Tag Archives: Urban Fantasy

$25 GC – Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall @goddessfish @GameOverStation

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MY REVIEW

Everything about Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall appealed to me and I got more than I expected. I love the combination of private investigator and magic. I do love some light heartedness with my murder and Shami supplies plenty.

I really enjoyed the characters Adair Finch, a warlock and private investigator, a young girl, Bree, and Kull, a spirit. I love how they learned to work together. Bree brought Adair back to the world of the living. He had isolated himself after his brother’s death, feeling he was responsible. Bree came to him after her mother was murdered and her father was kidnapped. Her mother had told her that he could be trusted. She is so cute and determined. He soon finds he cannot deny her anything.

Adair also has the ability to turn back time, and it really came in handy. If something went hinky, he would rewind time and fix whatever didn’t work the first time. And it definitely came in handy, seeing there was so much going on he could never be prepared for everything.

Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall is fast paced, unputdownable.

If you like the paranormal and mysteries, Time Marked Warlock is sure to fit on your reading list. I feel this can stand alone, but there is more than one mystery and only one has been solved. Because I don’t know if I’ll be around to find the answers for the unsolved mystery, the book has to pay the price, the lack of that fifth star for an excellent rating.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

TIME-MARKED WARLOCK

Shami Stovall

GENRE:  Urban Fantasy

BLURB

Adair Finch is the most powerful warlock in the world, and one of the best private investigators for hire. He has dealt with corporate vampires, murderous werewolves, and even fae royalty. Everything was perfect until he lost one case—the case where he also lost his brother.

So Finch retired. From magic. From PI work. From everything.

Bree Blackstone, a twelve-year-old witch, doesn’t know or care about any of that except Finch’s reputation. In the middle of the night, she bangs on Finch’s door. Her mother has been murdered, and now the assassin is after Bree as well.

Reluctantly, Finch agrees to help, only to discover something sinister has been brewing in town while he ignored the world… He’ll need to dust off all his old skills and magic before it’s too late.

EXCERPT

Finch sighed.

Right as he was about to turn to head inside, a loud crack rang out across the parking lot.

Blood splattered across the Nissan. Dr. Colton hit the side of the vehicle and tumbled to the asphalt, a hole in the side of his chest, his brown outfit quickly soaking in crimson.

Another crack, and Finch understood what was happening. Someone was shooting at them. Somewhere far off. Only rifles made that harsh kind of bang that sounded like something cracking in half.

Bree didn’t even have time to cry out. She fell forward, shot in the back, and hit the ground hard.

A third shot was coming, but Finch didn’t give the shooter a chance.

Finch manipulated time itself.

Everything froze. The leaves in the trees, the cars on the distant road—even the wind.

Then the color drained from the world, turning it into a black-and-white movie devoid of all vibrancy. The shadows were pitch black, and the sky a pool of pristine white.

One by one, all the nearby objects melted away, unraveled by Chronos’s powerful and disturbing time magic. The university disappeared. The cars disappeared. Even the people—Bree and Dr. Colton—until there was nothing left but an empty, white void.

Finch’s body jerked. He blinked his eyes.

And then he was back in his bed, dressed in his ratty pajamas, flailing around in the sheets. He sat up, his heart hammering.

His phone displayed the time.

4:34am.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction. Before that, she taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second. When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators, or hugging John.

If you want to contact her, you can do so at the following locations:

Website: https://sastovallauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GameOverStation/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAStovall/

Email: s.adelle.s@gmail.com

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YVThw7

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Review – The Corpse Whisperer Sworn by H R Boldwood @BoldwoodH @SDBookTours

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Corpse Whisperer Sworn by H R Boldwood is the third book in the Corpse Whisperer Series and I am fortunate to have them all, thanks to the author. The books are quick reads, because it’s hard to stop myself from racing through the pages.

With a gun in one hand and a blade in the other, Allie Nighthawk searches the streets of New Orleans for the necromancer, Toussaint. Who will win the face to face confrontation?

She can raise the dead, but spends most of her time putting down the freshies, flesh eaters and corpsicles with the help of her hotty, wantta be boyfriend, Ferris.

