Tag Archives: fantasy

Giveaway – Violins Played Before Junsian by Lou Kemp @GoddessFish

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Violins Played before Junstan by Lou Kemp

GENRE: Fantasy (magical realism)

BLURB

While on a mission to avenge the death of his lover, the immortal peyote-eating magician Celwyn is hired to deliver an automat, Professor Kang, to a priest. But Celwyn quickly learns that everything the priest told him was a lie. Now his ship, the Zelda, is stuck in a horrific storm and Celwyn knows he must reconsider his allegiance if he is to steer his vessel in the right direction and continue his quest.

EXCERPT

San Francisco, 1865  

Late in the evening, thick ribbons of fog moved like a living animal, breathing, then thinning to vapor before revealing the shadows between the wooden barrels that lined the docks. Beyond the Opera House’s silhouette, oily glimmers of the bay cut through the darkness, only to be obscured by the fog again.

As Celwyn neared the docks, he heard virulent cursing above the commotion from a carriage as it charged down the cobblestones toward him. When the coach drew level, the driver raised a whip above his horse. On its descent to the horse’s back, the tip suspended mid-air and snake-like, the whip shimmied out of the coachman’s hand.

The man steered the hackney to a stop. As he slithered out of the high cab, the whip followed him, wrapping around his ankles, lifting him feetfirst into the air. His cursing echoed to screams as he disappeared into the night sky. A moment later, a splash could be heard, and a satisfied smile crossed Celwyn’s lips; he couldn’t stand to see anyone mistreating an animal. The horse trotted down the street, rather jauntily, back toward the stable yard as the magician stepped around a snoring drunk and into Salty’s tattered and dingy atmosphere. Celwyn could have sworn it was the same drunk he stepped over last night.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Early work was horror and suspense, later work morphed into a combination of magical realism, mystery and adventure painted with a horrific element as needed.

I’m one of those writers who doesn’t plan ahead, no outlines, no clue, and I sometimes write myself into a corner. Atmospheric music in the background helps. Black by Pearl Jam especially.

More information is available at LouKemp.com. I’d love to hear from you and what you think of Celwyn, Bartholomew, and Professor Xiau Kang.

Milestones:

2009 The anthology story Sherlock’s Opera appeared in Seattle Noir, edited by Curt Colbert, Akashic Books. Available through Amazon or Barnes and Noble online. Booklist published a favorable review of my contribution to the anthology.

2010 My story, In Memory of the Sibylline, was accepted into the best-selling MWA anthology Crimes by Moonlight, edited by Charlaine Harris. The immortal magician Celwyn makes his first appearance in print.

2018 The story, The Violins Played before Junstan is published in the MWA anthology Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry. The Celwyn series begins.

Book 1, The Violins Played before Junstan reissue with the publisher, the 4 Horsemen on 10-17-22. The 4 Horsemen will publish the remaining books in the series beginning with Music Shall Untune the Sky, The Raven and the Pig, The Pirate Danced and the Automat Died.  The companion book, Farm Hall continues the story of Pelaez, another immortal magician and Celwyn’s brother will also be available.

Website / Amazon / Book Depository / B&N

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Review – Toyworld: Home of the Christmas Thief by Tony Bertauski @tonybertauski

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NEW RELEASE

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been reading books in Tony Bertauski’s Claus Universe since Claus: Legend of the Fat Man came out in 2012. I have missed some of the books, but I am always eager to enter the fantasy realm Tony as created.

Hiro’s world expands when he finds the dreams he has been having are of Toyworld. He finds friends he never would have made, danger that could keep him trapped in Toyworld, and the reason the real world is so gray and dreary. Christmas has disappeared. Hope and happiness has been stolen.

Dreams aren’t just dreams, they’re windows. Not windows, doorways. Most nights we’re just looking through the, seeing what’s over there. But you can crawl through a window if you open it.

People say anything is possible even when we know it isn’t true.

It’s hard to review a book like Toyworld by Tony Bertauski without giving all the good parts away. The adventure is definitely something a reader would want to experience on their own. The world building is out of this world. HA HA HA The descriptions are vivid and detailed. The characters are richly developed, and, if you are anything like me, you will find it hard to choose a favorite. They all have a role to play and it will take all of them to save Christmas.

Can the villain be redeemed? Isn’t that always the question?

I find it hard to name an age group. I got lost in the adventure, but it has been so long since I have had a youngster in my home that I can’t remember their reading level. I did some searching, so I would recommend middle grade and up.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Toyworld: Home of the Christmas Thief by Tony Bertauski.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Book 10 in the Claus Universe.

