Tag Archives: paranormal and supernatural fiction

Giveaway – When The Moon Shines by Lucia Ashta @XpressoTours

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When the Moon Shines
Lucia Ashta
(Six Shooter and a Shifter, #1)
Publication date: April 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Western

Welcome to Traitor’s Den. I hope you like it here, because there’s no leaving the small western town that’s more theme park than authentic. Once you walk through the portal, you’re stuck as a boot heel in a half foot of mud.

I’ve never seen the outside world and I don’t care. The cannon-toting, trigger-happy residents here are like family, even if most of them are a few spoons short of a full set. Eventually, everyone grows on you, kinda like nail fungus. But the booze flows freely, and Tiger keeps me company. He’s as much a prisoner as I am.

I don’t figure there’s much point in wanting what you can never have. I’ll eventually accept one of my boyfriend’s marriage proposals and then keep policing the one-way town while I pop out the babies he wants. I was born knowing how to make chicken salad out of chicken shit.

At least I won’t be bored. Denners aren’t fans of following the rules, and the longer they’re in town, the worse they behave, thanks to the spell that keeps us all trapped here.

Just when I think I’ve made my peace with my lot, the portal pops open and two men shoot through, throwing punches before their feet even finish landing in my town. When they finally look at me, all I see is problems. Big, ginormous, entirely-too-handsome problems. And that’s before I even take into account the little “surprise” they brought through with them.

No one’s ever looked at me the way they do.

They aren’t the kind of men who back down after claiming something.

Or someone…

Did I say I had my life in Traitor’s Den all figured out? Hell, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

* A sexy fantasy western with growly shifters, sketchy vamps, peculiar mages and creatures, and one badass cowgirl sheriff. Within this small town, magic and gossip flow as freely as whiskey, and work and pleasure are nearly the same thing. Weird things happen on the regular in Traitor’s Den. Come and join the quirky family, where everyone’s packing. Oh, and don’t mind the tiger.

Goodreads / Amazon


EXCERPT

Rhett snorted. “Got a little cheering section, don’t you? Do you make them say that stuff? Part of your little welcome speech?”

At that, the crowd went eerily still and silent. All but Tiger and Jolene. Jolene whinnied her protest outside, but Tiger was my immediate concern. As he rose to his large, heavy paws, I placed a calming hand on his head and kept it there.

“It’s okay, Tiger. I got this.”

A low rumble rolled deep in his chest.

Rhett had the good sense to appear intimidated, though he hid it well. The tension in his jaw and the mild tic in one eye gave him away.

Zeke didn’t bother to hide his apprehension, sliding his chair back from the table to more clearly distance himself from the jackass with a stupid retort on the tip of his tongue for just about everything.

Keeping one hand on Tiger, I slid my drink to the side with the other, and leaned on the table, closing the distance between Rhett and me.

Up close, it was easier to make out that his eyes weren’t a flat forest green; flecks of yellow, blue, and brown made them so much more interesting. His face was beautiful and yet still masculine, his square jaw reinforcing the manly aspect of his features.

Too bad he was one of the biggest jerkwads to ever come through the portal.

Dropping my voice so it vibrated with all the danger I was purposefully injecting into it, with a cold smile, I said, “Here in Traitor’s Den, we’re all judged on our actions. Not where we came from, not what we did before, not who we used to know. Connections from the outside world won’t help you here. In here, you earn your reputation, fair and square. If I have a cheering squad, it’s because I put the needs of others first as much as I should. I give respect when it’s earned and treat everyone fairly. You treat others like shit, you’ll have me to deal with, and trust me, so far you’ve only seen my nice side. Mess with me or my Denners and I’ll come after you and make sure you never make that same mistake again.”

Author Bio:

Lucía Ashta is the Amazon top 20 bestselling author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and paranormal women’s fiction filled with wild magic, spicy romance, and quirky characters that make you snort-laugh.

A former attorney and architect, she’s an Argentinian-American who lives in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains with her husband and daughters.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub


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Loch Ness Monster – Shade and the Crystal Orb by Marilyn Peake #MarilynPeake

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Shade and the Crystal Orb is the finale for the series by Marilyn Peake. I have enjoyed my adventures with her and look forward to what comes next for Marilyn.

Shade and the Crystal Orb (Shade Series, #6)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Shade and Kai are off to school…senior year at Ocean View College. Shade is a Ghost Whisperer and Kai is an empath. They are BFFs.

We are off to a good start. Shade has the same roommate, Carrie, who went to Romania with her, and they are in the same dorm room, #58. The familiar gives her confidence, makes her feel more comfortable coming back.

I love going to dinner with them. The servers and guests…well, ya have to read it to enjoy it as much as I did. Put a smile on my face, cracking me up. Yeah, it does bring to mind Harry Potter, but that just makes it easier to visualize and makes it that much more enjoyable.

Shade will be studying Kelpies this year and is off to Scotland for a research project. Her friend Li will be accompanying her. Will they see the Loch Ness Monster?

Kelpies are shapeshifting spirits inhabiting the lochs in Scottish folklore. It is usually described as a black horselike creature able to adopt human form. I love the shapeshifter that can become whatever she wants, whether whale, dolphin, fish… We have selkies, which are seal shapeshifters. That’s pretty darn cool too.

“The magical world is as complex as the real world.”

Things are going too smoothly and I am waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. I hope my spidey sense are wrong, but what would be the story in that?

Then, POW. Marilyn, you rocked my boat. I am amazed.

