Tag Archives: dark fantasy

A Masterpiece – Veil Of Shadows Omnibus by M R Pritchard @M_R_Pritchard @booksirens

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Angels, demons, ghosts,the walking dead…I am so all over the Veil of Shadows series. So many elements that I love. Combine some Walking Dead, some Lucifer, some Supernatural, some Charmed and I am in Heaven…Hell…and everywhere between. I didn’t realize I had Sparrow Man sitting on my ereader until I went to write a review for the first book of the Veil of Shadows Omnibus by M R Pritchard. It has been patiently waiting to be read since 4.7.16 and after reading it, I was sorry I had waited so long. The good thing about waiting, is now I have the entire series. No waiting to find out the final solution and you will need the entire series to get it.

Sparrow Man

“I was alone. Waiting for my fiance to get home -” “His name is Jim?”

Meg sets out to find him…alone. Every step is dangerous and she is ill equipped to handle it on her own. It’s a good thing she comes across Sparrow. Is it be chance or fate? She thinks he’s crazy. Obsessive about collecting feathers. About Jim, I didn’t see that coming at all. About Meg, I knew something was up with her. After all, she is the star of the show, so she has to special in some way. About Sparrow, his identity slowly came to me, but I didn’t grasp the full story. As Meg finds out her history and lineage, the full betrayal brings her to her knees. I am super pissed off for her and I would love to be there and help her kick some demon ass. The familiarity with The Walking Dead, Supernatural and Lucifer made reading Sparrow Man wicked good and easy to visualize the action. Sparrow Man laid the foundation for the entire series, which needs to be read in order. It did end in a good place with no cliffhanger. I will be devouring Nightingale Girl, Book II, ASAP.

Nightingale Girl

It didn’t take long for me to become enamored with Nightingale Girl. She is outgoing, vivacious, gets around on roller skates, and is locked in the dungeon by her father. She is a bit off, as is Sparrow, her brother. They are under a curse and the only way to lift it is for one of them to serve their time as a Hellion. Their father was a coward and refused to go, so it falls to Sparrow. I feel Nightingale and Meg will be good friends and Nightingale begs her to bring her to Hell with her and Sparrow while he serves his time. It’s so bright in Heaven that Meg goes around with sunglasses. She carries a machete that Lucifer gave her, created in the bowels of Hell and will only cut for her. It made me think of Michonne in The Walking Dead and Mazekeen in Lucifer. She is half dark and half light, trying to figure out where she really belongs. I think the car situation is funny. Hell gets jeeps and Heaven gets Cadillacs. Meg and Sparrow’s relationship in Hell makes me think of Phoebe and Cole in Charmed with some vampiric moments thrown in. Oh, and Noah…I love the ghostie guy. Danger is all around and when it’s time for Meg and Nightingale to leave, Sparrow must stay behind. We end with:

“Monsters aren’t so bad.” Good ol’ Nightingale is here, haunting my dreams…”He’s your monster now, Meg.”

Scarecrow

Scarecrow picks up where Nightingale Girl left off, so the series needs to be read in order. Meg is being hunted. Not just by demons and angels, but she is on the America’s Most Wanted list. Enter her lawyer, Reuben. She doesn’t know it yet, but she gets more than she bargained for with Reuben. She travels from Heaven to Hell to the Earthly plane and back again. Sparrow wants her to return to Hell to be with him, but I don’t blame her for being hesitant. Sooner or later, she will have to choose between the dark and the light, good and evil. The zombies are rising, choices will be made…AND, WOW, that ending. I sure didn’t see it coming….and I LOVE IT.

Raven King

Meg reminds me so much of Michonne (The Walking Dead) and Mazekeen (Lucifer) as she swings her machete, lopping off heads of the walking dead and demons, battling good and evil, inside and out. She must find Sparrow to restore the balance across the planes, as the dead run rampant through Heaven and Hell. The Hellions and Angels body count rises. I am saddened at the loss of some wonderful characters, but sometimes they gotta go for the good of the story. Isn’t that right M? I love how Meg orbs around the planes in a ‘Charmed’ fashion. Meg had been alone for so long, her heartache is a new feeling for her. Vibrun is a brutal, savage ruler. Power mad, greedy. If you stand by his side, be very careful. He is like a rabid dog, liable to bite the hand that feeds him. Where is God, as all this is going on? The ending…OMG!!!!!!