Hiro’s parents rearrange the furniture every December.

They make space in the corner for something tall. They plug in string lights and leave them on the floor. Sometimes, they cut down a tree but don’t know what to do with it. It’s not just Hiro’s parents. Everyone does it. Come January, they all straighten up their living rooms and everything goes back to normal. They do this every year.

No one knows why.

Something’s missing and they all feel it, but they never wonder what it is. And every year that passes, the world becomes colder and grayer. Until Hiro has a dream.

It’s a world of magic, where he can taste sounds and hear thoughts, see things that defy the laws of physics and biology. It’s a place where trees are decorated and stockings are hung above the fireplace. Every day is celebrated with gifts.

It’s the last place where joy exists.

Someone has stolen the Christmas spirit from the universe and hidden it in the dream. Hiro doesn’t remember a jolly fat man or flying reindeer, or elves on the North Pole. No one in Hiro’s world remembers Christmas at all.

Hiro and others like him need to free the Christmas spirit. This is their one and only chance. If they fail, his world and all others like it will stay cold and gray without Christmas… unless they discover the thief’s true identity.

It’s closer than they think.

ABOUT TONY BERTAUSKI

Tony Bertauski

Get my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com

My grandpa never graduated high school. He retired from a steel mill in the mid-70s. He was uneducated, but he was a voracious reader. I remember going through his bookshelves of paperback sci-fi novels, smelling musty old paper, pulling Piers Anthony and Isaac Asimov off shelf and promising to bring them back. I was fascinated by robots that could think and act like people. What happened when they died?

I’ve written textbooks on landscape design, but that was straightforward, informational writing; the kind of stuff that helps most people get to sleep. I’ve also been writing a gardening column with a humorous slant. That takes a little more finesse, but still informational for the most part.

I’m a cynical reader. I demand the writer sweep me into his/her story and carry me to the end. I’d rather sail a boat than climb a mountain. That’s the sort of stuff I wanted to write, not the assigned reading we used to get in high school. I wanted to create stories that kept you up late.

Fiction, GOOD fiction, is hard to write. Having a story unfold inside your head is an experience different than reading. You connect with characters in a deeper, more meaningful way. You feel them, empathize with them, cheer for them and even mourn. The challenge is to get the reader to experience the same thing, even if it’s only a fraction of what the writer feels. Not so easy.

MY TONY BERTAUSKI REVIEWS

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Long Anticipated Finale for the Wormwood Trilogy – Angel of Ashes and Dust by D H Nevins @dhnevins

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FIRST, I feel bad because I missed the Launch on the 18th. I was under the weather and it got by me. I know how important it is for independent authors who depend on us bloggers to spread the word.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am going to start by saying I LOVE the gorgeous cover. Once I finished the book, it became even more pertinent to the story inside. I fell in love with this trilogy as soon as I met Kali and Tiamat in the first book, Wormwood. At that time, I had not read very many angel and human novels and was just getting hooked on apocalyptic and dystopian novels. Now, I say bring ’em on. I can’t get enough of them and D H Nevins is part of the reason why.

The first two books of the series, Wormwood and Angel of Shadow, blew me away! The characters came to life on the pages, as the Earth began to die. Just because a character does something horrific, does that make them an evil person?

Kali: I was darkness and death, shadows and pain.

Tiamat commanded the Nephilim, half angels/half humans, who had destroyed the world and most of humanity. Tiamat’s Shadow is a parasite that forces them to stay apart.

Kali is the leader of the encampment, a position that was foisted on her. The Shadow is her weapon, an extension of her, though she refuses to call upon it. It frightens her.

Her father, Richard is a demon. What is his ultimate goal? Is it to destroy them and everything left on Earth?

Bram is a special character, a youngster that I have come to love. He is a ninja, secretive, sneaking up on people, spying on them, now you see him, now you don’t. I can picture him climbing through the rocks and looking around corners.

I am always curious how an author will end a series…and to know the complete story, you need to read the entire Wormwood Trilogy. D H Nevins kept me reading as I tried to figure it out. I had no idea how the story would finish and who would be left standing. It took her telling me to find out.

D H Nevins shocked me. She saddened me. She made me smile. She made me tear up.

I keep mulling over the ending. Yes, I am satisfied. Yes, I am super happy that I was unable to figure out how it would end. Yes, D H Nevins did a fantastic job of wrapping it up.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Angel of Ashes and Dust by D H Nevins.

