his nostrils.

Apparently, Breidmar shared the sentiments of many people in the citadel. Some blamed him solely for the demons that plagued the city of Ehsan six months earlier, and others accused him of working with the renegade wizard, Ladanyon. Although Alloran wasn’t subjected to a disciplinary hearing, the council’s public announcement that they were banning him from all forms of magic involving the hells only reinforced the blame.

Seven hells, the councillors banned him because some of them felt the same as the other citizens. Those residents who lost loved ones in the battle against Ladanyon’s first-circle demon were the most damning. Councillor Valgon’s wife died, and he made no bones about believing Alloran to be a public menace. I just can’t prove it, was what he said.

Ciara Ballintyne was born in 1981 in Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, one masochistic cat, and one cat with a god complex. She holds degrees in law and accounting, and has been a practising financial services lawyer since 2004. She is both an idealist and a cynic.

She started reading epic fantasy at the age of nine, when she kidnapped Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings from her father. Another two years passed before she began her first attempts at the craft of writing. Confronting the Demon is her debut book.

She enjoys horse-riding, and speculation about taking over the world. If she could choose to be anything it would be a dragon, but instead she shares more in common with Dr. Gregory House of House. M.D.

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BOOK BLITZ Evernight (Night Watchmen #2) by Candace Knoebel

2014-11-02T12:11:00.003-06:00

Evernight
(Night Watchmen #2)

Author: Candace Knoebel
Publication date: October 31st 2014
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

---------------------------------------------------

One lie will change everything.

Faye Middleton has secured the Dagger of Retribution for the High Priesthood, but in doing so, she’s opened the door to more demands set by them. She now has to break the Holy Seal, and soon. Trapped in the alluring Ethryeal City, Faye is pushed to the breaking point trying to discover just what she is truly capable of, even if it means destroying herself in the process.

With the clock ticking down to the war between both Covens, and the truth about her parent’s mysterious disappearance within her reach, Faye is faced with tough choices that will forever change her. Will Faye be able to handle the demands from the Priesthood, and still be able to continue her search for her parents?

But more importantly, can she survive the truth she finds?

Links for purchase (available for pre-order): Amazon

EXCERPT: PROLOGUE

PEOPLE LIE. EVERY SINGLE DAY.

In fact, most of our world was built on the foundation of lies, some with the intent to serve the greater good, and others with the intent to serve one person’s giant ambitions. But the root of every lie is exactly the same. They’re all equally deceitful, treacherous propositions spewed from the mouths of men and woman alike.

Lies have the power to sound right, yet feel wrong. They have the ability to confuse your heart and twist your mind. The problem is, sometimes these lies become easier to believe than the truth. They become a sort of safety net from reality, a way to avoid what lingers in the back of your mind. And some say that over time, if you believe them long enough, they become real.

At least, that’s what my mother had hoped would happen in my case. But just like every lie ever told, all it takes is one small crack in that foundation for the whole thing to come crashing down.

And it did.

Because everything I thought I knew about myself was a lie. A beautiful and heartrending lie. I wasn’t the Defect my parents would regretfully see off to college before turning their backs on me. I wasn’t the weak friend who didn’t have enough backbone to stand up for what’s right, nor was I the loner without a purpose or a chance at real love. And I sure as hell wasn’t the weapon Bael and the members of the Darkyn Coven intended me to be.

But I am the weapon the Primeval Coven needs me be. Or so they keep saying.

In my Coven, there are two kinds of people: The Hunters and the Witches. They used to hate each other, even though they were on the same team, back in the old days when cars didn’t exist and time was tracked on a sundial. They hated each other so much that eventually a war was brought on by one of the original Witches—a Divine named Mourdyn.

The war was known as the Great Battle of the Covens. It was meant to wipe out the existence of every Hunter, and it devastated the population of my people, the Primevals. It annihilated the population of the Darkyns—the Witches who abandoned our Coven to follow the whims of Mourdyn and his persuasive lies.

But even though a lie can be struck down—imprisoned even—it can’t ever be fully erased. The scars it leaves behind on this earth and in our hearts are eternal, and somewhere along the way, someone will pick that lie back up and breathe life into it once more. Give it the wings it needs to rise again. Only, this time, that lie will be stronger, with an even greater purpose.