Marilyn Peake’s writing is enthralling, riveting. I cannot look away.

There are six books in the Shade series and I am sad to see it end. The books are not filled with gore, erotica, or savagery, but draw the reader into circumstances and characters and we have to know how it will end…and talk about surprises…the stories about the Loch Ness Monster are true, but..

I love how Shade came full circle.

I cannot imagine how Marilyn Peake could have done any better. The finale hit all the buttons and I am sure my review did not do it justice. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Shade and the Crystal Orb by Marilyn Peake.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Crystal orbs are tricky things. They can be windows into the future or nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

During the first semester of her senior year at Ocean View College, Shade takes a class on the kelpies and begins researching their situation. This group of magical beings is confined to a very small area of the Earth: the lochs and pools of Scotland. The Blue Men of the Minch or storm kelpies are confined to an even smaller area: the stretch of water between the northern Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland. The kelpies are considered dangerous. Having the power to control weather, they’ve been blamed for storms and shipwrecks. Shade wonders if they’ve been falsely accused and turned into scapegoats.

At the beginning of their second semester senior year, Shade and her friend Li Zhang receive financial grants to go over to Scotland to complete a research project on the kelpies. While there, they meet a number of these magical beings. Things take a dangerous turn when Shade and Li get swept up in a situation among the kelpies and two other magical groups, the Fin Folk and asrai. When Shade and Li meet Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, things take twists and turns that forever change the lives of everyone at Ocean View College.

SHADE AND THE CRYSTAL ORB is Book #6 in a YA Paranormal Mystery / YA Urban Fantasy series. This is the final novel in the main storyline of the SHADE series.

ABOUT MARILYN PEAKE

Marilyn Peake

Marilyn Peake is the author of both novels and short stories. Her publications have received excellent reviews. Marilyn’s one of the contributing authors in BOOK: THE SEQUEL, published by The Perseus Books Group, with one of her entries included in serialization at THE DAILY BEAST. In addition, Marilyn has served as Editor of a number of anthologies. Her short stories have been published in seven anthologies and on the literary blog, GLASS CASES.

Awards: Silver Award, two Honorable Mentions and eight Finalist placements in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards, two Winner and two Finalist placements in the EPPIE Awards, Winner of the Dream Realm Awards, and eight Top Ten Finisher Awards in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll.

Stalk Marilyn Peake:  Website  /  Twitter

MY REVIEWS FOR MARILYN PEAKE

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Giveaway – Mirrors and Mysteries by Christine Bauer @CB_Bauer @XpressoTours

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Mirrors and Mysteries
Christina Bauer
(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, #9)
Publication date: March 24th 2022
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Rapunzel meets Jane Eyre in the epic conclusion of this fairy tale romance!

Grayson Eyre has left her old life behind. She’s no longer stuck serving Lady R, a sadistic Rapunzel from the Lowood clan of elves. Instead, Grayson now teaches at the Thornfield home for shifter orphans. Even better, her boss is none other than the sexy alpha, Dex. It’s all good until a mysterious witch, Jocasta, appears in a nearby tower, demanding that Dex and Grayson discover the true nature of all Rapunzels. If not, Lady R will return to claim Grayson… and Thornfield will be wiped out by the evil Prism Master. Can Dex and Grayson discover the truth in time? And what will it mean for their growing attraction?

Secrets are revealed and feelings explored in this epic conclusion to the story of Dex and Grayson!

Fairy Tales of the Magicorum
Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
1. Wolves and Roses
2. Moonlight and Midtown
3. Shifters and Glyphs
4. Slippers and Thieves
5. Bandits and Ball Gowns
6. Fire and Cinder
7. Fairies and Frosting
8. Towers and Tithes
9. Mirrors and Mysteries
10. Love and Ether

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


MIRRORS AND MYSTERIES Excerpt #3

Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #9

DEX

The best part about being a wolf shifter? Kicking ass.

Clink, clink…

I know that sound.Two mirror guards are on their way.

My home territory sits beside the Prism Master’s land. Talk about unlucky. The Prism Master’s a sadistic freak who wants more room at any cost. Wulfhelm is his prime target. The Prism Master’s guards regularly patrol our joint boundary, looking for weaknesses. 

Although I’m blinded by a spell, I can still picture the scene perfectly. The mirror guards are both slender and pale with high cheekbones and long blonde hair. They’ll wear thin leather armor that’s painted to look like silver. Compared to the elves, I’m muscular and broad-shouldered with rough features. My long black hair is tied back with a scrap of leather. I wear human-style clothes, namely jeans and a dark Henley.

The two guards move closer. I’m ready for the worst, but I hope for the best. Out of all the Prism Master’s forces, there’s one mirror guard I trust: Captain Zoya. If I’m lucky, she’ll be on this patrol. 

“Looketh over there!” calls the first guard. It’s a male voice. Not Zoya.

“An intruder doth enter our midst!” announces the second guard. This one’s a she-elf, but not the Captain. 

Guess my luck isn’t changing yet. These two are typical mirror guards, which is to say, pompous idiots.

“Who disturbs my fellow guard and I?” asks the male warrior.

I stile the urge to groan. “It’s my fellow guard and me,” I clarify. “Not my fellow guard and I.”

If my correction affects the guards, they don’t show it. “Do mine eyes regardereth the Wulfhelm Alpha?” asks the female slowly.

I can’t help it. “Regardereth isn’t a word.”

There’s the clinking of armor followed by a whoosh. Something’s being thrown at me. Even without eyesight, I know the toss is too wide to make an impact. No need to dodge. 