Nightjar

We pick up where we left off. Meg poofed and brought blood and the smell of death back to Hell with her. Skeele had been at her side when she was broken and bloody before, and he’d be by her side again. Hell needed her. She brought light to Hell’s darkness. Thrush, Noah & Nightingale’s baby, are the the heart of Nightjar. We have some lighthearted, laughable moments, and I love when an author gives us those feel good moments when a story is so heavy. Teari’s sorrow is deep and I love that, though she is an angel, she is Meg’s friend and Meg has not given up on healing her wounded body. Everyone knows that Hellions lie, but Angels are just as proficient at lies and deceit. Gabriel, her father, will make a choice…and we have another jaw dropping ending…AND I LOVE IT!

Night Owl

Skeele has been by Meg’s side, sticking like glue. He may be a bit grumpy, but whatever she needs, he is there. She doesn’t know how he feels, but his insecurity makes him feel unworthy. He doesn’t know the secret she harbors. He makes himself weak, loosing weight because he feels she needs the blood and he starves himself so she can have what she needs.

I have pledged my life to her, he thought, why does she despise me? I make her physically ill. She can’t even look at me.

I chuckle here, chuckle there. I’m loving Jed and Shay. I love that they want a dog. I love that they sit around the table eating dinner in Hell, like a Lifetime Christmas movie.

Why is she running? No, no, no. But, this adventure ended up being so much fun…for me.

He should stay so I don’t wind up fucking a log in the backyard.

Meg had me cracking up. There is so much I want to share, but I don’t want to spoil anything. I am reveling in Meg’s story. She is finally accepting her role.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Veil of Shadows!!!!!!!! The world she created is filled with adventure, romance, danger, love, Heaven meets Hell, the walking dead roam above and below, and fate and destiny are woven into a spellbinding fantasy. Does god have a plan?

I am awed by M R Pritchard’s writing and she is definitely at the top of my must read list! This is the second mind blowing series of hers that I have read! The Phoenix Project was the first.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Some people are cursed. Or in Meg’s case, damned. She’s on the run, harboring a deadly secret. Sparrow, an unexpected travel companion, knows she’s hiding something more profound. Unimpressed by tales of her sinful past, he hungers for the truth, especially about the day she killed those seven men.

Meg finds, the Seven Kingdoms of Heaven are far from wonderful. Meg’s promise to never leave is tested as Sparrow’s behavior grows strange, yet again. As the daughter of an Archangel and the Devil’s own spawn, Meg knows paradise comes with complications. Love, however, has the power to change even a world-weary country girl, even if it means losing her mind.

There is no rest for the wicked. Meg’s determination to forge her own path leads her to the Earthen plane, where she battles personal demons and seeks a new life. But the absence of Sparrow is a heavy burden, and Nightingale haunts her dreams. To make matters worse, an unknown hand keeps unleashing zombies nearby, forcing Meg to confront her heritage.

The relentless monsters of her world show no mercy. Without wings and Sparrow by her side, Meg struggles to find her place in her realm. She hatches a plan to rescue Sparrow, but it spirals into disaster.

Haunted by Sparrow’s shocking betrayal, Meg faces a breaking point. Caring for an amputee Angel and two refugees from the Earthen plane adds to her mounting pressure. With King Gabriel imprisoned and a kidnapped baby Thrush in her care, time is running out to prevent Thrush from sharing the Nightjar’s fate.

Revenge and redemption collide, forcing Meg to confront her inner demons and desires. Will her quest for vengeance consume her, or can she find the strength to protect those she holds dear? In a race against time and her own turbulent emotions, Meg’s choices will determine the fate of those she loves.

As Meg grapples with the heartbeat in her womb and the constant threat to her friends, she decides it’s best to disappear. Fleeing to the Earthen plane to hide and plan her next move, she encounters mysterious assistance amid thunderstorms and insatiable hungers. Will Meg destroy the one man who would follow her through hell and high water?

Discover a world where love battles darkness, destinies entwine, and wickedness knows no rest in this thrilling dark fantasy romance omnibus.