As I picture the zombies from The Walking Dead, I am laughing most of the way through the blood and guts, the zushi. The writing is humorous, even when they are shooting, slashing and stabbing, and their lives are on the line.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Corpse Whisperer Sworn by H R Boldwood.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Follow Allie Nighthawk to exciting New Orleans where she raises the dead, puts down rotters, and dabbles in the mystical world of hoodoo. She’s on the trail of an evil necromancer who will stop at nothing to rule the world with his army of deadheads. Is her magick strong enough to save the day? Or will this necromancer from her past kill her before she gets the chance? She figures she’s got a fifty-fifty shot. Make that forty-sixty.

  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Zombies
  • 356 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published May 8, 2020 by Third Street Press
  • Series: Allie Nighthawk Mysteries, #3

ABOUT H R BOLDWOOD

H.R. Boldwood, author of the Corpse Whisperer series, countless short stories, and Imadjinn Award finalist, is a writer of horror and speculative fiction. In another incarnation, Boldwood is a Pushcart Prize nominee and winner of the 2009 Bilbo Award for creative writing by Thomas More College. Boldwood’s characters are often disreputable and not to be trusted. They are kicked to the curb at every conceivable opportunity when some poor unsuspecting publisher welcomes them with open arms. No responsibility is taken by this author for the dastardly and sometimes criminal acts committed by this ragtag group of miscreants.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

MY H R BOLDWOOD REVIEWS

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#BooksFromTheBacklog – Matt Archer: Monster Summer by Kendra C HIghley @KendraHighley

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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.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

In this companion short-story to Matt Archer: Monster Hunter, fifteen-year-old Matt Archer finds himself in the Australian Outback on the trail of his latest targets…and hunting hyper-intelligent, mutated Dingoes is not his idea of a great summer vacation.

Making things more complicated, Matt’s Uncle Mike–aka Major Tannen–is his C.O. for this mission. To Matt’s consternation, the major’s new fiancée, Captain Julie Hunter, is also along for the trip.

When Captain Hunter disappears during a routine scouting trip, it’s up to Matt to help his uncle find her before it’s too late.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.10 249 ratings19 reviews

I added Matt Archer: Monster Summer 3.14.13, but had grabbed a copy on 1.30.13. I’m not sure what made me grab a copy, but I do like the cover, love the paranormal, and it will be a quick read, at 41 pages.

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Review – Moon Flower by Heather Ewen Foster @hefcarter

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MY REVIEW

Terror. Pain. Then darkness. This is how it starts.

This, my dear readers, is what we call The Birth.

My name is Sonia. I am vampire.

There are some vampires who have not adapted as the years go by. You know, keep up with fashion, technology, politics…Sonia is not one of them. Even though she intermingles with humans, she does not date them. She knows about death and loss.

Some in government, the FBI and the CIA know about them. Humans pose a danger to vampires, so it is best to be low key. But…someone is out there slaughtering young vampires.

Sonia meets a human, Alex. She doesn’t know why, but she ends up spending time with him. She has a roommate, Sunny, who is a hunkalicious vampire with a wonderful sense of humor. I quickly grew to love him. He donates half his money to charity and snuggles babies in the NICU. I’ve never heard of a vampire, let alone a male vampire, doing such a thing.

I am loving the story, but at times, the author buried me with too many details. But, I did like when Sonia was talking about having interests in mines in Australia. I have watched TV shows about mining for opals in Cooby Pedy. It’s fun when I am familiar with a location.

I was about 40% into the story before it really got going for me. Have you ever heard of a zombie vampire? Well, we have one here. I smell more than the dead. I smell a rat. Sonia will get to the bottom of it or die, again, trying. But, what about Alex?

The details interrupted the pace at times, but sticking with the story paid off with some fabulous battles. A little vampire, human, vampire triangle was intriguing. I am sure Sunny would have loved to part of a menage a trois with Sonia and Alex. LOL