“Perhaps yon dog is blind,” says the male guard. “He didst not twitch when I tossed a stone.”

“Only because thy throw sucketh,” I explain. 

The clink of armor grows louder as the pair steps closer. “Eureka!” That’s the female guard. “I doth detect some blinderyness in yon mongrel’s irises.”

This time, there’s no stifling. I all-out groan. “Blinderyness is not a word.”

“We’re elves,” calls the male guard. “When we say it, it becometh part of the jargon.”

“I think you mean lexicon.” I shake my head. “Look, I was raised by wolves and I know this stuff.”

“Silence!” calls the male guard. When he next speaks, it’s in a tone that he thinks I cannot hear. “Shall we attacketh him? What dost thou thinketh?”

I raise my hand. “I’d walk awayeth. Blind or not, I can defend myself quite well.”

“How did he hear you?” whispers the female.

I point to my face. “Wolf shifter.”

–End of Excerpt–

BUY NOW: Amazon / Apple / GooglePlay / Kobo / Nook

Author Bio:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Blog / Website / Newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / Instagram / LinkedIn


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Graphic Novel – The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez #FranckThillez #Papercutz

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I haven’t done many, if any, graphic novels, but The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez, with Yomgui Dumont (Illustrations) made me think of Scooby Doo and the gang, so I had to have it.

Do you read grahic novels?

The Nightmare Brigade #1: The Case of The Girl from Deja Vu

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I jumped at a chance to read The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez because it made me think of Scooby Doo and the gang and I love them.

I haven’t read a lot of graphic novels, but I used to read a lot of comics as a kid. Reading The Nightmare Brigade brought back those memories. The illustrations are awesome, so richly detailed that I found myself investigating each panel for clues as to what is terrifying Sarah in her nightmare. That’s when I found out that what happens to the dream brigade in the dream, happens for real, whether it’s an injury, death, or anything else. But, they do have special powers, whether it is walking for someone who can’t walk, being able to go through walls, or flying. Each power will be needed to help those who are having the nightmares…and, eventually getting rid of their nightmare permanently.

There is even more danger than them being real in the dream, they must prevent anyone or anything from following them out and, if things go terribly wrong, they could be stuck in someone’s dream…forever. The Nightmare Brigade deals with real issues, mystery and danger.

I think this is a fantastic glimpse into an adventure series that will delight middle graders. You will not get all the answers, but when I found out about Esteban it only whet my appetite for more. There is more going on than first meets the eye.

To sum it all up…I loved it. I think the youngsters will too. And, they will get a bit of knowledge on the brain, nightmares and dreams.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Nightmare Brigade is a dream team led by Professor Angus. With his two young sidekicks, 14 year-olds Esteban and Tristan, they have one goal: help people get rid of their worst nightmares. With unique skills, the team members can literally infiltrate their patient’s nightmare to seek its root and destroy the cause. Things are shaken up a bit, however, when they meet the young Sarah. The Brigade has a feeling they have seen her before… Then, an insomniac is invading other’s dreams. How does he do it and how can he be stopped? It’s a paranormal story you won’t want to sleep on!

This first volume in The NIghtmare Brigade features a diverse cast of adolescents tackling themes that everyone faces as they grow up: fears of aging, abandonment, and death. It creates page turning intrigue by weaving outer mysteries with character secrets. Intended for readers eight and up, this dazzling horror mix is perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Tim Burton, and Inception, and is sure to become a reader favorite for school and home libraries alike.

ABOUT FRANK THILLEZ

Franck Thillez, a former engineer in new technologies, is the author of about fifteen successful crime novels. With the adaptation of his novel “Room of Death” (wonner of the SNCF prize for French crime fiction), Franck Thilez is also a screenwriter.

ABOUT YOMGUI DUMONT

After having completed his studies in applied arts, Yomgui Dumont has worked wherever he was able to move a mouse and a pencil: cartoons, multimedia, advertising, and the press. His first series are Raph’ and Potetoz, Chamres noires, and E;cole de PAN. He has published around twenty graphic novels and teen novels.

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Giveaway – Savage City by L Penelope @leslyepenelope @XpressoTours

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Savage City
L. Penelope
(The Bliss Wars, #1)
Publication date: March 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

For Talia, death is only the beginning of survival…

When a tragic accident cuts my lonely life short, instead of heaven or hell, I’m stolen away to a terrifying city of warring shifter clans—the Nimali and the Fai. The Nimali mistake me for their missing princess. Her father, the dragon king, is identical to my own. But in this world, he dotes on me with the love and affection I always craved. And in a land with no tolerance for outsiders, feigning amnesia and impersonating shifter royalty may be the only way to survive.

For Ryin, falling in love is the worst kind of betrayal…

As a Fai warrior in captivity, I’m forced to serve my enemy even as I plot their destruction. The lost princess returned much changed, now the heat between us crackles irresistibly. While helping her heal using my magical talents, I begin to question what I thought I knew about the Nimali. She remains as forbidden as ever, but she also might be the key to freedom for me and my people.

Caught between two enemy factions balancing on the knife-blade of annihilation, our lies are the only thing keeping us alive, but they just might be our undoing.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

On top of the wall, silence reigns as the soldiers wait for word. We all stare toward the ground, anticipation a dark cloud suspended over us as sharp eyes scan the gloom for either a member of the scouting team that went out an hour ago or a Revoker, red eyes flashing and fangs covered in gristle and blood.