ABOUT M R PRITCHARD (from Amazon)

M. R. Pritchard is a two-time Kindle Scout winning author, her short story “Glitch” has been featured in the 2017 winter edition of THE FIRST LINE literary journal, and her short story “Moon Lord” has been featured in Chronicle Worlds: Half Way Home (Part of the Future Chronicles). M. R. Pritchard holds degrees in Biochemistry and Nursing. She is a northern New Yorker transplanted to the Gulf Coast of Florida who enjoys coffee, mint chocolate, cloudy days, and reading on the lanai.

Visit her website MRPritchard.com and sign up for her newsletter. You’ll get a monthly newsletter with updates, day to day shenanigans, and book deals.

MY M R PRITCHARD REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Cruel and Splendid Mermaids by Julie Catherine @xpressotours

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Cruel and Splendid Mermaids
Julie Catherine
(Broken Mermaids, #1)
Publication date: October 17th 2023
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy

For mermaids and humans, the rules are the same: be careful around strangers, be wary of magic and before you dive in, check what’s lurking under the waves.

Nineteen-year-old Ellara Merme’s whole life she’s known one purpose: to mate with men, to procreate, and to bear offspring to fight in Neptune’s underwater army. No problem… There’s just one hiccup. Her siren song doesn’t work.

No one can know.

She’s a broken mermaid with a faulty lure and she has only one week left to make the damaged song work. But all that can change with the ocean’s next deadly storm. Dragged from a shipwreck, mythology says a rescued sailor will be so grateful he’ll fall into anyone’s arms. Even a broken mermaid’s. Still, there’s a reason why merfolk and humans don’t get along. And a lot can go wrong when a girl from the ocean washes up on the shore.

Think mating is easy? Think again.

Cruel and Splendid Mermaids is a first-person dark and playful underwater fantasy. Book one in the Broken Mermaids series.

Goodreads / Amazon


EXCERPT

This was the best part of every day. Floating in the surf, watching the earthy pinks, bathing in the heavy, orange glow. The manner in which the morning sunlight hit the beach and the other beautiful things on the shore.

He was early today.

Just a bit.

Always running like clockwork.

His tanned, heaving chest, warm brown and stretched firm over muscles. Blood pumping to his heart and lungs. The way his whole body flexed in his gait. The steady footfalls landing in the sand. Little divots tossed up with each tread. His body moved forward, reconnecting with the earth. Over and over. I couldn’t look away.

I would take any, of course. But this man was my favorite.

So deliberate in his path.

Though human and mermaid timelines didn’t one hundred percent line up, I liked to think we were of similar age. I eyed him up. Close, anyway. The backwards cap over wavy brown curls. Hair that only got curlier as he started to sweat. I liked his gray, cotton running shorts. That bare chest. I loved his strong, limber legs. It would be nice if he could be my first.

Not just nice. A dream.

The only dream of my heart.

I wasn’t picky, I wouldn’t be, I knew that. A man was a man was a man. But there was something about him. Every step that he ran. So damn firm and so upright. I rubbed my belly everyday as he passed.

“Put a baby in me,” I sometimes whispered, although he couldn’t hear me. That was clear, because no coughing fit overtook those simple words. I was out here in the waves and he was up there. Running home. Running for sport. Running somewhere. And anywhere. And everywhere.

I just floated.

Waiting.

Watching every day ’til he passed.

Then, I’d kick up my fin, dive beneath the waves and head for home. Another day in the life of a mermaid. A new beginning. A brand new chance to finally, finally show all of Merme my true worth.

Author Bio:

Julie Catherine is an author, screenwriter and playwright.

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Giveaway – Queens Of Moirai by Rhiannon Hargadon @XpressoTours

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Queen of Moirai
Rhiannon Hargadon
Publication date: September 5th 2023
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy

Not every fairytale has a happy ending.

In QUEENS OF MOIRAI, the last descendant of The Three Fates will face her heart-stealing mother and take her rightful place as a Queen.

Buried alive just after birth, the next morning Morena is found in a blue blanket – still very much alive. Doomed with dark magic, imprisoned in a stone tower, her only friends are siblings similarly cursed.

To protect those she loves, Morena will wear a skull mask, becoming the one we know as the Grim Reaper. Her destiny seems certain until a stranger arrives, claiming to be her betrothed. All too willing to throw herself into his arms, she travels to his world, and is awed by the beauty, the glitter, and the beautiful people of his court. Some will love her. Some will protect her. Some will torment her. And one will claim every inch of her soul.

