Books From The Backlog – New Blood by Donna Ansari @donna_ansari #booksfromthebacklog

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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.

New Blood (Vampire in the City, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

Emma Hammond is a normal young woman living in New York City whose life changes forever when one misstep brings her very close to death. Luckily, Alex Thompson, a handsome stranger (who also happens to be a vampire), jumps in to save her, turning Emma into a vampire. She quickly discovers the numerous advantages (no more allergies, glasses, or acne) and slight drawbacks (wanting to eat her boyfriend) of joining the ranks of the creatures of the night. But Emma soon finds out her new undead life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when she gets pulled in to an age-old dispute between two feuding vampire clans.

Goodreads ratings: 3.67   226 ratings  ·  30 reviews

I picked this up on an Amazon free day on 4.12.13. I am all into vampires, so this one is a no brainer. It’s only 216 pages, so it should be a quick read.

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Giveaway – Vampires Rule in Wicked Night by Evi Rhodes @GoddessFish

Amazon

Wicked Night by Evi Rhodes

GENRE: Paranormal romance/urban fantasy

MY REVIEW

Wicked is his name. He watched her from the dark, barely able to control himself.

Gwen saw him approach from the dark, tall, heavily armed and looking like the warrior he is.

At first I had trouble figuring out who was talking, him or her. It took a moment to catch the shift.

How she becomes a vampire is a bit different and so are these vampires. I am always on the lookout for an author that represents them in a new to me light. They are accepted as part of the human world.

When I heard Gwen say, “Well, hurray for me. Don’t I feel special?”, I knew I was going to love this character. LOL I love her sarcastic wit. She is a Halfling, half vampire and half human.

We have other supernatural characters visiting and, in my book, we can never have too many.

Have you ever felt like…one minute I was attracted to him and wanted him to kiss me and the next I wanted to punch him in the face and watch him bleed.

As Gwen sits at his beside, tears rolling down her face, I came close to crying with her. I love a story that evokes emotions.

He met his match in her, but will she be his mate? In the supernatural world, love and romance is on a different timeline and I love to go with it, letting the author take me where they will.

Kayden…I laughed and worried about him. He is a great warrior, but, deep in his soul, who is he really?

Great and a bit gory fight scenes and sweet lovin’. This is not erotica, but I highly recommend it for adults only. The sex scenes are more sweet and loving than erotic.

As I saw the end coming, I knew what would happen, with 500 pages left, I was racing through the pages as I see the story undold right before my eyes. I worry so much more for Kayden than I do for Gwen and Wicked. After all, they are the stars of the show and can’t be killed off…can they?

Whew…no cliffhanger, unless you count the tease, which did its job and hooked me. I have to know more and this is one of those series that I want to read to the very end.

I am hooked on the characters, the vampire warriors, and Evi’s ability to spin a tale that captured me totally, completely. I was afraid I would have to wait for the next book in the series, but, no worries. It has been written. The only problem I see is there is no Kindle version available. Hey, Evi, help a girl out, please. I have to know more!!!!!!!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wicked Night by Evi Rhodes.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

Follow the journey of a strong, independent, yet caring woman as she navigates the supernatural world she is thrust into. Gwen steps out of a dysfunctional family life and into a world filled with danger she never realized lives at every turn, fiery passion, and a love that is ever binding. How will she handle her strange new surroundings as well as the man with the intense and overbearing personality who threatens to destroy the emotional barriers around her heart?

Wicked, the next in line to become the vampire king, is caught off guard when he grudgingly agrees to take on a charge, something he never wanted to do. He is unsure how to handle the fierce and vibrant woman with the unsettling green eyes. It doesn’t take long for them to clash, but will it end passionately or burn down around them?

EXCERPT

Wicked stood in the darkness staring at his soon-to-be charge and felt like a deer in the headlights. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her and just stared, blinking with wide eyes.  

“I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful,” he whispered to himself.  He was late meeting her but he could not face her yet, not until the blood in his veins cooled and his breathing returned to normal. The last thing he needed to do was make an ass of himself by acting like a high-school boy hyped up on hormones.  He had never in all his 148 years felt this kind of draw toward anyone. He had the strongest urge to reach out and touch her hair, to whisk her off her feet into his arms and kiss her until their lips hurt and she breathlessly begged him to stop.  His blood felt as if it were boiling in his veins as the image of this woman in his arms flickered across his mind. 

Out of the blue, she laughed aloud, seemingly for no apparent reason, but it was almost his undoing. It was like she was purring in his ear; he could feel her breath against his skin as if she were standing right beside him.  He growled under his breath and then turned around and closed his eyes as he ground his teeth together in response to his body’s reaction. Good God, he wanted to march across the short expanse separating them and do something that he would definitely regret later, like push her up against the wall   and take her right there.  He could picture ripping open her jacket and lifting her off the ground . . .

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Evi Rhodes has always had a passion for writing and likes to spend as much time as possible hanging out with the array of rescue animals on her farm in Ontario, sipping on a cup of coffee and typing on her laptop.

In addition to getting her degree in business as well as competing in her favourite equestrian sport, dressage, she is an entrepreneur, and has coached many of a riding enthusiast, but she has always found herself coming back to wanting to write full-time.

“I just want to be me and to be authentic. To tell a story that others can immerse themselves in and enjoy is what I have always wanted.”

