Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Ghost Storm by Jessie Renee was published on 9.3.15 and has sat in my Documents on Kindle for, well, probably, almost that long. Why it took me so long to visit Hidden Bay, I can’t say for sure, but, now that I have, I would like to return again…and again.
I was so happy to visit these wonderful characters and Hidden Bay, where nothing is at it seems and there is a special someone that will help to soothe the lost souls, maybe even find a little romance in Ghost Storm, an engrossing supernatural tale that left me wanting to revisit them.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Melodie thought Hidden Bay was just another stop in her nomadic life. That soon she’d be moving on again.
But
as soon as she arrives, strange things begin to happen. There’s Blake,
the guy who’s so familiar, though she’s sure she’s never met him;
there’s the man who keeps appearing, who may not be a man at all; and
there’s the blackouts.
Except that in the blackness, she’s going somewhere. Somewhere other. Somewhere dark, and wet, and full of pain.
And if she doesn’t work out what it all means soon, it could be too late. For her. For Blake. Perhaps for the whole town of Hidden Bay.
Fate of Dragons Alisha Klapheke (Dragons Rising #1) Publication date: March 27th 2019 Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
An Earth Queen desperate to wake her magic.
An elven prince fighting a ruthless betrayal.
A flood is coming. The Sea Queen has a mad plan to drown the world.
Only the magic of the Earth Queen can stop her. Vahly, the last human, was born to fill that role and wield the power necessary to battle the rising oceans and save the dragons and elves.
But Vahly is the world’s biggest disappointment. She possesses no magic whatsoever.
When she finds an ancient scroll that mentions a human power ritual conducted deep in the homeland of the elves, she gathers her dragon allies and journeys to see the king of that great forest-dwelling race.
Welcomed by a handsome royal cloaked in dark magic, will Vahly find answers or will a twisted and powerful elven lord destroy her chance at saving the world?
When USA Today Bestselling author Alisha Klapheke isn’t busy creating new fantasy worlds, she teaches martial arts (specifically Muay Thai kickboxing, Krav Maga, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), loves on her two amazing kids, and travels the world with her ninja husband. *Alisha made the list November 2, 2017
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $15 Amazon/BN GC. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Sexy Aliens/Sassy Dragons
Earth’s fate rests in the hands of shape-shifting dragons, studly aliens, and a determined woman who demands a say in her own fate. In this exciting finale of the An Alien Exchange trilogy, follow their adventures across the galaxy to a tale that features mounting action, stimulating passion, and heart-pounding emotions.
Sherrilyn Marie Cantor firmly believes success doesn’t come to those who sit around and wait for it to show up; it takes determination, discipline, and hard work. At thirty-four, she has it all – a successful business and more money than she can spend until a jealous partner sets her up and frames her for stealing trade secrets. She loses everything and faces a twenty-year federal prison sentence. When an unexpected offer to find “love among the stars” comes her way, she doesn’t hesitate to escape her unjust fate and leaves Earth forever.
A Zerin descended from a secretive line of dragon shapeshifters, M’alalu (Ki) Ki E’eur ignores the fact he’s living a half-life. Broken from childhood guilt for the murder of his parents and six year-old sister, he silently goes through the motions of everyday life. A former mercenary and friend of the crown prince of Zerin, Ki absorbs a debt his prince intended to take. He’s expendable; the prince isn’t. Now he’s in the crosshairs of a power-hungry despot determined to overthrow the current democratic galactic government.
Read an Excerpt
Being possessed sucked.
Yep, she, Sherrilyn Marie Cantor, was possessed—like “demon taking over your body” type of possessed. Instead of housing a spitting-pea-soup demon, Sherri endured an unwanted galactic gangster fighting for domination of her body and mind. From the moment the bubble housing the Dread Pirate Maynwaring popped over her face and his essence entered her, she’d been fighting for control. So far she’d kept a tight lid on things, but the whole situation was turning out to be a huge pain in the ass.