The first person who runs into view is tall and familiar and very much Nimali. His armor is blood spattered, but he appears uninjured. Others sigh audibly in relief, but my jaw tightens. Prince Shad. I wouldn’t have minded if he’d been grievously injured. My daimon silently chastises me for the unkindness, but I can’t help it. There are only two Nimali men who could have killed Dove, and he’s one of them. Until I’m certain it wasn’t him, I have to act like it was.

A bear and a lion are close behind him—part of the prince’s honor guard. The bear’s gait is hampered by a pronounced limp, though she still eats up the ground with long strides. Then my focus returns to the prince. He’s carrying something—someone—over his shoulder like a sack of beans. His bounding steps cross the distance easily, and then he’s at the rope ladder a soldier threw down. He climbs it with one arm while holding what I can see now is an injured woman.

Blood pours down her back from gashes that I’m sure were made by a Revoker’s claws. Her clothing is odd. A short, loose dress, oddly patterned and flimsy—I’ve never seen anything like it before, not on a Nimali or a Fai. Why anyone would go into No Man’s Land without battle armor is a mystery, but the woman is also barefoot. Begrudging respect bubbles up from my chest for the way the prince is able to negotiate the climb with that much dead weight, carried awkwardly. He could have shifted into his other form and flown up, but his own claws might have further injured her. And he is definitely treating her like something special.

The reason becomes clear when he finally gets to the top and one of the soldiers reaches out to help him with his burden. Prince Shad shakes his head and gently lays the woman down on her side, revealing her face.

I’m too far away to see at first, but when the soldiers in front of me gasp and immediately kneel, I get a glimpse. Princess Celena lies there, bloodied and battered. Her rich, chestnut skin is ashen, taking on an almost gray pallor. I’m frozen in place for a moment viewing her small form, her strange, tattered clothing, the odd way she’s braided her hair.

Then I’m shoved hard from behind, stumbling forward through the kneeling men and women.

“Where is the healer?” Prince Shad roars, but I’m already there, crouching down beside the princess. My daimon joins me seconds later, eager to fill me with its essence and lend me its healing power.

Celena’s back is ravaged, the wounds already bubbling with the poison from the Revoker’s talons. They look fresh, so it’s not too late to heal them if I’m quick about it. I hold out my hands and close my eyes, letting my daimon fully take over. Its energy flows through me, using my physical body as a conduit for its power.

Through my daimon, I sense the damage, the torn flesh and the toxins that have already entered her bloodstream. The healing energy pulls the poison out, a sticky black substance that leaks onto the stone of the wall. The flesh, layers of muscle and skin, is knit back together until there isn’t so much as a scar left. I silently thank my daimon and it retreats. Then I open my eyes.

Prince Shad is staring down at his sister. When the blue light of my power retreats, his dark eyes flick up to mine.

“I removed the poison,” I tell him.

“All of it?” I nod. His lips flatten into a grim line. “We’re taking her back to the Citadel. Come with me; the king will want to be sure.”

Author Bio:

L. Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science in college and sometimes dreams in HTML. After living on both coasts, she settled in Maryland with her husband and their furry dependents. Sign up for new release information and giveaways on her website: http://www.lpenelope.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub


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Review – Bag of Tricks by Carmen Webster Buxton @CarmenWBuxton

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Carmen Webster Buxton is a fabulous storyteller. The wonderful cover fits the story inside perfectly, seeing they spend a lot of time on the road, so to speak.

Bag of Tricks

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Bag of Tricks was so well written, with original twists and turns that, even though for most of the book it would be a three star review, I had to give it four. The characters came to life in the magical, fantastical world that Carmen Webster Buxton created and I was lost. Though I never felt an urgent need to read on with white knuckles, my curiousity would not let me put it down. Another plus, no series. You get the complete story!!!!!!

When I went to write the review, I found I forgot to take notes. I was swept along with Aveline and Zarek. These two characters took the spotlight and I so wanted a happy ever after for them. They are selfless, loyal, giving, willing to put their life on the line to do the right thing.

We have royal machinations going on, betrayals and danger. The story is written with a lightness, no in depth details, with wars and blood and guts everywhere. Even the tragic events are written for young adults and I love all the little nuggets of wisdom woven throughout the story.

I feel Carmen Webster Buxton is such a fantastic writer, that no genre is beyond her. I feel she would be a success no matter what story she wanted to tell. I highly recommend any of her work and I hope you give her books a shot. I feel you won’t regret it and may even find a new favorite author for your bookshelf.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bag of Tricks by Carmen Webster Buxton.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Aveline is a trained magician, but Princess Inessa, the Heiress of Mazuria, hired her to pose as a lady-in-waiting, to protect her from court intrigues and literally sniff out lies. When a wicked duke tries to force Inessa into marriage, Aveline uses a spell to hide the princess. But even magic has limits, and when Aveline stumbles over Zarek, a man whose life has been cursed by more than one tragedy, she demands his help in getting the princess back to the capital. Zarek is on his own errand, and he’s suspicious of Aveline — magicians are feared — but he does help. As he and Aveline travel Mazuria in company with the princess and his wolf-dog Burden, they come to rely on each other and to respect each other’s skills. After Zarek leaves the two women in what he thinks is a safe refuge, he learns they’re in more danger than ever. So of course he and Burden go back to save them.

Now if only Aveline can bring herself to believe that Zarek wants to save her even more than he wants to save the princess — and admit to herself that what she feels for him goes way beyond gratitude.

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in the far future), and the occasional fantasy.