4 Stars

BACK COVER DESCRIPTION

The end of her people and the death of a planet are looming over her. Kali Michaels must choose between the illusion of safety and the danger of her own power in this anticipated and heart-stopping finale to The Wormwood Trilogy. 

Kali learned the hard way that her abilities cannot be trusted if they can be used against her. In an effort to protect those she cares about, she is determined to let the power of her Shadow lie dormant, despite the dangers rising up around her.  

Now, tormented by an unstoppable enemy, she and Tiamat Wormwood must try to lead others while doing the impossible—ensuring the survival of humans and half-angels alike.  

But how can she partner with Tiamat, when her proximity could kill him? 

And how can the Nephilim, Tiamat, be trusted to save a planet, if he is the one who shattered it in the first place? 

Little do they know that sometimes, for new beginnings, that which they love must first be destroyed. 

  • Title: Angel of Ashes and Dust, Book 3 in the Wormwood Trilogy 
  • Author: D.H. Nevins 
  • Release date: October 18, 2022 
  • Link to Wormwood (book 1 in the series, which is FREE right now): https://amzn.to/3TqDD6g
  • Link to Angel of Shadow (book 2 in the series, which is only $2.99): https://amzn.to/3CYfNYR
  • Link to Angel of Ashes and Dust (special pre-order and release week price is only $2.99):
  • Author Website: www.dhnevins.com 
  • Newsletter sign-up: https://bit.ly/3xFL6pu  

ABOUT D H NEVINS

D.H. Nevins was born in Toronto and currently lives in a quiet area of Ontario, surrounded by forests and lakes. By day, she is a personable, friendly school teacher. By night, she silently chuckles as she writes about destroying the world. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, camping, flying around on her motorcycle or dabbling in live theatre.

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Giveaway – Unusual Light by J Elizaga @RoxanneRhoads @jelizaga1

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At Half Past Two

Our movie broke at half past two.
I begged Time to return to the black and white film
We lived in, with you by my side;
But the grand drapes stayed shut in silence and shock.
I closed my eyes and opened my mouth,
Mad about your sudden absence, with unrestrained outbursts
To a greedy God adored by millions. Only one adored me!
Had He really just snatched you away?
My mind kept restarting the movie before half past two.
Each time I waited for the roll to resume play
With you and me in high-definition color,
But tears blurred my vision and I couldn’t see you.
I kept moving your souvenirs back and forth,
With eyes unaware they should blink.
I struggled to savor each memory of you in my mind,
Flashing every second until my gut retched.
I followed your scent aimlessly through the house,
Before strength left my knees and I curled on the floor.
Then I saw my arms dance, caressing the air
Where you lay last night — I thought I heard you laugh.
Enough of this cruel joke. Stop it.
Come back. Please.


Unusual Light
J. Elizaga

Genre: Young Adult fantasy
Date of Publication: July 31, 2022 
ASIN: B0B85ZRPSZ
Number of pages: 86
Word Count: 20,000

Cover Artist: The Book Cover Designer

Tagline: A young engineer, a ghost, and a mystery at the morgue

Book Description:

How does one keep a promise to a ghost? Engineering student Ana Juliet (AJ) Diwa takes a summer job as a swing-shift security guard at a hospital morgue—the same morgue once investigated by the police for unusual calls received during full moons. And the calls happen only when Matt, a guard assigned to the overnight shift, is on duty.

AJ scoffs at the idea of otherworldly activities. But soon after, she witnesses a mysterious orb at the morgue. The orb reveals itself to be the ghost of Binni Almond, a teenager who went missing thirty years ago. Despite AJ’s shock, she befriends the entity. She vows to use her problem-solving abilities to find Binni’s family and solve the mystery of the young girl’s disappearance. But darker spirits are afoot.

As AJ descends to the morgue’s basement to capture evidence of Binni’s remains, Matt’s visions worsen. Evil spirits surge around the premises. And AJ is in danger of getting caught in the middle of a paranormal showdown.



Chapter 1: An Unusual Call

AT half past midnight, a public safety dispatcher received a familiar but unsettling call. Amid the static and crackle, a voice uttered, “Send help.”

The strange calls started nine months ago, and they always occurred on or near the full moon. The voice supplied only their first name and location. The caller’s name changed every month, but the location stayed the same—Shoreline Hospital morgue. The police officer who responded to the first dispatch spoke with Matt Faulson, the morgue’s overnight security guard. He denied dialing for assistance. The officer walked around the perimeter of the building and witnessed nothing out of the ordinary.