But, bright side, she had help from her Zerin shipmate, Ki. He’d taught her how to access the memories of her unwanted guest while at the same time keeping him locked away. Jeez, the spirit called himself Dread Pirate. What kind of name was that? Apparently, that wasn’t his original name, but something he’d adopted after hearing the story of The Princess Bride from a human slave. He’d become so enamored of the dread pirate character he changed his title.
What a snowflake.
What’sss a sssnowflake, human? He asked it in his normal, hissy tone.
How a disembodied entity had a tone was a mystery to her. He sounded like a snake with a speech impediment. She created a visual of sticking his stupid forked tongue between his teeth and clamping his mouth shut then taping it closed. And, if he called her human in that derogatory manner one more time….
Ki’s training kicked in. Instead of imagining the pain she’d rather give, she created a dark, dank pit to throw his happy ass in.
No…no, don’t ssssnd me there again!
Sherri imagined throwing his bright orb down a bottomless cavern before rolling an avalanche of sharp, heavy rocks to cover the hole. Dust billowed up and down before it settled in a thick layer to create a mountain to contain him. Then she pictured the mountain folding upon itself, repeatedly, until it was a speck of light flashing out of her thoughts.
Unfortunately, this exercise never held him for long. One minute he’d be gone (treasured silence), and the next, he’d be right back butting in and making snarky comments every chance he got. You’d think he’d be smart enough to keep his mouth shut so she didn’t know he was there.
Whoa…where’d that creepy idea come from? Sometimes the hair on the back of her neck broke out in chill bumps as if someone looked over her shoulder. What if…what if she wasn’t aware when he wormed his way out? Was he spying on private intimate things she was obsessed with…like say, a certain tall, well-built, sexy-as-sin Zerin named Ki…
Damn it! She shook her head to get rid of that image. She didn’t trust people outside of her body, much less the asshole inside. Only constant vigilance on her part would keep the alien in the hole she’d put it in. Shit, no wonder she was tired all the time.
Sherri sat with her feet over the side of the comfortable bed she’d slept in. She had to admit, she was happy enough with the accommodations aboard the organic AI ship called “Elemi.” Still, she could do without the snarky attitude the female contraption gave her all the time. The sleek 11-15 ship apparently came with a load of baggage, and not the kind Sherri liked to use on vacations.
About the Author:
A native Nevadan, Keri resides with her family in the wilds of Northwest Michigan where she enjoys the stark change in seasons and the pleasures each one brings. An avid reader, Keri loves an enjoyable bottle of red wine, a variety of delicious foods and watching action/adventure movies…usually at the same time. You can find her most days immersed in her fantasy world on her latest novel while foot tappin’ to classic rock. When not absorbed in her writing, Keri works alongside her husband in building their dream home or discovering intelligent life in America in their RV.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Today I am sharing one that has been hanging around in Documents on my Kindle for a very long time, Dark Promise, Between Worlds Book I by Julia Crane & Talie Jager. Why? They tend to get lost through all the one clicking I used to do. I still have trouble controlling myself, but I am trying to be choosier. There isn’t enough time to read them all.
Dark Promise was free when I created this post, but be sure and check for the ‘0’
There is more than one cover and I am curious which you like more. They are both gorgeous in their own right and I cannot choose my favorite. How about you?
Rylie is special. Her mother gave her up when she was a baby to keep her safe, but now her birthday is approaching and there is nowhere to hide.
I was quickly intrigued…faeries…I haven’t read a lot of them. Once she met Kallan I became hooked. Even though there is a triangle, it doesn’t bother me, the guys are two separate beings and that just adds to my curiosity…which will she choose…and why.
My only problem, I was just getting hot and heavy into the book and it ended. I need more.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Rylie has it all – great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.
I have seen Tegon Maus’ books around and heard such good things that I had to find out for myself. I was not disappointed.
The story is about Enon, a Jonda and mind reader, and Elisabeth, kidnapped royalty.
Enon would either be a hero or a dead
man. The fighting is fierce, but he makes a good showing, even managing
to hook up with a woman who has his number. Their verbal banter is more
often funny than hurtful.
Would betrayal take the king’s life? Isn’t there always someone hiding in the shadows wanting the kingdom?