I believe Moon Flower: Vampires Of Los Angeles by is Heather Ewen Foster’s debut novel. Well done. I look forward to reading more of your work and I have my eye on you now.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Sonia, a 250-year-old Australian vampire, thought she had found peace in the quiet neighborhood of Whitley Heights, Hollywood. But when a mysterious creature starts slaughtering young vampires, Sonia is thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse.With her friend Sunny targeted by an ancient monster, Sonia must uncover the truth behind these brutal attacks. Desperate to save her friend and end the bloodshed, Sonia navigates the treacherous politics of the vampire world. Along the way, she finds herself torn between her irresistible attraction to Alex, the enigmatic human journalist helping in her investigation, and her deep bond with sexy and charismatic Sunny, Alpha Vampire extraordinaire.As the sinister plot unravels, Sonia’s race against time becomes a pulse-pounding battle against an impossibly powerful foe. Will she uncover the truth before more lives are lost? And what sacrifices will she have to make to protect those she loves?Moon Flower is a spellbinding urban fantasy that will leave you breathless. Heather Ewen-Foster’s suspenseful tale immerses you in a world of danger, romance, and mythical creatures. Get ready for an electrifying adventure that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural, Vampire
  • 293 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published November 6, 2023
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Giveway & Review – The Immortal Detective by D B Woodling @partnersincr1me @DBWoodling

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Beginning tomorrow, November 28th the ebook will only cost 99₵. Be sure to share this great deal … and grab yourself a copy before it ends on December 8th!

Amazon / Kindle Unlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Immortal Detective by D B Woodling is the total package. At first it was the title that drew be into Celeste’s vampiric world, then I saw the amazing cover, then I read the blurb, and I loved every minute I spent there.

Celeste never would have chosen her undead life. Her mother, father, and brother, as well as her lover, Tristan were all vampires…and she hated them all. Because she is a decorated detective, her family petitioned the powers that be to imbue her with many of their gifts. With all the calamity in the world, she could fulfill a purpose. She would also be tasked with bringing those deserving into the fold, increasing their numbers. Their actions can, and will, change the world.

I love how they can morph into fantastical creatives, teleport, time travel, fly, read minds, implant suggestions, and so much more. It takes Celeste some time to get a handle on her powers, but the Elders will be there to assist her when necessary.

Celeste has an adopted daughter, Raina, and a flamboyant, gay vampire nanny, Fane, who live with her in her beloved Victorian home. Even baby vampires are children, frightened by nightmares…or premonitions. I became enamored with these characters and want more of them.

I love the dialogue between Raina and Fane…fun, fun, fun. He knows how to distract her from the bad, put a smile on her face, and entertain her while her mommy is fighting crime. I love that Celeste and Raina sleep together in the same coffer. Talk about cuddle time.

Celeste is a detective with the Kansas City Police. She will put her powers to the test as she endeavors to eliminate a sex trafficking ring. Lots of action. A choice will be made and I love it. The choice can definitely lead to another book in the series.

I missed reading the first book in the series, The Immortal Twin, and I feel I would have connected to the characters better if I knew their back story. Sometimes I forget to check and see if a book is part of a series and I wish I would have read the the books in order, but I can still recommend The Immortal Detective. I just recommend reading The Immortal Twin first.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

ABOUT THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE

Sometimes being immortal makes you wish you were dead.

Celeste Crenshaw has survived her parents’ grisly murders, grueling and gender-biased police training, a battle with rogue vampires, and even her own death. While immortality might seem a dream come true, can she accept the strings attached?

Celeste spends the start of her immortal life being mentored by the Elders of the Hollow Earth. They release her once they feel certain Celeste has honed her supernatural powers. But little do they know, Celeste isn’t wholly committed to granting eternal life to those deserving. Upon a return home to her immortal lover, and the Kansas City Detective Squad, she battles mortal foes, not so unlike the demonic undead. And when a fellow detective falls victim to a murderous gang member, Celeste faces a gut-wrenching decision and the possible wrath of the Elders.

Praise for The Immortal Detective:

“…impressive vampiric worldbuilding {with} a fascinating cast.”
~Publishers Weekly

“A new, original, fresh, fascinating and fun take on the Vampire genre. THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE by D. B. Woodling is a “must read” pick for the legions of vampire fiction fans and an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Fantasy Fiction collections. Exceptionally well written…”
~Midwest Book Review

Book Details:

Genre: Paranormal, Detective Mystery, Fantasy Hybrid
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: March 2023
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780744308013 (ISBN10: 0744308011)
Series: The Immortal Detective, 1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | CamCat Books

ABOUT D B WOODLING

D. B. Woodling

Acquiring an early appreciation of prose written by Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, and the audacious Stephen King, Woodling chose to follow in their intimidating footsteps, evidenced by The Immortal Twin (CamCat Books 2020) and The Immortal Detective, released by CamCat Books, March 2023. She recently completed a supernatural small-town murder mystery and has a Hollywood whodunit in the works, with Book Two of The Immortal Detective series vying for her attention. Woodling is a multi-genre author, and The Immortal Detective is her eighth novel.