But after three monthly calls involving the same person on duty, the department assigned Officer David Jackson to patrol around the time of the full moon, when they estimated a call would occur. They suspected the twenty-seven-year-old Matt to be the prankster.

Police interviews failed to pin him. Instead, the detectives saw video footage of stationary objects moving randomly in various rooms in the morgue late at night.

The young man admitted to seeing strange activity during his shifts. Adding to the mystery, the city’s emergency dispatch system saved the calls, but the hospital had no record of any of their phones being used.

David arrived at the parking lot with another patrol car at 12:25 a.m. He saw a lone figure sitting on a bench near the morgue’s main entrance.

“Matt.” He approached the security guard with friendly caution. As the guard greeted him, the officer couldn’t help but notice the dark shadows under the young man’s eyes and the ruffled hair. “Man, you look terrible.”

Matt sighed. “There’s not a lot of sleep with the graveyard shift, as you know. I don’t like walking the floors between midnight and one a.m., but I took too long answering an email, and I forgot the time. I rushed through the hallways, and let me tell you, I had more than one sighting,” Matt said. “I guess you received a call?”

David nodded. “You have to get me in there one of these nights. I want to see for myself.”

“I’ll call next time. But I didn’t make the call tonight,” Matt replied. He stood up and prepared to go back in the morgue, but froze. “Oh.”

“What is it?” David asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the second officer took a defensive stance.

“A gray entity floated out of the wall to my left,” Matt said softly as he kept his head very still.

David looked as soon as Matt spoke. “I don’t see anything.” He glanced at the other officer.

“I don’t see anything either.”

“Really?” Matt asked as his shoulders dropped. He gingerly turned his head and looked. “Am I the only one who sees ghosts?”

“I’m beginning to believe that,” David replied.



About the Author:

J. ELIZAGA is a fan of science fiction and science mysteries. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, she peered over her father’s shoulders as he watched TV shows such as In Search Of, and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos during the 1970s. 

J. lives in California. She wrote stories in high school but had set aside her hobby for college and career…until she attended a writer’s conference in San Francisco in 2010. The experience unsealed a door in her mind that she thought had long closed.

J. works in information technology by day, and makes time to write stories about humans who face extraordinary circumstances and discover their superhuman abilities. 











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Giveaway – Sky Over Mountain and Memory by J B Lassalle @XpressoTours

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Sky Over Mountain and Memory
JB Lassalle
(The Enchanted Elements, #1)
Publication date: October 13th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

A painter with a mystical talent. An adventurer with a lifelong quest. Can they survive a brush with danger and find the love they lost in their youth?

Amelie pretends she’s content with her small business outside New Orleans. But despite her magical ability to create paintings anyone can travel through, she yearns for the love that never was. So when the boy she rescued as a child by sending him through her canvas returns as a handsome man in need of her aid, the aimless artist is startled by the flood of unexpected emotions.

Rav’s quest feels never-ending. Having escaped an abusive father through the hidden world Amelie opened for him, he’s dedicated his life to fulfilling his mother’s deathbed request. A request that has taken him across the globe, searching for an enchanted treasure. But when the object he’s seeking eludes him, he returns to the painter who saved him as a child… and discovers she’s all grown up.

Agreeing to paint the landscape to complete Rav’s epic journey breathes new life into Amelie’s world. But when the stakes are raised, Rav must answer the ultimate question: which treasure is more precious?

Sky Over Mountain and Memory is the adventure-filled first book in the Enchanted Elements fantasy romance series. If you like childhood friends to lovers, low steam slow burn romances, and dangerous mystical quests, then you’ll adore JB Lassalle’s exciting new world.

Buy Sky Over Mountain and Memory for a unique shade of fantasy today!

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“I control my gift, Rav, no one else.” Amelie’s hands formed fists at her side. “I say when and where, and I choose the purpose when I it. But you don’t know that because you haven’t been around.”

She bit her bottom lip and drew a shaky breath. Even to her own ears, her voice was petulant and angry. But she’d held on for twenty years. Now that it was out, so there was no sense in sugar coating. “I know why you left. I even know why you didn’t come back at first. But sending me a cryptic chain with a note you couldn’t bother to sign? That’s just cowardice.”

“What if I said I wanted to protect you?”

Amelie pounced to her feet, sending her chair backwards. “Bull.” She jabbed her finger at him, the silver coin banging against his chest. “You stayed away because it was convenient to you. You returned for the same reason.”