The world created is fraught with danger
and enemies at every turn. Will the frightened little man become an
unwilling hero? Well, all I can say is the journey is long and arduous,
and not all will return.
Tegon Maus can sure spin a tale, drawing me in, making me crave more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Gift by Tegon Maus.
4 Stars
BLURB
Tucker
Littlefield is a liar, a thief, a con-man. In an attempt to take advantage of a
party thrown by the King, he becomes involved in a kidnapping – the King’s
niece, Elizabeth, to be exact. Because of his fear of the dark as well as
heights, and a good many other things, he finds himself stabbed and bleeding to
death. To save him, a Shaman for the Jonda – Daneba – turns him into a soul
bearer for the Kindred. In an effort to find Lizie, Littlefield finds the Norha
instead and their leader Tahki – a cannibalistic tribe the lives under a
volcano that will leave no stone unturned to find Lizie. Littlefield is
blackmailed into her recovery. Will the help of his companion, Enon, help them
save Lizie…and themselves?
“Transformed by a
primitive magic beyond a civilized man’s understanding, I was given a horrible
gift that no man should possess… It held me, twisted me, turning me at its
bidding. I was enslaved by its power, compelled to devour the souls of the dead
until I became the monster of my fears. I have seen things I wish never to see
again. I have done things of which I wish never to speak. Yet I must if I am to
find the answers to fulfill my hope. I have walked upon blue ribbons of molten
stone to peer into the depth of a man’s soul. I watched as a promise made at
birth brought my friend Enon to sacrifice everything to become whole again –
all in an effort to save the life of his child. I have cried without shame for
the loss of all I hold dear and for fear that the future will hold more than I
can bear. I am Tucker Littlefield. Know all that I say now is
true-spoken.”
EXCERPT
She grabbed my right hand, holding it tightly. I was frozen
with fear and could not escape. The dagger suddenly flashed in her hand and she
drove it deep into my palm. I wanted to scream, but nothing came out of my
mouth. If it did, it was drowned out by the wails of Enon’s dog. It howled,
pained as deeply as I, as the flames of the fires became fingers, rippling out
to tear open the dog’s chest. They responded to Daneba’s voice, doing her
bidding, and peeled layers of flesh, laying open bone and hide alike, exposing
the animal’s beating heart.
A second unholy scream filled the air, deeper, wilder than
that of the creature laid open at my side. It was Enon, and all that had
happened to the dog began to repeat itself with him.
He, still kneeling, screamed as his chest turned inside out,
his beating heart exposed to my gaze.
I was next to be disemboweled by her spell. The tearing of
cloth and the sizzle of the fire as it pulled open my skin was deafening. The
snap of bone wrenched at my fear and as I looked down, there beat my own heart.
Blood ran freely from the hole in Enon’s hand. Daneba’s chant gained volume as
she collected it in a silver bowl and the wind blew harder. As she chanted and
the fire licked out repeatedly toward me, she poured Enon’s blood into the
fresh wound in my palm and between my fingers. She raised the bowl higher and
the blood that streamed from it thinned to a single strand.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
I was raised
pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all
the imaginary friends I could conjure.
The first thing
I can remember writing was for my wife. For the life of me I can’t remember
what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in
my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after
that. I spent a good number of years chasing other dreams before I got back to
writing.
Hanzel and Gretel’s story has nothing on Bulwark and the Gingerbread House.
It all started with and accident and a large puddle of water appearing from nowhere…and the town went to hell.
Clay is the small town sheriff and is prime marriage material. Dayna is the local reporter and dogging his every step, causing many personal problems for Clay.
It had been fifty years since the ‘unusual’ killings.
There are plenty of scary moments when I wondered who would survive and, of the ones who would bite the dust, how it would happen. Not much good going on, but when it happened, it was great. Plenty of magical badness.