Before long, Morena’s wishes for freedom and her kingdom pale compared to her desire for revenge. She’ll fight to save her sister, control her destiny, and find the one who manipulates The Fates… before it’s too late.

This thrilling and fierce dark fantasy is what would happen if CIRCE met FOURTH WING. It’s a Greek mythology retelling, with Goddesses, folklore, and Fae.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Author Bio:

Rhiannon is a first time author and long-time reader and writer, whose love of reading was reawakened by Booktok and Bookstagram. She loves friends-to-lovers tropes and has been blissfully married to her bestie for ten years. She’s the mother of two children. When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace with a fantasy book or swimming. She lives in North Carolina with her family, and their rescued pitbull. Having worked three jobs through university, Rhiannon is passionate about higher education for low-income families, and on the side helps run an annual scholarship for high-school seniors.

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Giveaway – Disenchanted by Brianna Sugalski @XpressoTours

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Disenchanted
Brianna Sugalski
(A Lay of Ruinous Reign, #1)
Publication date: December 16th 2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

At the peak of the Breton Renaissance, Lilac Trécesson is held prisoner in her own castle after a most wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Her coronation looms years later, and between their town riots and the noble family bent on snatching her throne, she prepares for the worst…

Until a letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to banish her curse forever.

Her heirloom dagger at the ready, Lilac embarks into Brocéliande and finds herself in the hands of a bloodthirsty barkeep who demands her help in exchange for protection against the even deadlier forces of the woods.

She is thrust on a quest to uphold her family’s legacy—and her sovereign right to destroy it and start anew—by any means necessary. Pity the fool to underestimate the girl with subpar blade skills but pure spite to make up for it.

This is the tale of a cursed princess,

A crestfallen killer,

The town that wants them to burn,

And the witch who can save them both.

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EXCERPT

Outside her door, Lilac turned to tell him goodnight—and her breath caught in her throat.

The way the torchlight illuminated his hair from behind made him look ethereal.

She rubbed her eyes.

“You,” she said, fumbling for the knob behind her. Should come in, she suddenly wanted to say as he regarded her from a safe distance, in the middle of the hallway.

“Have a good night, Garin,” was all she managed.

It was closer to sunrise by now, but a couple hours of sleep sounded better than nothing. She grabbed for the knob again and pulled, but it wouldn’t budge. Cursing under her breath, she tried again, harder. This time her hand slipped, and she stumbled backward.

Garin was suddenly behind her, catching her by the shoulders.

“That was quick,” she observed as he righted her.

“No, you’re just moving in slow motion. You did finish off a rather large serving of a sipping drink in all of five seconds.Would you like me to help you inside?”

Lilac stiffened against him. It didn’t sound like a horrible idea—but she wasn’t sure it sounded like a good one. Not only was it unsafe for her as a lone traveler, but there was no sense in allowing herself to become sidetracked. Not with everything at stake.

She couldn’t.

Could she?

Seeming to sense her hesitation, he immediately let go of her. “I’m sorry.” His voice was different. Soft. Gentle, even.

Lilac turned to face him, to tell him it was all right.

“That was not my intention. I would never hurt you.” The remark seemed off kilter, but suddenly, she couldn’t bring herself to look away. Stars then danced in the twilight of his darkened irises, and through the haze, Lilac wasn’t so sure.

A curious feeling washed over her then. The longer she held his gaze, the lighter she felt, and the more aware of her hammering pulse she grew. It throbbed through her head, her throat, her fingertips, down her legs. The longer she looked, the softer his sharp edges became.

“Would you like to come in?” The words felt foreign as they fell out of her mouth.

His brows rose slightly—suggestively—and so did the corners of his mouth.

Her cheeks grew red. No one had ever taken a moment to question her intent before. “I just thought you might have wanted to…” She trailed off, flustered.

“I didn’t intend to make it seem like I was waiting for an invitation. I was only admiring you.”

“Me? Why?” She crossed her arms across her chest.

“It’s everything. Your face. The way the torchlight frames it just there.” He drew his hand near. “May I?”

She nodded, and he reached up and tenderly ran his knuckle down one cheek. Then the other. The shiver that ran through her came too quick to conceal.