Carmen has published many books:

WAKANREO SERIES
Alien Bonds
Alien Vows
Alien Skies

HAVEN SERIES
The Sixth Discipline
No Safe Haven

THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order)
The Nostalgia Gambit
Saronna’s Gift
Shades of Empire
Tribes
Worlds Apart

ALTERNATE HISTORY
King of Trees

YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION
Turnabout
Drifters

FANTASY
Where Magic Rules
Bag of Tricks
Hidden Magic

THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021)
The North Edge of Nowhere
Oaths and Promises

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Moon Madness by Sabrina Silvers @XpressoTours

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Moon Madness
Sabrina Silvers
(Dirigo Pack, #2)
Publication date: March 19th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

A wolf on the edge, deadly shifter political games, and an unexpected attraction.

Sloane Wyman is haunted by her past and she’ll let nothing get in the way of her future. She’s vowed to defend her pack as long as there is breath in her lungs.

Benedict MacKinnon can’t trust the beast within. Not since it burst forth and nearly cost him everything. But, when his brother and mate are accused of murder, he’s willing to put everything on the line. Benedict must stand before the Supreme Council in their defense, even if it costs him his life and future.

Lying and scheming enemies eager to see him spiral out of control test his resolve at every turn. Sloane, as his back-up, is more of a hindrance than a help thanks to the unwanted primal attraction that leaves his inner wolf rumbling.

As they become targets in a game they don’t know the rules, and the clock ticks down on their deadline, can they outsmart their enemies? Will they allow themselves to unite via the mate bond? Or will their attempts to save those they love meet a bloody end?

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

—

EXCERPT:

He strode around the boulder where he had stashed his clothes earlier and tossed her his shirt.

She caught it, surprise flashing across her face. Then she narrowed her gaze. “You had clothes all of this time and never said anything?”

He shrugged as he slipped on his jeans. “What can I say? I was enjoying the view. And why get dressed if we’re just going to shift again? However, since we’re going to fight, it might be easier if you’re not distracted.”

She rolled her eyes and snorted. But she did slip on his T-shirt. She was tall, but not quite as tall as he was, so the garment covered her to about to mid-thigh, and he mourned the loss of seeing her naked. Yeah, it was commonplace to see a lot of skin as shifters, and it was courtesy not to notice, but Sloane affected him like no other, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. Well, he knew what his body wanted to do about it, but he was in control of his cock, not the other way around. Usually.

Sloane narrowed her eyes, crouched in a fighting stance, and began circling, her body low and ready. She had no idea what, or who, she was up against. She still thought he was the desk-jockey shifter who couldn’t control his wolf. This was going to be fun. Or it might kill him. It could really go either way.

He watched her, carefully sidestepping in the circle to counter her as she studied him, partially crouched, her hands in front of her. Sloane was patient, a strong and competent fighter, but she had one flaw. She could be swayed by emotion, which made her vulnerable. Then again, emotion made everyone vulnerable, didn’t it?

So, he let a slow smile stretch across his face and his gaze travel over her shirt to her bare legs. “That shirt never looked so good.”

A low growl erupted from Sloane’s throat, and sparks flashed in her eyes, but she remained calm, just watching him for her way in. She reached out with her hand then kicked her leg to the back of his knee to take him down, but he jumped back in time.

“Not bad, Wyman. A little slow but you’ll get there. Eventually.”

He smirked and swiped a hand out, his claws slicing the shirt in four precise cuts right over her torso, down to the hem. The breeze fluttered the edges of the shirt, and she glared at him, her anger rising. She lunged wildly, and he made a half-turn then grabbed her arm and twisted her off-balance, pulling her close to his body.

He leaned into her ear, nipping lightly. “Gotcha.”

He quickly released her and stepped back. She whirled around, her eyes wild, her teeth bared, frustration evident. He grinned. “This is so much better than sparring with Hugh. I’ll have to come back here more often.”

Again, her leg kicked out, catching him behind the knee, but instead of going down, he grabbed her leg and flipped her. He followed her down onto the soft earth, pinning her in place. Her wide eyes stared up at him, and then he did the one thing he’d been wanting to do since he’d seen her two weeks prior.

He kissed her.

Sloane froze under him, her body stiff and tense, her lips cool and unresponsive, but then they softened, and she opened her mouth, responding to his kiss with as much passion as she had in the previous fight. His tongue tangled with hers while his hand roamed under the shirt that barely covered her, riding up to expose her skin to him. He caressed the side of one of her breasts, his thumb stroking over her nipple until it beaded under his touch, and she arched into his body as if silently begging for more.

Her hands clutched his back, claws pricking his skin, not to push away but to pull him closer, and she lightly scored him down his back, marking him for anyone to see later. Her leg wrapped around his waist, her heel digging into his lower back, bringing his denim-covered erection into full contact with the heat of her center.

A howl in the distance broke their concentration, and he lifted his head, listening to gauge the distance. A second howl answered, a bit closer, and Sloane shoved Benedict off of her, scrambling to her feet and gathering the shreds of the shirt around her.

“That can never happen again.” Her words were angry, vehement, but her breath sawed in and out as her chest heaved, belying her own reaction to the kiss.

He took a step forward even as she stepped backward. “Sloane, you can keep running, but you clearly need stress relief, if nothing else.”

She pointed at him then at herself. “This is never going to happen again. You and I have to work together, and sex just muddies everything up.”

He shrugged. “It also gives new meaning to close cover. No one can guard me better than from my own bed.”