Need a good scare, this may be for you. Is it there? Is it all in your mind? There are two endings and for those who want a HEA, you’ll want to read the second one. Me…I loved the first ending…it keeps on giving…
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bulwark by Brit Lunden.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Clay Finnes is the sheriff of a small town in Georgia called Bulwark. Recently separated from his wife, all he can think about is what went wrong, and will Jenna ever come back to him. He’s troubled by a bothersome reporter trying to build a story from what he thinks is a normal day in his life. Clay has to admit that the fantastical stories, told by an accident victim as well as unusual sightings of wolves, things are getting a bit strange. A visit to the ominous Gingerbread House makes him realize that his life as he knows it will never be the same.
Stranger Rituals Kali Rose Schmidt Publication date: July 9th 2019 Genres: Fantasy, New Adult
A fighter with a venomous grudge.
A monster with an immortal curse.
A girl with a terrible gift.
All three out for blood in a land torn apart by harsh gods and holy wars. Each entwined with the other, on their own quests for vengeance, and yet held together by strange links to sinister pasts. As their fates unravel, a dangerous romance blooms, and violent darkness beckons.
At turns both darkly humorous and utterly morbid, STRANGER RITUALS is the startling first novel in Kali Rose Schmidt’s dark new series.
She swallowed, and then moved away, ducking her face from his grasp, hating how he knew her weakness so well. She rose from her knees. The Djavul stared up at her a moment, then gracefully stood to his full height.
“What did they want?” she questioned.
Vojtech smiled. “You have a job to do.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know. That’s guarding you. It’s a thrill a minute.” She gestured toward the ruined soldier beside them.
Vojtech frowned. “I actually thought you were growing bored here. No attacks in three months, only this idiot sneaking around in the desert.” He shrugged. “It seems Olofsson is losing his fear of me.”
“Good.” Scarko’s words mingled with fury. “Let him. It’ll serve our purpose for the second Holy War.” She stalked back to the Warskian soldier’s head, lifted it by the scraggly, blood-drenched hair. “So, what did the gods want?”
Vojtech watched her carefully, hands clasped before him. “You’re to go to the city of Kezda. A boy there is immune, it seems, to Vrakan abilities. You are to kill him.”
Scarko dropped the head with a thud. “What?” she hissed. “Why me? I’m your guard. Send someone else.”
Vojtech smiled. “As much as I enjoy you bossing me around, the gods are not so easily convinced.” He wiped his hands on his black robes and sighed. “This boy is a street fighter,” he wrinkled his nose, “taking on Vrakan defectives from the Warskian army. While he isn’t able to die from the usual Vrakan methods—ice, wind, fire, shadows—I think your magic could kill him. That’s why you.”
Scarko left the head on the stone floor and stalked toward the stairwell, behind the Djavul.
“I’m sure he’d die by sword just fine. Tell the gods I won’t go. A street fighter—the nerve of them…”
She made to pass Vojtech, but he snaked a hand out and gently stroked her dark blonde braid, the color of damp sand. She spun around to face him, fury in her eyes. But it was equally matched in his.
“I am the Djavul of the Order of Saints, Scarko Kadezska. You will not blasphemy our gods here. You know as well as I do that we cannot resist their orders, and we should not. They have guided me thus far.” He took a step toward her, brushed a cold finger against her cheek. “You will do this, and you will return to me.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and turned, clomping up the stairs. She heard him chuckle softly as she pushed open the doors from the dungeon, the Shadows on guard making way for her, black thread entwined in their grey cloaks, same as hers.
“Watch him,” she said unceremoniously.”
Author Bio:
Kali Rose Schmidt is an author, mother, and villain lover. She likes bloody tales of monsters, yoga with the lights off, and anything that goes bump in the night.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.
The Fire of Dawn by V V Aky was published in April 1, 2012. I don’t remember where I got it from or how long it has sat on my Kindle, but, all I can say is, I wish I had more of her work to read. It appears this is the only book she has written. Also, be sure and check out her bio. I had to include it, seeing I found it so fascinating.
Look at this gorgeous cover!!!!!!!!!!!
Cover Design by Vincent Bogers and Derek Murphy. Amazing job guys!
BLEW MY MIND over this mesmerizing, riveting, totally engrossing vampire story that had me in tears over one character’s death and I was unable to stop reading until I got to the last word, and it is even better when the story is told in one novel, no waiting.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
It’s the last day of the
summer holiday in The Hague when Leah Koopmans’s carefree life as a
teen is brutally flipped upside down. Her pale skin turns a dazzling
gold, her senses heighten, and her muscles possess an uncanny strength.