Catch Up With D. B. Woodling:
www.DBWoodling.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @DBWoodling
Instagram – @DBWoodling
Twitter/X – @DBWoodling
Facebook – @DBWoodling
Pinterest – @DBWoodling

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Immortal Vendettas – Old Scores by A J Harrison @imvendettas #vampires

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MY REVIEW

The beginning of Old Scores by A J Harrison has me thinking of The Mummy…an underground archaeological dig, an odd looking brick, a little blood, and the floor gives out beneath their feet. You would never find me down there!

Years later, from Syria to Chicago…The atmosphere is spooky…darkness and a sarcophagus, and him. He takes what he needs with no remorse, yet at a mothers desperate request, he becomes The Equalizer. Simon is a vampire, drawn to humans. His fascination with humans makes me think of Lucifer. He was so intrigued, he had been going to the University of Illinois Chicago for five years.to be around them. His world was dealt a dramatic change when he, literally, ran into Anita. Simon meant to walk away, but there was something about her. Moments of Lucifer with Chloe and Edward with Bella kept creeping in.

I found myself laughing at the dialogue, especially with Marion and Anita’s mother…and Simon’s gruesome, internal thoughts. Like when he sat at the dinner table with the humans. I wonder if those thoughts will be implanted in my mind when I visit family and friends for Thanksgiving. LOL

The story had been all about Simon, until Salem came to town. And Shafax. They are more powerful than he is and he gets caught in the middle of their blood feud. Shafax is the power crazy King of Vampires. Salem was Simon’s mentor, but their difference of opinion when it came to humans, caused their split.

Simon is a fascinating character and watching him learn makes for a fantastic story. The final fight against the vampires, puts both Anita and Simon at risk, but Simon is pretty hard to kill and Anita is not so shabby herself. Coyotes, rats, and zombies are thrown at them.

In the beginning of the book, I thought it a bit slow, but I loved all the time I spent with Simon. The last half was no slouch. Sure, some familiarity, shades of Lucifer and Twilight, but I loved both of those, so having some of those similarities are a huge draw for me. That doesn’t mean there are no dark and disturbing moments, blood and guts, and savage battles. A J has a way with words, bringing the characters and scenes to life, making the action easy to visualize.

I am VERY impressed with A J Harrison”s debut novel, Old Scores. The story could end here, but I feel these characters have more to say. How about it A J? Will there be more?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

It takes only a brief mischance and a few drops of blood to awaken an unspeakable evil and unleash it upon an unsuspecting world.

The vampire Simon has always prided himself on his detachment from humankind, but curiosity draws him to them nonetheless. A chance encounter with mortal Anita Rothard entices them both too much to ignore, but as the two grow closer and Simon finds his secret harder to keep, they are caught in the middle of a centuries-old blood feud between Shafax, the power-mad King of Vampires, and Simon’s estranged mentor, the enigmatic vampire Salem.

When enemies stir and rivalries reawaken, old scores will be settled and blood will flow.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Vampires
  • 506 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published September 29, 2023

ABOUT A J HARRISON

Andrew J. “A.J.” Harrison has had a lifelong love for vampires, werewolves, and other classic things that go bump in the night.  A retired officer of the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, he lives in the Chicago suburbs with his calico cat, Vandal, who lives up to her name.  Old Scores is his first novel.

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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway — Moon Flower by Heather Ewen Foster @XpressoTours

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Moonflower: Vampires of Los Angeles
Heather Ewen-Foster
Publication date: November 7th 2023
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Sonia, a 250-year-old Australian vampire, thought she had found peace in the quiet neighborhood of Whitley Heights, Hollywood. But when a mysterious creature starts slaughtering young vampires, Sonia is thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse.