Rav rose, taking his time as his height let him hover over her. He met her eyes, wood meeting steel, and kept his voice low, in contrast to the rising pitch of hers. “You were my dearest friend, Amelie. You saved my life. Not a day has passed without a thought of you. Do you think I would have sent you a ghost’s trinket otherwise?”

Amelie took three steps backwards, Rav three forward. When her back bumped against the wall, she put her palm on his chest, the chain still entangled in her fingers. She didn’t have words, so she said nothing, and in the silence of what they did not say she noticed the intensity of his breath on hers, the nearness of his lips, the sudden clouding of desire in his eyes. He dipped his head to her, bringing them closer, and her heart pounded in response.

His eyes dropped to her lips. He inched closer. “I never forgot you. The little girl or the woman.”
She licked her lips, head spinning as she fought for her voice. “Which one is it?”
Rav furrowed his brow. “Which what?”

The whisper of his skin on hers, the sweetness of lingering peach tea, the salty dew of nervous sweat. Desire howled like a dog straining on its leash.

But Amelie knew better. He was back for a reason, and that reason wasn’t her. “Which coin can’t you get to without me?”

His sigh was one of defeat. If it took effort for him to back away from her, she couldn’t tell, but the space between them became cold and sharp at his distance. The cloud behind his eyes lifted, and a shadow of guilt took its place.

Then he spoke a single word and shattered the tenuous cord of their long-ago friendship. “Air.”

Author Bio:

New Orleans writer of romantic and urban fantasy filled with rich worlds, strong characters, and found family friendships that triumph over darkness.

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Giveaway – Academy of Magical Creatures by Megan Linski & Alicia Rades @XpressoTours

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Academy of Magical Creatures: Books 1-3
Megan Linski & Alicia Rades
(Hidden Legends Omnibus Collections, #1)
Publication date: June 9th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHORS Megan Linski and Alicia Rades create a mythical three-book box set full of forbidden romance at a supernatural academy where magical creatures bond with powerful elementals and a hidden prophecy will decide the fate of all.

Sophia is destined to be the savior of an ancient tribe, but controlling her Fire magic at a school where dragons fly and mystery is around every corner is more complicated than she thought. At Orenda Academy, power is absolute, and students are thrown into a dangerous competition to survive. The Elders who run the tribe are ruthless, and they see Sophia as the ultimate threat.

Liam is the outcast son of a Water chief who’s lost everything. He’s been given a chance to restore his honor… if he helps the Elders take Sophia down. Unfortunately, she’s the one person he’s chosen to protect.

Fire and Water aren’t allowed to be together, and if anyone discovers Liam’s love for Sophia, death will be imminent for them both. To fight back against the Elders, their forbidden romance must come into the light… and ignite a rebellion within the tribe.

***

Academy of Magical Creatures: Books 1-3 includes the first three books in an emotional and enchanting new adult academy series. Magical creatures, found family, and extraordinary worlds abound in this forbidden love story featuring a diverse cast and disabled main characters.

Over 1400+ pages of mythical creatures and memorable characters!

“Descriptive sections breathe life into the magic creatures, fantastical setting, and awe-inspiring magic spells.” -The BookLife Prize by Publishers Weekly

“I truly recommend this book for anyone looking to get sucked into a world; to lose sleep; become depressed that the world isn’t real but also enjoy a delicious read!” -Rebecca M., Reviewer ★★★★★

“I have no words for how this book made me feel. There is literally nothing else out there like it at the moment. You so need to read to believe.” -Sandra Kaye, Reviewer ★★★★★

“Best book I’ve read in a long time!” -Sarah Cox, Reviewer ★★★★★

This title is one omnibus in a set of Hidden Legend collections. The Hidden Legends Universe features college-aged protagonists attending magical academies, dual points-of-view, disabled and diverse main characters, and steamy, empowering romances. Omnibus sets connected to this series include University of Sorcery, College of Witchcraft, and Prison for Supernatural Offenders.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Only 99c for a limited time!

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EXCERPT:

Liam took my hands in his. “Sophia, what you just said about us being together… I don’t think you understand.”

My brow furrowed. “What’s there to understand, Liam? It’s against the rules. So we’ll change the rules. No big deal.”

“No big deal?” Liam hissed. “Sophia, this is the way it’s been for hundreds of years.”

It didn’t matter what Liam said about the House rules. There was no turning back from the line we’d already crossed.

Liam raked his fingers through his hair. God, he looked sexy when he did that. I wanted to run my hands through his hair… and down his forearms… and in other places I probably shouldn’t be thinking about.