She growled and threw her hands up, forgetting about the sad state of her shirt. “I also might be the one to kill you in your sleep.”

Author Bio:

Sabrina Silvers began her writing career dreaming of elves, orcs, and hobbits in the fantasy section of her local library, looking in wardrobes for Narnia and Aslan, and hunting for gnomes in the forest. To her dismay, she never found any of them except between the pages of her books. So, she had to go out and create them for herself, leading to her lifelong love of reading and writing and dreaming about adventures, fantasy creatures and love in fantasy lands! She divides her time between writing sexy contemporary romances under a different pen name, reading, knitting and being owned by a very spoiled cocker spaniel who does not share her love of fantasy creatures.

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Giveaway – The Abdication by Justin Newland #JustinNewland @GoddessFish

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The bullish cover for The Abdication by Justin Newland has me curious. How about you? Does it make you wonder what the book is about? How about a few words from Justin Newland and let him tell us about the cover. Welcome Justin…

GUEST POST

The Cover of The Abdication.

The cover of a book is seminal. Isn’t it said, don’t judge a book by its cover? But we all know, that we do judge it, all the time. Perhaps it’s fair to say that we may not pick up a book because of its cover, but we may well put it down if we don’t like the cover. Either way, it’s an important conduit.

            For all my four novels to date, I have been fortunate to work with a well-known cover artist,  Jim Burns, who lives not far from me in the South West of England. Because his covers obviously have a particular style, having them on all four books has helped me to create a recognisable brand.

            The front cover is shown here. I wanted to have certain features within it, and because of his experience, Jim was able to help me choose the right images and refine their placement and arrangement.

A cover has to tell a story, and to draw the prospective reader in to want to open the book and read more, or at least read the back cover blurb. It has to make a strong statement about the book, its genre, its setting, and its main theme(s).

            Therefore, the central figure in the story has to have a central place in the book cover. In the case of The Abdication, that’s the horned, black, bull-headed figure, aka the Hebrew god Moloch.

            He was an interesting and challenging figure. If the ancient Hebrews believed they had displeased the god in some way, their priests would tell them to make sacrifices to him.

            The setting for the novel is a fictional ravine. The ravine itself plays a large part in the novel, so it’s fitting that it’s also included in the front cover.

            On one side of the ravine is a town called Topeth (shown on the front cover) and Unity is on the other side (shown on the back cover). A slender rope bridge joins the two towns. The setting is on the top of a mountain somewhere in Israel, in the Middle East, hence the scorched, sandy look of the rock, the land, and the brick walls.

            The houses and buildings in Topeth resemble those of the Middle East, and give further clues as to the setting. In the lower right-hand corner of the front cover is a wooden hut, in front of which two men dressed in Arab clothing guard the entrance to the rope bridge.

            In the background, upper right, is a derelict Acropolis, its pillars standing forlorn against the backdrop of a blue sky and high, wispy cirrus clouds. While the Acropolis is originally Greek, the image of the building or the temple is used here to represent ancient wisdom and ancient ways of understanding things.  

            This is all the main images of the front cover. It’s the artist who then puts them all together, and creates a unified image, leaving the titles to be placed top and bottom.

Justin Newland

23rd February, 2022

Amazon

The Abdication by Justin Newland

GENRE: Supernatural Thriller

BLURB

The town of Unity sits perched on the edge of a yawning ravine where, long ago, a charisma of angels provided spiritual succour to a fledgeling human race. Then mankind was granted the gift of free will and had to find its own way, albeit with the guidance of the angels. The people’s first conscious act was to make an exodus from Unity – they built a rope bridge across the ravine and founded the town of Topeth. For a time, the union between the people of Topeth and the angels of Unity was one of mutual benefit. After that early spring advance, there had been a torrid decline in which mankind’s development resembled a crumpled, fading autumnal leaf.

Following the promptings of an inner voice, Tula, a young woman from the city, trudges into Topeth. Her quest is to abide with the angels and thereby discover the right and proper exercise of free will. To do that, she has to cross the bridge – and overcome her vertigo.

Topeth is in upheaval; the townsfolk blame the death of a child on dust from the nearby copper mines. The priests have convinced them that a horde of devils have thrown the angels out of Unity and now occupy the bridge, possessing anyone who trespasses on it. Then there’s the heinous Temple of Moloch!

The Abdication is the story of Tula’s endeavour to step upon the path of a destiny far greater than she could ever have imagined.

EXCERPT

19.       The Freedom of Prison

Evening was a special time in Topeth. As the pall of dusk fell upon the rooftops, the birdsong quietened to a hush. For the moment, though, prison bars prevented Tula from enjoying it.

From what Enoch had said, mankind’s ignorance and cruelty had unduly restrained the angels. Humans were granted the freedom to spark warmth into the freezing cold of the Universe. Angels and humans were partners in a grand dance, in which the ballroom was the Universe, and the orchestra was the Creator. That sacred dance was meant to be a thrilling voyage of discovery, and most important of all, of mutual benefit. Angels were the keepers of the next step for mankind. In passing it on to humanity, they, the angels, through a spiritual osmosis or transference, could learn about the great human qualities such as wisdom, benevolence and compassion.

While they waited for humanity to make the full and final retreat from barbarism, the angels were custodians of that noble purpose. She had no idea if, or when, that would ever happen. But while she lived, she would die trying. What else was more honourable to do with the great gift of life? Angels could learn nothing from people who danced to the tune of the merchant or who bowed before the altar of self-gratification. Ignoring the Covenant, humanity had fallen from its state of grace, not because of some wicked snake, but because they consciously chose to.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers – that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

His Books

The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.