But with these exhilarating new powers comes a thirst that can only be
quenched by one thing: human blood.
While her body craves for
fresh victims and her heart drowns in guilt, she meets inhumanly
handsome Max Machiavelli, who claims that Leah is immortal like him.
Infatuation ignites into blistering passion when she joins his coven in
Amsterdam. But as the mysteries shrouding her sudden change to
immortality unravel, Leah quickly learns that her aversion to taking
life isn’t the only thing that sets her apart from this group of
herculean strangers.
From the picturesque canals of Amsterdam to Corsica’s limestone cliffs and the untamed Siberian wilderness; from first loves to fierce battles, The Fire of Dawn is an extraordinary tale packed with romance, betrayal, and bloodsucking suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very last page.
ABOUT V V AKU
V.V. Aku has always believed
in beautiful stories. She found the man of her dreams and her way in
complex China, and wrote a fairytale of her own: The Fire of Dawn－a
scintillating tale about strength, self-discovery, and a girl who dared
to follow her heart.
Born and raised in The Netherlands, V.V. Aku (Veerle Ackerstaff) soon discovered that the world was a place worth exploring. After graduating high school, she set out to travel the globe until she finally touched down in China. On the border of Tibet she met Anzi Aku, a wild Black-Yi man who lives at the foot of the Himalayas. She has joined his clan and tries to find her place among the tribe and its shamans. When she’s not researching the clan’s mythology on vampires, she shamelessly gives in to the compulsion to write about the countless characters that haunt her dreams.
V.V. Aku is the
author of The Fire of Dawn and Black Dusk. She has been the creator of
stories since the age of three, and has a Post-Graduate Diploma in
English Language Teaching to Adults from The University of Cambridge
ESOL. After nearly a decade of working as an English language teacher
and TEFL trainer in China, Thailand, The Netherlands, and the UK, she
now devotes all her time to writing, her family, and practicing Kung Fu.
The Fire of Dawn is her debut novel.
Quest of Fire: The
Gathering Dark
by Brett Armstrong
Genre: YA Epic Fantasy/Christian
Fantasy
Release date: April 2019
Summary:
Jason is an expert at running from
his past. When it catches up, he finds himself hiding in a peculiar inn
listening to a tale from centuries past.
The story is Anargen’s, a teen who
is pulled from all he loves to follow his oaths of loyalty to the fabled King
of the Realms. Together with his mentor, Cinaed, he rides north on a special
quest to mediate peace talks between ancient foes–the men of Ecthelowall and
the dwarfs of Ordumair. Nothing goes as planned. Many on both sides of the
dispute despise Anargen’s Order. Worse, an arcane evil has returned to the
North. This “Grey Scourge” seeks to ruin the peace talks and ensure a
lost treasure held by the dwarfs is never found by those for whom it is meant.
As Anargen’s story unfolds, Jason
begins to wonder whether it is truly just a fable. He soon finds himself drawn
into the conflict Anargen faced–a battle which has shaped and can destroy his
world.
About
the Author
I’m a Christian, a writer, a
full-time programmer, a husband, a dad, and quite often sleep-deprived. Not
necessarily ranked in order of importance, except #1.
I love the cover for Unicorn Magic and this magical story that warmed my heart making me want more from Roz Marshall and the Feyland series.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
In Feyland, not everything is as it seems… Feyland:
a new computer game that allows Scottish teenager Corinne MacArthur to
escape the sadness haunting her everyday life after losing a loved one.
It’s a game where legends come to life, the lines between reality and
fantasy become blurred, and the impossible becomes – probable?
Unicorn Magic is the 1st story in the Celtic Fey series set in Anthea Sharp’s Feyland universe (with her kind permission). A stand-alone short story with a full plot arc, Unicorn Magic was first published in the anthology Chronicle Worlds: Feyland.
This is a clean urban fantasy which is set in Scotland (and the faerie realm) and uses British English spelling and grammar.