With her friend Sunny targeted by an ancient monster, Sonia must uncover the truth behind these brutal attacks. Desperate to save her friend and end the bloodshed, Sonia navigates the treacherous politics of the vampire world. Along the way, she finds herself torn between her irresistible attraction to Alex, the enigmatic human journalist helping in her investigation, and her deep bond with sexy and charismatic Sunny, Alpha Vampire extraordinaire.

As the sinister plot unravels, Sonia’s race against time becomes a pulse-pounding battle against an impossibly powerful foe. Will she uncover the truth before more lives are lost? And what sacrifices will she have to make to protect those she loves?

Moon Flower is a spellbinding urban fantasy that will leave you breathless. Heather Ewen-Foster’s suspenseful tale immerses you in a world of danger, romance, and mythical creatures. Get ready for an electrifying adventure that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.

Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Terror. Pain. Then darkness.

This is how it starts.

The only link to the world around you is the sound of your own heartbeat pounding in your ears. Your hearing seems to be the only sense still functioning, while sight, smell, touch, and taste seem oddly suspended.

You vaguely realize something is wrong with that pounding. You become aware that your pulse is slowing, beat by beat, which rapidly absorbs all of your attention.

Soon, far sooner than should be possible, you have reached that critical point where that little muscle—the strongest in the human body—struggles to keep you from crossing the threshold dividing the world of life from what awaits you at death.

But something else is terribly wrong: there is no warm light to dissolve into, there are no familiar faces waiting to usher you into paradise. There is only darkness and a failing heart that tries to pump what is no longer there. The terror within you surges as you realize that, should your heart fail, this great, dark oblivion of nothingness will become permanent. And all that is you—your very essence of self—will be gone.

And your heart, most assuredly, is failing.

It is at this crucial moment, when time seems to stand still, that you are offered a choice—a choice that is really no choice at all since the basic animal instinct to stay alive now dominates higher forms of reason.

You do not hesitate. You embrace the offer with a ferocity that speaks to the predatory nature once so close to the surface in humanity, though long since buried by generations of social, sedentary living and the trappings of “civilization.”

Then comes the oblivion, but not the one you expected—not the one which serves as the fate of everyone else. You are in limbo, with no beginning and no ending. No up and no down. But your sense of self is mercifully intact. You are still you.

Here, in this mental womb, you remain for days until— if you are one of the lucky ones—you open your eyes for the first time to a world utterly transformed. And, as you lay there staring into the brilliant colors of the night, you slowly realize that nothing will ever be the same.

This, dear readers, is what we call The Birth. My name is Sonia.
I am Vampire.


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Giveaway – Taken By The Alpha King by Abigail Barnette @RoxanneRhoads

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Dear Reader: This post is condensed from a larger, previously published series entitled “The Worst Person I Ever Met,” which you can find in the “Classic Trout” section of my website, jennytrout.com, but it can be enjoyed as a spooky Halloween story all on its own.

Nearly twenty years ago, I was trapped in a toxic friendship with a woman who, like myself, practiced witchcraft. Cathy was going through a messy divorce and I, feeling like I couldn’t say no, let her stay with us in our home for days at a time. It was during one of her absences when my son asked, “Where do the other stairs go?”

We lived in a ranch-style house with a basement. There was no accessible attic and only one set of stairs. However, my son is autistic and had an interesting way of describing things (once, to tell me that he’d seen a cricket in our holly bush, he informed me that it was “nighttime in the plant”), so I asked some probing, but not leading questions. Where are the stairs? At the back of the basement, right under the real staircase. Then maybe he’d seen a shadow? No, he insisted. He’d seen other stairs.

Frustrated that I wasn’t understanding, he demanded I follow him down to the basement. He led me urgently to where he’d seen the other stairs, but when we got to the spot, he was perplexed. Not in a “clearly pretending” way, either. He was genuinely confused as to where the stairs had gone. I decided that he’d probably seen a shadow, somehow. The light had played tricks coming in from the high basement window. I told him if he ever saw the other stairs again, he should come tell me immediately. I wanted to see it for myself, so I could explain to him what he was seeing.

These weird occurrences became more sinister. My son was the soul of unflappable calm as he explained “the green, drippy people” to me. They were in the basement, he said, hanging from the ceiling. Their eyes were red, like the ghost mouse’s eyes.

“The ghost mouse?” I asked, trying to convince myself he’d just seen an albino rat on tv or something.