“The novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more of an Egyptian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.

The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times.  ISBN 9781789015829.

‘The author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society.

Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.

“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war…  filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.

His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950. 

“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ultimately, what it means to abdicate that faith.”

V. Triola, Coast to Coast.

Website / Facebook / Instagram / BUY LINK: https://amzn.to/3LYX5E8

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Giveaway – Thunderstruck by Wren Michaels @AuthorWren @XpressoTours

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Thunderstruck
Wren Michaels
(The Thunderbird Brotherhood, #1)
Publication date: March 10th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Reseda Juarez is dead. Though she functions as a human, inside she’s an emotionless weapon, trapped between the living and the undead. Cold and unrelenting, she’s used as a super-soldier by the government in a special task force to hunt preternatural beings to the brink of extinction.

One night, five years ago, Kane killed an innocent and his brother lost the love of his life. The aftermath forces Kane to become the alpha of the legendary Thunderbirds. He now must protect what’s left of his family from the tribe of wolf shifters who ripped them apart.

When Reseda’s mother is bitten by a wolf, she and Kane are forced to work together to find the Mayan Pul Yah stone to heal her—the same stone that gifted Reseda to the life she now lives. But the journey is riddled with more than wolves, also searching for the stone. Something strange happens to their powers when they’re together, and they struggle to fight the intense attraction between them. The deeper they go, the more secrets unravel, until love is the only thing that can defeat an enemy no one saw coming.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Kane turned, thrusting his hands in the air. “I don’t even know who this Reseda is. How am I supposed to find her?”

“I’m sure I have a picture of her around here somewhere. But it’s quite old. She must be in her twenties by now.” Maquinna pressed the last of the herbs into the open wounds along Glenda’s arm and a phone slipped out of her apron pocket, crashing to the floor. The screen flashed with Reseda’s name.

“So, I’m just supposed to shout her name into the woods or something? I’ve got nothing to go on.” Kane stilled. Hair along his arms danced on an electric wave humming in the air around him. Closing his eyes, he inhaled a slow breath.

Adrenaline? No.

Sweat? No.

A scent he’d never encountered before, crisp and pure. Not fear, not heat, nor blood. Yet something distinctly feminine, clouded by wolf.

Kane shot out of the house in a blur. Following the scent, he kicked up speed as he dodged the enormous redwood trunks. The smell of rage and blood lust covered the faint scent of the female. The wolves had closed in on whoever it was. Triumphant howls rang out from the forest floor, and Kane zeroed in on the sounds.

Hair, long and dark as midnight, shone beneath the shimmer of moonlight as he caught sight of her. The same four wolves that he rescued Glenda from now chased this female, Castos out in front. She glanced over her shoulder, and for a moment Kane swore he caught a smile on her face before terror flickered in her eyes and she turned back around, increasing her sprint.

The thought disturbed and distracted him. He didn’t have time to transform into the Thunderbird as he caught up to one of the wolves. Continuing his chase, he stiffened his forearms and the edges of his tattoos lit up. A streak of lightning flashed from the ink, splitting the wolves’ path down the middle, singing the paws of two as they flipped over, rolling down the rim floor.

Castos glanced behind him. His yellow eyes pulsed blood-red as he released an ear-splitting howl catching sight of Kane. The wolf launched himself into the air, toppling the female to the ground. Kane leaped headfirst for the other wolf, barreling him to the Earth in a plume of dirt and pine needles. He gripped the creature by the head and twisted it in his hands, snapping its neck.

Castos walked around the female face down in the dirt, glaring at Kane from a distance. “You’ve now made yourself a true enemy, Kane. This was not your business.”

“What happens on my land is my business, Castos. Let the girl go.”

Castos howled with laughter. “You sound an awful lot like your father. Those same words got him killed.”

Rage boiled beneath Kane’s skin. Curling his fingers into his palm, the edges of his tattoos once again lit, brighter than before as he channeled everything into his powers. Something blurred to his right, and Kane snapped his focus to find the source of it. Castos released a whimpering growl as he flew through the air, soaring over Kane’s head, landing in a puff of dirt behind him on his back.

Kane whipped his head back to the girl. She stood facing him, bathed in moonlight, arms thrust forward ready to attack. The most intense and haunting blue eyes he’d ever seen flickered between the rays of light and darkness shadowing her face. Kane scrambled up from the ground to a stance, glancing back to where Castos landed, only to find him gone.

He turned back to the girl. “Are you hurt?”

“Are you?” She cocked her head, slanting a hip to the side.

He couldn’t tell if she was confused or teasing. “What kind of question is that?” Why would she ask if he was okay? He was the one saving her. Did she completely miss where he took out three of the four wolves?

“A valid one. I don’t know what happened to the other two, but I saw you tussling with Gage. He’s no easy match. That was Castos’ number one. So, again, are you hurt?” she asked.

“You’re on a first name basis with the wolves?” He sniffed the air around her, stepping closer. “You don’t smell like a wolf.”

“Chanel. It hides everything.” She circled in turn with his steps around her. “But no, of course I’m not a wolf. Thanks for the insult.”

He stifled a laugh. “Many pardons, ma’am.”

“Ma’am? Do I look that old?” Her lips fell into a pout. “It’s the moonlight, isn’t it? And the fact that I forgot to moisturize this morning.”