I raised an eyebrow. “I don’t care about the rules. I want to be with you.”

“Ancestors, Sophia. You can’t talk like that.”

“Why not? It’s the truth.”

“Because…” Liam sighed and glanced toward the castle. No one was close enough to hear. “Because if you say things like that, it just might come true.”

“I know. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t want it to happen.”

He stared down at me, his expression hard to read. He looked conflicted– like he wanted to agree with me but argue at the same time.

A thought suddenly occurred, and I drew away from him. “Do you… do you not want to be with me?”

Liam looked hurt by the question. “Of course I do. But we don’t have a choice.”

I relaxed slightly. “You always have a choice, Liam.”

His hands balled into fists, and his lips tightened until he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Aw, Sophia.”

Liam growled. He honest to God growled. And then like a wolf trapping his prey, he pounced on me. One second he was standing a few feet away from me, and the next he’d swept me into his arms and claimed my lips for his own.

The world spun around me so quickly that I could no longer feel the stone path beneath my feet. Liam held me tightly to his chest. One hand tangled in the hair at the base of my neck while the other settled on my hip. His lips parted, and I took the invitation to deepen the kiss. My hands ran up his back until they climbed so high they reached the side of his face. I pulled him in even closer until every possible inch of our bodies were touching. My hands moved to his hair, tangling into the strands like he did with mine. He inhaled a sharp breath in response.

Heat exploded through my chest like fireworks. I didn’t even care if my Fire surfaced and burned my dress off of me. Liam would like that, I was sure. So would I. But my Fire didn’t escape. It hung out just below the surface, just enough to feel amazing and to warm Liam’s cool skin.

Heat traveled down my chest and settled between my thighs. Being with Liam like this was unlike anything else. It was so overwhelmingly amazing that I thought I might cry. Feeling this way should be illegal–

No sooner did the thought cross my mind did it hit me that that was exactly what this was.

It was illegal. Liam and I were breaking the law by kissing like this… by kissing at all.


Author Bio:

Megan Linski is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author who lives in Michigan. She is the author of more than fifty fantasy and paranormal novels which feature themes of friendship, community, and healthy romantic relationships. She has over fifteen years of experience writing books alongside working as a journalist and editor. She graduated from the University of Iowa, where she studied Creative Writing.

Her passions include ice skating and horseback riding. In her free time she enjoys dancing in the snow and drinking fancy coffee while at her natural habitat, the mall.

Megan advocates for the rights of the disabled, and is an activist for mental health awareness.

Megan co-writes the Hidden Legends Universe with Alicia Rades. She also writes under the pen name of Natalie Erin for the Creatures of the Lands series, co-authored by Krisen Lison.

You can find out more by visiting www.meganlinski.com.

Alicia Rades is a USA Today bestselling author of young adult and new adult paranormal fiction. When she’s not dreaming up magical stories, she’s either binge-watching Netflix, meditating, or spending time with her family. She has an unhealthy obsession with psychic characters and writes with a deck of tarot cards next to her computer.

Never miss a new release. Sign up for Alicia’s newsletter at http://www.aliciaradesauthor.com/newsletter/


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Giveaway – Realm Of Darkness Limited Edition Fantasy and Paranormal Collection @XpressoTours

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Realm of Darkness
A Limited Edition Fantasy and Paranormal Collection
Publication date: October 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

When darkness falls, beware of the creatures that come out to play…

Fall under their spell over and over again in this ultimate paranormal and fantasy romance boxset! Over 40 full-length novels with heart-melting heroes and devastating anti-heroes, full of romance, magic, mystery, and adventure can be yours for an insanely low price.

Ready to be swept away? Your book boyfriends are waiting… Enemies-to-lovers, alphas, fae, werewolves, dragons, shapeshifters, vampires, gods, angels, demons, and more: with novels ranging from sweet to spicy, there’s a flavor to sate your every craving.

You won’t find these exclusive novels anywhere else, so don’t miss your chance. Over ten thousand pages by New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors and at less than three cents per book, this collection is a steal, but only for a limited time. Grab it today before it’s gone forever…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

SNEAK PEEKS:

“Cosmic Honor” by Jade Waltz

“Yield,” he ordered.

Jaiya swallowed, feeling the sharp nick of the blade barely brushing her skin.

She turned her head to the side, exposing her neck to the dominant male, as blood trickled from her fresh wound.

“I yield,” she whispered, closing her eyes. Her voice barely registered to her own ears.