“The ghost mouse.” He acted like it was something I should have already known about. “The ghost mouse I can follow to the other stairs?”

I made him promise me that he would never talk to the green, drippy people or follow the ghost mouse. And he would never, ever go down the other stairs. I stressed the importance of that, and he solemnly promised that he would never have gone down the other stairs because they were so scary.

Once, I was putting a load of laundry into the dryer when a dripping, skeletal hand in a tattered sleeve reached out of a shadow, grasping for me. I screamed and raced upstairs, shaking. I lived in terror every day. To my son, these occurrences were normal. To my skeptical husband, they were non-existent. I thought I was losing my mind.

So, what link does all of this have with Cathy?

As mentioned previously, Cathy and I both practiced witchcraft. We did rituals and spellwork together, much of it at my home. Any of my spiritual practice that didn’t happen outside or during group gatherings happened in my office. Before we’d put down our wood laminate flooring, I’d drawn a permanent circle on the subfloor, both with a marker and with some low-level energy. I always knew where it was, and any spells or meditation or chanting happened in that circle.

Cathy knew where it was, too. Shortly before she left for Colorado, she told me how blessed she felt by all the positive changes in her life. “One night when I was staying over at your house, I went into your office, where your circle is? And I said, ‘Okay, universe. I want you to send everything I’m putting out into the world back to me three-fold, right here and now.’”

I realized then exactly what had happened. Cathy put nothing but toxic, destructive, outright malicious energy into the universe, and now it was doing what she asked: sending it all back, three-fold, right to the place where she’d requested. I hoped that whatever it was would follow her when she left for her new home.

It didn’t. However, as so many malicious haunting stories go, we couldn’t afford to move. Bad luck plagued us until we finally were forced to move due to foreclosure.

Shortly after I began writing about Cathy on my blog, my then teenaged son came to me and said, apropos of nothing, “Do you remember the other stairs?”

All of the hairs on my arms stood up. He hadn’t mentioned the other stairs in years.. “I remember you thought there were some other stairs. Did you figure out what they were?”

“There were other stairs,” he insisted. “But there’s stuff I didn’t tell you about them.”

He described the other stairs to me, in more sophisticated detail than he’d been able to at five. They were old stone, uneven like ruins. They led down into a dark hallway with shadowy doors. A dim orange light came from one of the doorways.

“And there was someone at the bottom,” he said in an uncharacteristically quiet, serious voice. “They had a person’s body, but their head was like an animal skull. With horns or antlers or something.”

I decided to do a cleansing spell while I had some alone time. I put some new age music on Spotify and set about doing the ritual. Just as I was getting ready to begin, an advertisement came on and a woman’s voice cheerfully called out, “Hi! I’m Cathy!”


Taken By The Alpha King
Abigail Barnette

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Trout Nation, Inc.
Date of Publication: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9798988035503
ASIN: B0BZ2TY27H
Number of pages: 472
Cover Artist: Covers by Kris

Tagline: He’ll never stop fighting to keep his throne…and her.

Book Description: 

Born into a secret society of werewolves and betrothed to a mate she didn’t love, Bailey Dixon made the choice to leave her pack for five years. Now, she’s back and fully committed to becoming the werewolf she was destined to be.

But destiny–and the new pack king–have other plans. Rich, handsome, and utterly ruthless, Nathan Frost demands absolute obedience from the Toronto pack. When he sets his sights on Bailey, she’s plunged into a world of politics, sex, and violence she’s not equipped to navigate on her own.

With her life in danger and enemies emerging from every corner, Bailey is forced to rely on the mysterious stranger who’s usurped the throne of her pack. And even he can’t be trusted…


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Humans imagine scenes in movies where werewolves scream in agony and tear out of their clothes, which I’ve never understood. We know when the full moon is. It doesn’t take us by surprise. And we know how to dress for it.

Or undress. My breath freezes in my lungs as Nathan walks into the circle. He stops in front of the monolith to Lycaon and drops his robe.

I shamelessly look him over, the way he did to me, from his broad shoulders, down his chest dusted with dark hair that thins to a line on his shockingly sculpted abs. I wasn’t expecting him to look as good as he does. I wasn’t expecting that my mouth would water at the sight of his cock, that my thighs would clench together at the thought of how huge it must be hard.