Garin didn’t even seem to notice. “You have a striking look about you.” He leaned against the wall—against her door—and without thinking, she pivoted her body to face him. “Has anyone ever told you that before?”

She shook her head, throat dry.

Although he was the one propped against the wall, she felt pinned by his gaze. She stepped closer.

“You would look almost menacing if you swept your hair back.” He reached for her again and smoothly ran his palms from the bottom of her ears, down the sides of her neck, over her collarbone, sweeping her hair back to rest over her shoulders. It felt entirely like a lover’s caress, and she stepped back in panic.

“Menacing,” she repeated, riding her nerves. “That’s a funny way of calling someone beautiful.”

“Beauty is what people admire from afar. Menace is the lure that draws them near.”

She laughed nervously. “I don’t know anyone who would prefer menace over beauty.”

“I do.” He smiled lazily, and even if everything else had grown blurry, it made him more clear. Every glance he gave her was filled with a strange hunger, subtle enough and not predatory, but like he was challenging her to ask him about it. He was a commoner that smelled like he’d bathed in the finest custom colognes and spoke like he had the money and armies to match.

Garin pushed himself off the wall and circled her. “Am I making you uncomfortable?” Behind her, his voice was a low whisper that slammed into the wall of her will, cracking her poise and grace.

Part of her wanted it to break. Perhaps shatter completely.

She began fumbling at her door for the knob. Getting inside felt urgent. But then, through the haze, her mouth opened. “Come inside,” she said breathlessly.

He gave her a knowing smile and leaned past her—he smelled of pine and wood hyacinths emerging after the cold—and pushed her door open.

Oh.

“After you.”

Author Bio:

Southeast Asian fantasy author with a soup addiction. Diverse medievalist and developmental editor who lives in oversized sweaters, and prefers to explore the more ominous—disenchanting, if you will—undertones of history, romance, and the arcane.

My debut, Breton Arthuriana-inspired YA Dark Fantasy DISENCHANTED, released with the Parliament Press in March 2020, and is being re-released and rebranded for the New Adult/ Adult indie market in December 2022. The rest of the trilogy will follow this updated genre rating.

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Review – Never King’s by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

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MY REVIEW

Oh man…Never King’s is the finale of the King series by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff and I am sad to see it end. But, there will be a spinoff and Mimi gives that away at the end of Never King’s. I have missed a book or two, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment.

As I was reading, I highlighted numerous spots on my ereader, but I don’t think that is the way to go with Book 8, Never King’s, of the King series. I feel that may spoil the story. I will, however, try and entice you with snippets and my thoughts and feelings.

Never King’s by Mimi Jean Pamfilof was a total surprise. Every time I thought I had a grasp on what was happening, Mimi spun me in a different direction. Her ability to create such imaginative stories amazes me. Her characters have me loving and hating them, occasionally, at the same time.

King is dead and now Ansin is the baddest of the bad. He was the one that killed King, so Jeni fought against him every step of the way. He had killed the father of her baby. The only leverage she had, when dealing with Ansin, was that she was the last Seer in the world.and he needed her bloodline to revive his.

Good and bad? Well, there is definitely a lot of bad…and secrets. When Draco, her son, goes missing, Jeni is frantic and will do anything, work with anyone, to find him.

If I was going to find Draco, it wasn’t going to happen with these two…supernatural dickheads who claimed to be dying and would rather hold all the cards close to their chests than lay them out so we might help each other.

That had me laughing out loud. Did it tease you, wondering how the two dickheads are?

As all the secrets are exposed, I am stunned. Mimi Jean Pamfiloff twisted and turned me inside out as I rapidly devoured the words, wanting to reach the end, but not. I have been with the characters for a long time and I will miss them, and the darkness they brought to light. I never could have anticipated how Mimi would wrap up the King series, but she did it a in a incredible way, with wit and creativity. They will be missed.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Never King’s by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a Paranormal Suspense, Never King’s, the finale of the USA Today bestselling King Series.

KING IS DEAD, AND NOW THE CHILD HE LEFT BEHIND ISN’T SAFE …

ANSIN

Ding-dong, people. The wicked king is dead. And, yes, I take full credit. King had it coming.

So now that I’m the most ancient, deadly badass on the planet, I can finally get on with my plan. Step one: resurrecting my bloodline.