And that’s the part that scares me the most.

I glance down at my leg. The burn marks left behind from Bael’s wrath still tingle with echoes of the scorching fire he sent after me after I escaped with Weldon, reminding me that I’m nowhere near ready for the fight that’s sure to come.

And that has to change.

That’s part of why I agreed to come here to Ethryeal City—to the heart of our Coven. It’s where Hunters and Witches in an affinity bond enter as Night Watchmen and leave as Elites. Where those who have broken our Coven laws go to face the High Priesthood. Where those who need refuge… those like me… come to hide.

The only thing is, I never agreed to being separated from everyone I know. They call it debriefing, but with every day that passes, I’m beginning to wonder… to question how long it actually takes.

It’s been seven days and fourteen hours since my unfortunate and unplanned encounter with Bael—the Demon King of the Underground. In these last seven days, I’ve made more promises than I can count on two hands. And in those promises, I think I’ve told more lies than I ever have in my life.

Honesty seems to have slipped out of her bedroom from inside my integrity and, in her place, deceit has crept in with the offer of survival. If I just nod along with the many blending faces all interviewing me, then maybe somehow, I’ll make it out of this phase in my life alive. I’ll make it back into Jaxen’s arms and back into the graces of the friends I’ve come to trust.

But what deceit doesn’t offer is solace, because you can’t fool deceit. It knows every trick in the book.

Every day, twice a day, for the past four days, I’ve recounted in specific order how my friends and I nearly lost our lives in hopes that we’d gain an advantage on the Darkyn Coven and intercept them from taking the Dagger of Retribution. The one that has the power to initiate the removal of the Veil that separates the Underground and all its evil from the humans. The very Dagger that only I have the power to touch.

I’ve been singularly interviewed by every member on the Priesthood, and then by every general and Elder within the hierarchy of our Coven.

And I’m so very tired.

For the past four days, since I left the safe house beneath the church owned by the Night Watchmen, when I haven’t been in a laboratory undergoing strenuous testing, I’ve spent the remaining hours kept in a holding cell stripped of all personality. Chained down by claustrophobia. Shackled to the fears given free rein to destroy my hope.

I don’t have a home anymore. I have four white walls, one white jumpsuit, a white bed, white sheets… the color was bleached from my life the moment I crossed into the legendary Ethryeal City. I keep trying to remember the last time I saw Jaxen’s face, but my soul has fed so often on the happiness of that memory, I fear it’s disappearing. And I don’t know when I’m going to see him again.

They took everything away from me just to keep me repressed. Controlled. But what they don’t know is they cannot control what they do not own, and they do not own me. I can’t trust anyone. No one but myself, because all I know is I am more of a threat to them than I thought.

And the High Priesthood doesn’t know what to do with me.

Other Books from the Night Watchmen Series

Everlasting (Night Watchmen, #1)

What if your destiny lay on the other side of death?

The annual Culling ceremony is a day every coming-of-age novice looks forward to within the Primeval Coven. It’s the start to being initiated into the Night Watchmen, humankind’s protectors, and it’s the long-awaited day when novices discover if they’re a Hunter or a Witch.

But this day is not a happy one for Faye Middleton. Not when she’s known her whole life that she’s a Defect and is about to face banishment in front of her fellow novices. She’s forced to attend the Culling with little hope for her future, but what she discovers about herself is far worse than she could’ve imagined. And far more dangerous.

Thrown into training and separated from her friends, Faye must learn to adjust. She struggles to find her place within the Coven, and with Jaxen Gramm, the darkly handsome and extremely unnerving man assigned to watch and protect her. Emotions run high, and when she discovers a deadly secret about him, her struggles deepen. As corruption within the Coven begins to unravel, Faye pieces together her role in saving the future of her people, and within Jaxen’s life...but will the truth save her, or be her undoing?

Links for purchase (available in ebook and paperback):

Amazon

---------------------------------------------------

The Gramm Curse (Night Watchmen, #0.5)

Set before Everlasting, the addicting start to the Night Watchmen Series, The Gramm Curse is a novella told from Jaxen Gramm’s perspective.