I wish he could see me. I hope he feels me, smells me.

And I hope that the strange attraction between us is making him as crazed with need as I feel.

An acolyte—a thrall trained in our ceremonies and rituals—steps forward with a shallow silver bowl bearing a glistening human heart. It’s required for the transformation; Lycaon himself was transformed into a wolf after he angered Zeus by feeding the God human flesh. Nathan grabs the heart with his bare hand and bites into it.

That’s when he lifts his gaze and finds me, seconds before the transformation starts.

It begins with his eyes. They flash silver, then red. His face shifts, nose and jaw elongating into a muzzle. We don’t turn into wolves. That’s a myth. We turn into a creature that stands upright; body covered with short, silky hair from our clawed feet to our canine-like heads. The fur flows over every contour of Nathan’s body and his spine curves, drawing him into a hunched posture. His ears elongate, pointing straight back, a shape humans would consider more elfin than dog-like, with tufts of fur accentuating the points. His arms grow longer, as well; in this predatory manifestation, a wide reach is an advantage.

In his animalistic form, he waits for the others but stares up at me. Like this, I’m vulnerable. Far too human. I would be no match for him, should he want me. And he does want me, but even this way, he has self-control, as well as some common sense. He knows he can’t reach me, and so do I, but being the target of all that concentrated power and bestial drive is still heady and frightening.

The good kind of frightening. The kind that makes me wonder what could happen if I only push a little further.

 

About the Author: 

Abigail Barnette is the pseudonym of Jenny Trout, an author, blogger, and funny person. Jenny made the USA Today bestseller list with their debut novel, Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Their American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online. As Abigail Barnette, Jenny writes award-winning erotic fiction, including the internationally bestselling The Boss series.

Jenny has been featured on television and radio, including HuffPost Live, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, and National Public Radio’s Here and Now. Their work has earned mentions in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Slate, Vulture, and Fangoria.

A longtime supporter of community theatre, Jenny has appeared on stages across West Michigan as Anelle in Steel Magnolias, Julia in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Bea Bottom in Something Rotten, and Hunyak in Chicago, among many others. They’ve worked behind the scenes as everything from director to prop master. Jenny is a proud Michigander, parent of two, and spouse to their very most favorite person.









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Giveaway – Starla by Terrilynn Moore & Quade B Smith @ireadbooktours

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Book Details:

Book Title: Starla by Terrilynn Moore and Quade B. Smith
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 434 pages
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Publisher:  Laurel Elite Books
Release date:   May 2023
Content Rating:  PG + M: Mild profanity and the lead character lives in a mental and verbally abusive household. The theme of living in an unhealthy household and getting help is a theme in the book. 
Book Description:

High school is stressful enough without having to save your town from evil incarnate.

But Starla never really had a choice in the matter.

Starla, an aspiring artist, lives an uneasy life with her mom after the sudden loss of her dad. She seeks refuge at the home of her grandmother, Ma Mère, where she feels safe. As a teenager, Starla begins to demonstrate magical abilities. Among them, she discovers her hands glow with purple light and she can understand the squeaks of her pets.

Her new abilities are no surprise to Ma Mère, who reveals a long-hidden family secret of power and magic. Starla’s new abilities have been passed down for generations and were awakened by the shift in power when Hel, an ancient evil being, escaped containment.

Hel and those under its power are determined to gain possession and control over the citizens of East Pine and the magical dimensions concealed there. Starla and her friends refuse to let that happen.

If she hopes to thwart Hel’s insatiable quest for power and regain control over it before East Pine and all of the dimensions of existence are destroyed, Starla will have to trust her instincts and find the courage to harness the ancestral magic she was born to wield.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Bookshop.org
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Terrilynn Moore is a retired police officer who now lives as an artist and storyteller. She expresses her passion through her words and art. The book, Starla, was largely written but not completed until after she reconnected with Quade B Smith after a high school reunion. Quade has prior experience as a co-author of a non-fiction book called, The Bark of the Cony.

connect with the author:  website 

Enter the Giveaway:
STARLA Book Tour Giveaway



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Giveaway – In The Moment During by C G Coppola @XpressoTours @writercgcoppola

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In The Moment During
C.G. Coppola
(The Coyote And The Claw Companion Series, #2)
Publication date: June 23rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy

After an unexpected hookup, I end up dating Grayson Knight—my former mortal enemy. We still argue constantly, and I’m sure we’ll break up at some point, but after a family dinner goes well with Dad—the city’s Police Sergeant—I have hope.