But to do it, I must win over Jeni, the one woman who can give me powerful children. If only she’d stop holding a grudge. So what if I killed the father of her baby?

Sooner or later she’ll have to forgive me because there are bad, bad things coming her way, and I’m the only one who can protect her.

But will she come around before it’s too late?

JENI

My love for King never made sense, but now that he’s gone, I’m holding it together (barely) for our newborn son. I must be vigilant because my enemies think he belongs to them.

Unfortunately, the only one who can help is dangerous, evil, and a constant reminder of what I’ve lost. Then my worst nightmare happens, and he steps in. No demands. No bartering. Just help.

Has he finally changed his evil ways, or is this a trick to get what he wants? Because without Ansin, my baby and I won’t get through this.

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

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YOU CAN GRAB A FREEBIE AND GET TO KNOW KING

As Lucifer would say, “I am a devil of my word”

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Giveaway – Awaken by Vanessa MacLellan @XpressoTours @McCVan

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Awaken
Vanessa MacLellan
Publication date: July 30th 2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Horror

Balin stands between two great Powers. One will shatter his mind; the other will destroy his soul. Only one of them can save his people.

Fort Resonbirg, a Norse stronghold in the New World, is besieged by the evil sorcerer Ursulard the Dreamspinner. Though their fields are scorched and homes destroyed, the residents and refugees do not worry, because Fort Resonbirg is Awakened with the power to provide, protect, and grow. But not all is as it seems when a wall of impenetrable mist surrounds the fort, and within the mist hunts the dragon, Nidhogg. Nidhogg hungers for more than flesh and bone. It instills nightmares on its prey, feeding on fear and pain, inevitably taking lives.

Balin Tremore, a commoner bound for the militia but hoping to stay by his noble love’s side, never expected to amount to grand things. When the great power of Cradleweaving is awakened within him, Balin unknowingly becomes the one person with the power to pierce the wall of mist and banish the deadly beast within before it destroys them all—if he can master the new power in time. But to master the power, he must sacrifice much. The question is, will it be his position, his Lady, or his very soul?

The Mist meets Nightmare on Elm Street in this classic tale of personal sacrifice.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

He rapped his knuckles against the wooden door, leaning against the frame to take the strain from his leg.

“Who is there?”

“It is I, Balin Tremore.” He glanced up and down the hallway. Vacant. “I request an audience.”

The door swung open. “Please enter with an open heart, Balin.” Elaine beamed at him, her joy evident in the musical laughter in her words.

Balin stepped inside, and Elaine slammed the door closed.

“Is Kirsten here?” he asked, scanning the suite for Elaine’s handmaiden.

Elaine shook her head. “She’s getting fabric.” With no warning, she threw her arms around Balin’s shoulders and hugged him close. “I’m so, so, so glad you are well,” she said, her words held stiffly, as if voicing a vow. “Don’t ever do that again. Don’t ever.” She squeezed him. His body took a moment to react, and then he melted into her hold.

He embraced her, brushing his cheek against her plum silk shirt, holding her close, praying to Baldr that she’d never be taken from his arms. He inhaled her lilac scent and closed his eyes.

She pulled back, and the intensity in her gaze captured his breath. They were of a same height, except for when she wore ball shoes and could stare down at him with haughty superiority. She’d tease him then, drape her arm over his shoulders when nobody was looking their way. He didn’t mind, he just enjoyed being close to her. Now, however, no tease twinkled in her stormy eyes. Only worry and determination resided there, and he hated to see all those emotions in turmoil over her sweet features.

“Balin, would you just give in? You don’t have to return to the field.”

Balin took in a breath and let his gaze slip from hers to stare at the side of her nose. “I can’t do that.”

“Yes. You can.” She pulled away sharply, turning her back on him as she charged into her sitting room, her strong trouser-clad legs cutting the distance to a few strides. She gleaned pieces of paper from her writing desk and tromped back towards him, shaking the papers in his face. “I’ve completed the requisition. All I need is the Hauld’s approval, and after you and William—” she waved her hands through the air in a grand gesture, the papers crackling under the abuse, “—there’s no way he wouldn’t agree to you being my steward.”

They’d had this argument before, and Balin found it harder and harder to refuse her.

But he wanted to be so much more to her than just her steward.