How far is one willing to go for love?

Before finding a love that shakes the entire foundation of his world, Jaxen Gramm only had his Witch, Jezibelle Beaumont, to worry about. He’s her Hunter, and he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe from the curse placed on his bloodline, even if it means keeping her far from his heart.

But when a spell is offered that has the power to remove the curse, temptation clouds the ethical judgment of the Gramm brothers and their Witches.

In this action-packed novella, enter the dark recesses of Jaxen’s mind as he battles with himself over a decision that could not only cost him his life, but the life of fellow Coven members. Reunite with Gavin, Cassie, Mack, and Jezi as they dance around the dangers of a civil war on the brink of beginning.

Links for purchase (available in ebook and paperback):
Amazon

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-book one in a young adult fantasy trilogy. She discovered in 2009 through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. And an outlet for all the voices residing in her head.

Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013. In January of 2014, the last book in the trilogy, From the Embers, was released, thusly completing the trilogy. She now works on the Night Watchmen Series, while guzzling Red Bulls and pretending to be a ninja on Heelys.

Author Links:
Website: https://www.candaceknoebel.com
Blog: http://candaceknoebel.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandaceKnoebel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/candaceknoebel
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6458922.Candace_Knoebel

BLITZ-WIDE GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY

Paperback copy of Evernight signed by the characters (US only)

e-Copy of the entire Night Watchmen Series (INTL)

e-Copy of the entire Born in Flames trilogy (IINTL)

Night Watchmen button swag pack (US only)

5 bookmark swag packs (US only)

Bracelet with charms (US only)

5$ Amazon gift card (INTL

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Release Blast Rehab is for Witches Anthology

2014-10-31T06:58:00.000-05:00

Accepted Readers,

I am a sucker for anthologies, I think they are a great way to discover new authors and most include a little bit of something for every type of reader. I am excited to announce the release of a new anthology; Rehab is for Witches, is a perfect read for Halloween!

Rehab is for Witches

Anthology

Various Authors

Published By- SideStreet Cookie Publishing

Publication Date- October 31st, 2014

Welcome to Little Raven: an unsullied, beautiful woodland hamlet in the heart of the Midwest. The sort of place where furry creatures romp about and spend their days bursting into song.

Actually, that’s a giant pack of lies.

Little Raven is a town…for witches.

And some of those witches might have bent the rules. A teensy bit. When six magical miscreants dabble with black magic, they end up together at Incantations, the town’s rehab center for witches gone awry. It’s a slap on the wrist for naughty witches. Pretty much a daycare center so they don’t wander off and start turning people into newts on a whim. Each witch must work through her addiction to black magic, and follow the tenets designed to lead them back to the path of the straight and narrow, as boring as that sounds. Even if following the tenets sucks worse than a group round of kum-bay-ya. Which sucks. Horribly.

We will admit we are powerless over magic—that our lives have become unmanageable.

We will make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of the Goddess as we understand Her.

We will make a searching and fearless moral and magical inventory of ourselves.

We will admit to the Goddess, to ourselves, and to another being the exact nature of our magical wrongs.

We will make a list of all persons or beings we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.

We will make direct amends to such beings whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

We are entirely ready to bow before the Goddess and have Her remove all our defect of character, even at the risk of being entirely stripped of our magic.

But this is just the start. There’s something rotten in Little Raven, something that seeks to take all the magic it can, and devour the inhabitants in the process. It will take the strength and power of all the witches to defeat the darkness seeping into their town, beat it back, and be rid of it forever…and maybe just make it through rehab while they’re saving the world.