Then I start noticing things. Like how Grayson gets called away at odd times, or how skilled he is with gymnastics. Then there was the fight at school—the one where he dominated his opponent. None of it seems important until we’re attacked by a monstrous creature—and Grayson springs into action. It’s almost like he knows what to do…like he’s done it before.

Knowing something is off, I confront him about his unusual behavior, but he dismisses it. Not satisfied, I decide to discover the truth for myself. Because Grayson has a secret—and I’m going to find out what.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Grayson looks at me, gesturing for me to sit.

I pull out my chair and take my seat, and he does the same across from me. Scooting in, I glance around the restaurant, scanning the other diners. All are in their thirties and older, most in their forties and fifties. We’re definitely the youngest patrons here.

“Stop staring.” He pushes the menu in front of me. “Pick out something to eat. Get whatever you want.”

Encouraged, I look down, scanning the prices first like I’ve always done.

Whoa.

Everything is in the double digits, and most start with three. I feel weird.

“Stop looking at the prices and get whatever you want, okay? This is our one big date, so make it count.”

Our one big date? I thought he was joking about making this stretch, but was he? Maybe that wasn’t a joke at all. I’m sure this will work itself toward an argument, but I need to understand what he means. Setting the menu down, I look up. “You’re saying I don’t get any more after this?”

“Until prom?” He thinks about it, tilting his head. “Eh. Probably not.”

“That’s in like, six months.”

“Which is why you should make this one count.”

“Grayson.”

“What?”

I narrow my eyes at him, but he only stares back. Oh, no. He’s not getting by with this one. “I didn’t ask you to roll all our dates into one big-ass crazy one.”

“Is that what I’m doing? I said big dates—not all dates. This is our first official one, hence it’s a big one.” He picks up his menu with both hands, his eyes already dipping back down the paper. “You really got to pay attention.”

I replay his words, trying to find what I missed. Oh. Tilting my head, I lock onto his eyes, holding him accountable. “So that means I get more dates then?”

“How many dates am I supposed to take you on?”

“I don’t know…twice a month?”

“Twice a month?” He thinks. “So, according to your math, you’re owed twelve dates over a six-month period?”

“Uh, sure—yeah.”

He nods to himself. “Think I can handle that. Just don’t expect each date to be up to this caliber, okay? Again, this one is a big deal. A special situation since it’s our first official date. After this, it’s fast food and streaming services. Completely downhill from here.”

I stare at him a long moment, wondering how his weird little brain works. “You know sometimes, I still think about strangling you.”

“Are we naked when you imagine it?”

“Hello.” A black lady stops at our table, her arms behind her back. She’s wearing the same thing as the other servers—a white blouse with black slacks and shoes. Her hair is pulled into a braid down her neck, and unlike some of the other servers, she’s wearing very little makeup. “And welcome to Donald’s. My name is Latoya. Have you dined with us previously?”

“No ma’am,” Grayson answers for us.

“Well, welcome. I’ll give you a moment to look over the menu, but first, let me tell you about today’s specials…” Latoya prattles off her rehearsed description, and it actually sounds delicious—grilled salmon in butter herb sauce with rice pilaf and cherry tomatoes.

So good.

Once she’s done, she leaves us with a smile and promises to return shortly with two waters and a basket of warmed bread.

Grayson is back to staring at his menu, his eyes pouring over each option. “What’re you thinking about getting? The salmon sounds good, but I haven’t had lobster in fucking ever.”

Author Bio:

C.G. Coppola is the author of the sci-fi adventure series, Arizal Wars, and the contemporary romance series, Better Than This. In addition to stories that explore magic and the paranormal, she writes realistic fiction set in fantastical universes, usually with a lot of kissing. Married with two fur-babies she spoils rotten, C.G. Coppola lives in Florida where she grew up and attended college. When not writing, she can be found decorating the house, bantering with her husband, or dancing to Meghan Trainor–sometimes all at once.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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—

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!