Kane cocked a brow. Who the hell was this girl making jokes moments after being savagely attacked by not only wolves, but the Alpha? She looked far from old. Dark hair that could rival the finest silk draped her shoulders, almost as long as his own. Olive skin that shone flawless under the light of the full moon was only put to shame by those stunning eyes.

Kane stepped back. “No. That’s not what I meant.”

“You hesitated. I do. I look old.” Her shoulders slumped as she folded her arms. “I’m too young to use night cream.”

Kane shook his head. “What the hell are you talking about? You just got jumped by a pack of wolves and you’re worried about wrinkles?”

Author Bio:

Wren hails from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin where beer and cheese are their own food groups. But a cowboy swept her off her feet and carried her to Texas, where she promptly lost all tolerance for cold and snow. Fueled by coffee, dreams, and men in kilts, Wren promises to bring you laughter, heart-fluttering romance, and action that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

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Giveaway – Daemon Blood by Mary Maddox @Dreambeast7 @XpressoTours

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Daemon Blood
Mary Maddox
(Daemon World, #3)
Publication date: March 8th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Horror

Our war will not unfold in your imaginary heaven. We will fight on Earth with human beings as pawns and weapons.

Lu Darlington is a seer, bound to the daemon Talion through ritual and blood. It’s not a role she enjoys, but she has little choice: daemons take what they want and destroy whoever stands in their way.

So Lu’s surprised when Talion doesn’t punish her for her newfound ability to keep him from possessing her whenever he likes. In fact he’s pleased. The stronger she is, he explains, the more powerful he becomes.

And he needs that power, because a war is brewing in the daemon world, a war that will be fought by—and through—humans.

Lu’s friend Lisa Duncan can’t see daemons but she’s seen what they can do and so has stayed far away from Lu for years. After a bizarre attack on Lisa leaves half a dozen people dead and she learns it’s just the first skirmish in the daemon war, Lisa realizes the safest place to be is with Lu.

Then Talion sends Lu away to teach her skills to another seer and Lisa must stay behind to look after Lu’s son Solly, conceived through a daemon ceremony with Talion. At four years old Solly’s seer abilities are already so strong Lisa is sometimes more afraid of Solly than for him.

As Talion’s enemies grow bolder, Lisa and Lu face attacks from every direction. There seems little hope any of them will survive—until Talion and his allies devise a plan.

The only problem is how much it will cost.

“With Daemon Blood, Mary Maddox has crafted a timeless tale of good against evil. With compelling characters and a keen sense of the darkness that lurks within us all, Daemon Blood will stay with you long after you turn the final thrilling page.”

— David Sodergren, Author of The Forgotten Island

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


EXCERPT

Panic wells up in Lisa as the drugstore’s automatic door slides open and winter air balloons against her face. The idea of stepping outside suddenly terrifies her. Post-traumatic stress, says her therapist, Sandi—as if naming a thing steals its power. A bearded guy in a camo jacket is close behind her. She has to move. Clutching her plastic bag of antidepressants and tampons like a talisman, she hurries through the door.  

A semi rumbles past on the two-lane highway beyond the drugstore’s narrow parking lot. Its diesel fumes trigger the usual nausea. The clouds unveil the sun. She imagines getting in her beat-up Honda Civic, driving until it runs out of gas, and then walking until her legs buckle. Wherever she ends up will be fine with her.

“Hey Lisa!” A gaunt man pops out of his SUV and trots across the parking lot. His glossy parka, unzipped despite the subfreezing day, bounces against his fashionably threadbare jeans.

He’s no one she knows or wants to know. She plunges her hand into her purse as she runs for her car. Where are the stupid keys? She’s still groping for them when she reaches the Civic.  

A hand seizes her shoulder and spins her around. The man in the parka presses her against the car, his groin against hers, and pokes her in the ribs with something hard. She looks down at a pistol with a short barrel, almost toylike. His open parka conceals the gun from anyone watching. Not that anyone is. Halfway across the lot, the bearded guy is climbing into a truck jacked up on monster tires. She doubts he noticed her at all. “Sorry, Lisa,” the gunman says. “I know what you’ve been through and I hate—really hate—doing this. But we need to talk.”

Panic muffles everything but her thumping heart. She wrenches her gaze from the gun to his face and opens her mouth to scream, but his eyes silence her. Colorless irises encircle the bottomless wells of his pupils. Her scream drowns in their depths, but she manages to whisper. “Who are you?”

“Willard Steeples.” His grin displays a mouthful of capped teeth edged with black along the gum line. “Author of Professor of Death.”

Evil parasite, feeding on people’s suffering. On her suffering. When she was fifteen, a psychopath tortured and disfigured her, and Steeples’ book made her into a freak show.

“You’re angry,” he says. “I get that. But your story doesn’t end with the Professor. There’s Grifford Riley, the bent cop from Chicago.”

She finally manages to speak. “What do you want?”

“This isn’t about what I want. My readers cry out for the truth.”

Author Bio:

Mary Maddox is a suspense, horror, and dark fantasy novelist with what The Charleston Times-Courier calls a “Ray Bradbury-like gift for deft, deep-shadowed description.” Born in Soldiers Summit, high in the mountains of Utah, Maddox graduated with honors in creative writing from Knox College, and went on to earn an MFA from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She taught writing at Eastern Illinois University and has published stories in various journals, including Yellow Silk, Farmer’s Market, The Scream Online, and Huffington Post. The Illinois Arts Council has honored her fiction with a Literary Award and an Artist’s Grant.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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