The weight of the blade lifted away as the prince trailed his nose along her neck, breathing in her scent.

She gasped when his smooth tongue lapped at her wound. Something hard pressed against her thigh, growing with each passing moment.

She was afraid to move, to fight. Here was a side of the prince that she had never seen before, as he went from an attacker to . . . an aroused caregiver?

—

Unblessed by Nia

Being flogged with a wire whip.

Carrying red-hot metal bare-handed.

Getting bitten by a nest of rattlesnakes.

Nia hadn’t enjoyed any of them. But she would rather relive any of those experiences than spend even one second with Xavier Rohesia. And here she was, preparing to spend the next five days with him. Alone. In a secluded cabin.

Inhaling the scent of jasmine courtesy of the nearby aromatherapy mister, she slid deeper into the warm bubbling water. I’m going to enjoy every second of this that I can before I have to meet up with that insufferable man.

Despite tightly braiding her long black hair and curling it into a tight bun on top of her head, strands had worked their way loose and clung to her damp neck and shoulders. As long as the rest stayed up — she’d no wish to wash and dry the thigh length mass of it after this soak.

Sunk in the water to her chin, Nia continued to expand her list of things that she would prefer to do rather than spend time with Xavier.

Running without cover to draw fire from my triad.

Shopping at a big box store the day before Christmas.

Nia shuddered at the last thought as she positioned herself to have jets of water massage her lower back. That trip had been horrifying. The things she did for her triad, her partners in all things…but joining them on a shopping trip during the Christmas season had stretched her bond with them to the limit. Adding their respective partners had nearly killed her. Nia would much rather be shot at.

And now she had to spend a week in a cabin shared by the asshole unicorn who did not live up to his last name – kindness. To make matters worse, there was a strict no killing rule. The mage may have saved the life of Amir’s lover, but this was still a steep price for it.


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The Iron Will by F C Yee & The Secret Keepers by Jean Nicole Rivers @yeebookauthor

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I won both the books and was so excited to read them, though The Secret Keepers has been patiently waiting for a long time, unfortunate that it got buried in the stack of books I want to read.

The Iron Will of Genie Lo (The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, #2)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

A fun and dangerous journey with Genie Lo and her friends and enemies and loves, in a young adult novel. A battle between magical creatures and demons. I enjoyed it and don’t feel I was lost by not reading the first book, though I do feel I may have gotten more involved in the characters and the outcome if I had.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars
The Secret Keepers (Black Water Tales #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

I loved this horror thriller filled with shock moments that had me wondering…is it in her mind…as the secrets are slowly exposed, leaving it hard to figure out who is good, who is bad and why.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

MY JEAN NICOLE REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Whispers In The Waters by Sarah Chislon @XpressoTours

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Whispers in the Waters
Sarah Chislon
Publication date: September 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Mystery

Ladies don’t shame their families.

Ladies don’t confront Otherwordly threats.

Ladies certainly don’t admit some taint of the fae has touched their souls—unless they wish to find themselves confined to an Institution.

Gently-bred herbalist Jessa Caldwell is trying to be a lady. She conceals her true nature amongst her plants and her sketches—where she can almost shut out the whispers she alone hears. But a threat to her beloved aunt forces her from the comfort of home to a town perilously near an Otherworldly Crossing, with its ever-present risk of fae incursions.

To protect her aunt and the townsfolk she comes to care for, she must uncover the individual responsible for a series of increasingly dangerous attacks—but to find this saboteur will require embracing the part of herself she fears most, an act that could cost her dearly. In a world where Vigilists lock up fae-touched mortals, Jessa must decide if she’s willing to risk exposing her true nature to obtain the truth and protect those she loves.

Whispers in the Waters, a gaslamp fantasy novella, serves as the prequel to Tattoo of Crimson, the first book in the Blood of the Fae series. If you like quick-minded heroines who solve cases with logic and intuition, Otherworldly intrigues, and beautiful yet deadly fae, then you’ll love this mystery set in a world of manners and mythical monsters.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

I rounded a bend, and the slight woman I’d seen in the stratesman’s shadow when we’d arrived in Milburn stumbled down the lane, her gown of muslin streaked with dirt and littered with forest debris. She clutched a ragged silk shawl around her shoulders, as though it could shield her from notice.

Nelda, Mrs. Wilkins had called her. Her palm dripped blood, and tears streaked her cheeks. For a moment, I remained rooted in place. If the townsfolk were to be believed, Nelda had brought a vengeful attack against Melle and her family. But the downcast lines of her body spoke of brokenness and distress, not malice.