“I don’t even need your approval, you know.” Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth turned into a frown.

He dropped his shoulders back, attention wandering over the copper molding encircling her ceiling. “You wouldn’t do that.”

“Don’t you tempt me, Balin Tremore. If it means keeping you out of the war, I will do what I have to do.”

The command in her voice drew his attention back to her face. He scooped up her hands, papers and all, and pressed his forehead to hers. They stood that way for a moment, Elaine’s breathing fast, Balin’s heart thumping in his ears. Those weeks in the cage, cold, starving, he’d wanted her. Wanted her soft touch. Her amused smile. He’d kept her stored in his mind in the hidden places Zebbens couldn’t beat out of him.

“We have to fight him, Elaine. Every one of us, we all have to do what we can.”

“Then, Balin,” she argued, her voice a terse whisper, “that means I need to be out there, too.”

Through his bangs, he saw her looking at him. He rolled his forehead against hers until their noses touched. “You can’t go out there, Elaine,” he whispered, the words hovering between their nearly touching lips.

“I’m a better fencer than you.”

“Fencer, not swordsman, they aren’t the same.”

Behind him, the door opened.

“Oh, Miss, I’m so sorry to intrude,” Kirsten said.

The air crackled with anticipation, but Kirsten, so-sorry-to-intrude, didn’t leave.

Balin bowed his head and slowly pulled away. Then he turned to the handmaiden. “Hello, Kirsten.”


Author Bio:

Vanessa MacLellan was born and raised in the farmlands of eastern Washington, works as an environmental engineer, and is an avid birder, naturalist and hiker living in Portland, Oregon.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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Cover Reveal for Awaken by Vanessa MacLellan @XpressoTours @McCVan

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Awaken
Vanessa MacLellan
Publication date: July 30th 2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Horror

Balin stands between two great Powers. One will shatter his mind; the other will destroy his soul. Only one of them can save his people.

Fort Resonbirg, a Norse stronghold in the New World, is besieged by the evil sorcerer Ursulard the Dreamspinner. Though their fields are scorched and homes destroyed, the residents and refugees do not worry, because Fort Resonbirg is Awakened with the power to provide, protect, and grow. But not all is as it seems when a wall of impenetrable mist surrounds the fort, and within the mist hunts the dragon, Nidhogg. Nidhogg hungers for more than flesh and bone. It instills nightmares on its prey, feeding on fear and pain, inevitably taking lives.

Balin Tremore, a commoner bound for the militia but hoping to stay by his noble love’s side, never expected to amount to grand things. When the great power of Cradleweaving is awakened within him, Balin unknowingly becomes the one person with the power to pierce the wall of mist and banish the deadly beast within before it destroys them all—if he can master the new power in time. But to master the power, he must sacrifice much. The question is, will it be his position, his Lady, or his very soul?

The Mist meets Nightmare on Elm Street in this classic tale of personal sacrifice.

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Author Bio:

Vanessa MacLellan was born and raised in the farmlands of eastern Washington, works as an environmental engineer, and is an avid birder, naturalist and hiker living in Portland, Oregon.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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Giveaway – Dark Creation by Kelsey Ketch @kelseyketch @kelseyketch

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Book Tour! 
Dark Creation (A Dark Reflections Short Story #2)
By Kelsey Ketch
Release Date: April 30th, 2021
New Adult Dark Fantasy Short Story



Summary from Goodreads:

Long before Charissa began her murderous rampage through history, she was a young woman living in ancient Alexandria.

Oppressed by society and cursed by the color of her hair, Charissa had hardly seen the world beyond the four walls of her home. So, when her husband leaves for extended military duty, she takes the opportunity to tour the city her brother once loved. Little does she know the Fates have other plans in store for her when she runs into an exotic woman in the Rhakotis District. The encounter will change her life forever.






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Giveaway! 
5 Winners will receive an e-copy of Dark Reflections by Kelsey Ketch! 



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Playlist! 






About the Author:

Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist in the state of North Carolina. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.

For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.





Author Links:

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Tour Created by YA Bound Book Tours 

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Do You Believe – Karma by Donna Augustine @donnaugustine

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.

Just looking at the cover for Karma by Donna Augustine made me want it.

When I wrote the review, the book was free, but be sure and check for the “0”.