The Authors & Titles-

Tara S. Wood - A Trunk Full of Peril

Tyffani Clark Kemp - A Diary Full of Names

Cynthia Valero - A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Miranda Stork - A Closet Full of Demons

J. A. Howell - A Basement Full of Secrets

Elle J Rossi - A Suitcase Full of Revenge

Accepted Wisdom

*ARC Review* Modern Monsters by Kelley York

*BLOG TOUR* The Test By: B.A. Sherman

*COVER REVEAL* Death of the Spirit by Rick Chiantaretto

Death of the Spirit (Crossing Death #2)

Cover

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*Cover Reveal* Two Truths and a Lie by Ashley Stoyanoff

*Pre-Valentine's Day Sale* Reclaim Me by A.O. Peart

*Book Blast* Losing It: A Collection of V-Cards

*Release Day Blitz* Seducing Destiny (The Fae Chronicles book 4) by Amelia Hutchins

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About Amelia:

*BOOK HIGHLIGHT* SON OF SET by Kelsey Ketch

Happy New Year + GoodReads 2014 Reading Challenge Update

Reclaim Me Scavenger Hunt

The XOXO New Adult Collection Release Day Blitz

*Blog Tour+ Guest Post* Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett

*Blog Tour+Review* Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett

*Book Tour* Hunting in Bruges by EJ. Stevens

*Blog Tour* No More Masquerade by Angel Payne and Victoria Blue

No More Masquerade (Secrets of Stone #2)

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No Prince Charming (Secrets of Stone #1)

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Angel Payne

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Angel Payne

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* 2 Winners ~ $50 Amazon Gift Card, 1 Winner Signed Paperback of No Prince Charming & No More Masquerade & Set of Secrets of Stone Wine Glasses*

*Review* A Taste of Winter (Lakeside #2) by Laila Blake

*COVER REVEAL* Sing For Me by Gracie Madison

*Book Blitz* Intensity by C.C. Koen

*Release Blitz* No More Masquerade by Angel Payne & Victoria Blue

No More Masquerade (Secrets of Stone #2)

* AMAZON * BARNES & NOBLE *

No Prince Charming (Secrets of Stone #1)

* AMAZON * BARNES & NOBLE *

Angel Payne

Victoria Blue

Angel Payne

Victoria Blue

*Book Blitz* Loving Angel by J.L. Weil

*Blog Tour* By Sea (Supernatural Renegades #1) by Carly Fall

*Social Media/Blog Tour* Afraid to Fall by W. Ferraro

Title: Afraid to Fall

Author: W. Ferraro

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: October 18, 2014

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6566069.W_Ferraro

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/W.-Ferraro/e/B00D0YJN6U/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByWFerraro

Author Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/AuthorWFerraro

Webpage: www.booksbywferraro.com

Email: wendy@booksbywferraro.com

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com\wferraro

Three of Hearts (Hamden Series Book 1)

Three of Spades (Hamden Series Book 2)

Three of Diamonds (Hamden Series Book 3)

Breaking Spades (Hamden Series Book 4)

*Book Highlight* Ciara Ballintyne's STALKING THE DEMON

*BOOK BLITZ* Evernight (Night Watchmen #2) by Candace Knoebel

*Release Blast* Rehab is for Witches Anthology

ARC Review Modern Monsters by Kelley York

BLOG TOUR The Test By: B.A. Sherman

COVER REVEAL Death of the Spirit by Rick Chiantaretto

Cover Reveal Two Truths and a Lie by Ashley Stoyanoff

Pre-Valentine's Day Sale Reclaim Me by A.O. Peart

Book Blast Losing It: A Collection of V-Cards

Release Day Blitz Seducing Destiny (The Fae Chronicles book 4) by Amelia Hutchins

BOOK HIGHLIGHT SON OF SET by Kelsey Ketch

Blog Tour+ Guest Post Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett

Blog Tour+Review Apocalypta: A Novel of the Future by Rob Matchett

Book Tour Hunting in Bruges by EJ. Stevens

Blog Tour No More Masquerade by Angel Payne and Victoria Blue

Review A Taste of Winter (Lakeside #2) by Laila Blake

COVER REVEAL Sing For Me by Gracie Madison

Book Blitz Intensity by C.C. Koen

Release Blitz No More Masquerade by Angel Payne & Victoria Blue

Book Blitz Loving Angel by J.L. Weil

Blog Tour By Sea (Supernatural Renegades #1) by Carly Fall

Social Media/Blog Tour Afraid to Fall by W. Ferraro

Book Highlight Ciara Ballintyne's STALKING THE DEMON

BOOK BLITZ Evernight (Night Watchmen #2) by Candace Knoebel

Release Blast Rehab is for Witches Anthology