“Nelda?” I hoped she wouldn’t take offense at the use of her given name from a stranger. I hurried forward. “You’re hurt. What happened?”

“I . . . I don’t know.” Nelda lifted her hand and watched as blood wept from it, one drop after another splatting against the dusty surface of the road. The wound cut deep.

Could Mrs. Wilkins have been right when she’d suggested madness? I shifted the bundle of clothes from one arm to the other. “Can I accompany you home and find someone to tend your injury?”

She laughed, a wild, off-key sound. “Home? I have no home.”

“Then where are you staying?” I lowered my voice in an attempt to soothe her. “I’ll help you there and fetch an herbalist, if it suits you.”

“Staying? No one will house me. Not after what’s happened at the mill.” She jabbed toward the trees with her uninjured hand. “I stay in the forest. At least here, I’m close. Close to where home used to be.”

I drew in a sharp breath. To live in the forest, this close to a Crossing? It was unthinkable. Otherkind might lurk anywhere, not to mention natural predators. Had the entire town truly forsaken her, simply because she’d wed the wrong man and he’d abandoned her? Or was there more that I missed? Society offered swift condemnation for those who failed to abide by its strictures, but other than a poor choice in a husband, what wrong had she done?

She swayed, and I rushed to steady her. “You can’t stay out here. You need proper shelter and someone to look at your wound. Come with me into Milburn, and we’ll find an herbalist.”

“No, I can’t.” She backed away, every scrap of color leeching from already-pale features. “No one here wants to help. They’d only try to lock me up!”

Author Bio:

Sarah Chislon lives in Virginia with her husband and three daughters. When she’s not writing, she’s homeschooling her children and running a web development business with her husband. As an avid reader and a lifelong story-weaver, she delights in creating fantastic worlds and exploring them alongside her characters.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter


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Giveaway – The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven @GoddessFish @bohemienneivy

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The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven by Jennifer Ivy Walker

GENRE: Paranormal fantasy medieval romance

BLURB

In this dark fairy tale adaptation of a medieval French legend, Issylte must flee the wicked queen, finding shelter with a fairy witch who teaches her the verdant magic of the forest. Fate leads her to the otherworldly realm of the Lady of the Lake and the Elves of Avalon, where she must choose between her life as a healer or fight to save her ravaged kingdom. Tristan of Lyonesse is a Knight of the Round Table who must overcome the horrors of his past and defend his king or lose everything. When he becomes a warrior of the Tribe of Dana, a gift of Druidic magic might hold the key he seeks. Haunted and hunted. Entwined by fate. Can their passion and power prevail?

EXCERPT

He opened the brilliant blue eyes that she’d seen in the vision.

As she gazed into them, the earth tilted. Her heart raced; her bearings were lost. In the depths of his eyes, she glimpsed a fountain in a forest. The turquoise waters of the ocean. An underground well encased by sacred stones. She, the forest fairy, was immersed in the blue waters of the warrior’s eyes, the waves emanating from him flowing through her, cleansing her. Beckoning her.

In Tristan’s eyes, Issylte glimpsed a black bird—a sea raven—soaring over an open sea, hovering now before her. A small dove fluttered in her breast, called forth from her soul. White wings unfurled as she took flight, rising into the azure sky alongside the black seabird—-floating together through the diaphanous clouds scattered across the vast ocean.

In the breadth of an instant, Issylte was bound to this warrior, the Blue Knight of Cornwall, as if fate had indeed entwined them. Through the windows of his eyes, she peered into his soul, her own blending with his, as if they were the forest and the ocean, encircled now within the three layers of protective stones, the holy trinity of sacred elements of the Goddess.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.

As a high school teacher, she took her students every year to the annual French competition, where they performed a play she had written, “Yseult la Belle et Tristan la Bête”–an imaginative blend of the medieval French legend of “Tristan et Yseult” and the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”, enhanced with fantasy elements of a Celtic fairy and a wicked witch.

Her debut novel, “The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven”–the first of a trilogy– is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy. It is a retelling of the medieval French romance of “Tristan et Yseult”, interwoven with Arthurian myth, dark fairy tales from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, and otherworldy elements such as Avalonian Elves, Druids, forest fairies and magic.

Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.

  • Website:  https://jenniferivywalker.com/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker
  • Twitter:  https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy
  • Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/
  • Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B0B91R2MJZ
  • Barnes and Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-jennifer-ivy-walker/1141977954
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