Also, the series is available in a boxset for $5.99.

Karma (Karma, #1)Goodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

Just looking at the wickedly cool cover for Karma by Donna Augustine, I knew I wanted to read it. I was hooked from the very beginning.

She fights Fate tooth and nail. She is a transfer and a problem for him. I love her and her feisty attitude. I don’t blame her for being ticked off, being forced to do a job she didn’t sign up for.

“Don’t break her.” I laughed out loud when I read it.

The fabulous, quirky characters have supernatural agendas, working to keep the world running in the natural order of things. So, come on in and meet, Karma, Lady Luck, Fate, Murphy’s Law, The Jinxes…

In this wildly funny story, the star is a feisty, hard headed girl who thinks she chooses her own path, but does she? Is our destiny already written or do we have free will?

I couldn’t put it down and read it start to finish in one sitting.

Oh no. There isn’t a cliffhanger, but there is no end. I hate that, but I loved the book.

I picked this up as an Amazon freebie.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

People say karma’s a…well, you know. Personally, I don’t think I’m that bad. It’s not like I wanted this job. I wasn’t even in my right mind when I accepted the position.

Now, I’m surrounded by crazy coworkers like Lady Luck, who’s a bit of a tramp, and Murphy’s Law, who’s a bumbling oaf. But the worst is Fate. He’s got a problem with transfers like myself, and I have to see him constantly. It’s unavoidable. We’re hunting the same man—my murderer.

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Giveaway – Mental Damnation by Konn Lavery @konnl @SDSXXTours

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Dream
Mental Damnation Part 2
by Konn Lavery
 
Genre: Epic Dark Fantasy
 
 
Thought to be banished to the underworld by the humans, Krista mysteriously
finds herself as the first of her kind to walk on the surface in
centuries. This was caused by one of the underworld’s corrupt
leaders, Danil, who uses her in an unholy ritual to set their people
free. Danil’s infectious touch gives Krista the nightmarish disease
known as Mental Damnation.
 
She becomes the key interest of two men, Paladin and Dr. Alsroc, who
struggle to make sense of her sudden appearance and how it relates to
Mental Damnation. Her friend back in the underworld, Darkwing,
abandons his gang to begin his search for her.
 
Krista finds herself torn between two worlds, gaining acceptance among the
humans while experiencing inner turmoil from hallucinations caused by
her disease. These visions paint a hellish dream world known as
Dreadweave Pass where the realm’s ruler, a corrupt god known as the
Weaver, is on the hunt for her. Krista’s blood is believed to be a
key component for the Weaver’s retribution against the Heavenly
Kingdoms that once banished him!
 
 
 
 
 
Reality
Mental Damnation Part 1
 
 
Having her family murdered by the humans during her people’s banishment
from the surface world, Krista and her only friend, Darkwing,
struggle to remain alive. The pair of reptilian street scum live in
their newfound home, the City of Renasence, dictated by a fascist
military known as the Renasence Guard. The two find themselves at
odds when Krista puts her faith in the Five Guardians’ goal of
unification, while Darkwing chooses to stand with a notorious gang,
the Blood Hounds, who are known for their anarchist views
This divide in their friendship forces Krista to persist on her own as the
Five Guardians become crazed from an unknown disease – Mental
Damnation. After their infection, the Guardians develop a bizarre
interest in her, claiming they must reap her innocence for their
newfound master, the Weaver.



With a military dictatorship, politically-driven gangs and their guardians
infected and on a hunt for her, Krista has limited options for
survival: Does she fend for her life in the City of Renascence,
against menacing forces, or risk leaving everything behind and enter
the uncharted realm of the underworld?
 
 
 
 
 
Konn Lavery is a Canadian horror and dark fantasy writer who is known for
his Mental Damnation series. The second book, Dream, reached the
Edmonton Journal’s top five selling fictional books list. He
started writing fantasy stories at a very young age while being home
schooled. It wasn’t until graduating college that he began
professionally pursuing his work with his first release, Reality.
Since then he has continued to write works of fiction ranging from
fantasy to horror.
 
His literary work is done in the long hours of the night. By day, Konn
runs his own graphic design and website development business under
the title Reveal Design. These skills have been transcribed into the
formatting and artwork found within his publications supporting his
fascination of transmedia storytelling.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 
  
 

 

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