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS

Website: www.awarriorspromiseseries.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/evirhodesauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evi_rhodes/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18662575.Evi_Rhodes

BUY LINKS: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Indigo

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Giveaway & Review – Beneath London’s Fog by Iona Caldwell @IonaCaldwell7 @XpressoTours

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Beneath London's Fog

MY REVIEW

The eerie cover of Beneath London’s Fog by Ilona Caldwell makes me think of Jack the Ripper and ghosts. Are you creeped out yet?

Jonathon has made himself a prisoner in Raven Hollow Manor, along with his daughter, Holly. He lost his love, Anna, but her ghostly presence lingers.

His past is coming back to haunt him when a serial killer goes wild in the foggy nights of London.

He is able to transform himself and I loved it. He becomes a cat, a Great Dane, or a mist in the night. Being immortal allows him to see without being seen. He is very protective of Holly and struggles to allow her some freedom. He is easily able to ‘spy’ on her, assuring her safety. After all, he knows first hand the monsters that lurk in the shadows. His oasis is by Anna’s gravesite. He reads Poe and Robert Frost to her.

Holly knows that he is an immortal. Authors have the freedom to create the immortal they want to portray, and I love Ilona Caldwell’s version.

I begin to wish for his happiness, for him to move on and create a new life, without Anna.

Enter…Walter Deverough, a detective on the hunt. I wonder….I feel we’ll be seeing a lot more of him.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and SHE will scorch the earth with her need for revenge.

We, also, have Leland…a hero to the end.

Fast paced. Suspenseful. A vampire of a different color. Great world building as I pictured him walking the streets of London, damp and weary. Ilona Caldwell draws pictures with her words.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Beneath London’s Fog by Ilona Caldwell.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Beneath London’s Fog
Iona Caldwell
Published by: FyreSyde Publishing
Publication date: October 30th 2019
Genres: Occult Fiction, Ghost Story, British Literature

Jonathan is the immortal master of Raven Hollow Manor – a decrepit mansion riddled with superstition, murder and restless ghosts. Beneath it lies a restless malice.

Its previous owner driven mad, violently kills his guests with a rusted ax, creating the perfect venue for Jonathan to seclude himself in a prison of his own device.

When the streets of London begin to run red with blood; the bodies exhibiting disturbing signs and baffling wounds, the identity of the killer remains elusive to police.

The bodies are just the beginning of Jonathan’s troubles. A mysterious letter accusing Jonathan of committing the murders appear, raising suspicion in the police. Hidden beneath the mangled bodies, Jonathan soon realizes he is being forced to face demons he thought died in a forlorn past he attempted to escape.

One thing Jonathan knows for certain: He must deal with the demons of his past if he is to survive his future. Not only him but those he has come to love as well.

For fans of Jim Butcher, Stephen King, Darcy Coates and Nick Cutter.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

EXCERPT:

The Streets Ran With Blood

I want it known before this tale begins – I am not a hero but a villain. I want no sympathy from whomever reads this recalling of my story; no mourning for the tragedy that befell my life. I am not an innocent man but a sinner forced to face the ravaging demons and ghosts of his own creation.

My story began as many do – a lie, a fire and murder. One of my kind murdered the woman I loved in the coldest of blood in one of history’s darkest times at the behest of a possessive noble.

After a run in with him in Nottingham, I soon found myself fleeing for my life from hunters, framed for a murder I had not committed.

Forgive me, I am getting ahead of myself.

Let me begin where this part of my story took place.

A bloody civil war ravaged London followed shortly by the Great Fire in 1666. A glorious time for me and those like me to take advantage of the chaos and remain hidden in the shadows.

I managed to pursue the one responsible for nearly getting me killed two centuries prior to the plague which befell London before the fire.

Within the shadows of the flickering flames of St. Peter’s Cathedral, I struck him down and departed the city, thus avoiding my demise.

I had yet to escape him, however, when his vengeful spirit devoured the souls of the innocent in a mad bloodlust.

Though greatly injured, I managed to drive his spirit to my new home Raven Hollow Manor in London, imprisoning him in stone coffin in the crypt beneath it.

Peace resumed in my life and nobles of all kinds enjoyed lavishly hosted parties within the halls of my estate.

Unfortunately, the short lived splendor at the hands of the hauntings filled the ears of the locals and my beloved home decayed into a tangled web of blood-filled rumors and superstition.

My once glorious halls became infested with dust, its crystal chandeliers covered with cobwebs, their spiders fat on the insects buzzing around the decay and mold-covered wallpaper.

Yet, there I remained as it proved a decent place to not only contain my greatest sin but served also as a castle of solitude.

The tides of time swept by in a cacophony of modernization and the movement from superstition to things only mortal science could explain.

I still needed to venture into the city, not only to feed but also to purchase other items needed for everyday living.

It wasn’t until the winter of 1910 that my silence would be disrupted in the form of a girl named Holly, a young street urchin accused of theft. I took her with me after using a bit of “persuasion” on the local officers to let her go.

They did not need to know where I would take her and she soon grew into a wonderful messenger on my behalf. She became a rather attractive young woman with bouncy blonde curls who kept me company with stories of what went on in the city.

I am sure, at one time, she became infatuated with me. It did not surprise me. To mortals, my kind held a certain allure they found difficult to ignore. I ended her infatuation quickly following a stern talking to and dousing with cold water.

One day, while in my labyrinthine garden, Holly came to me in tears.

When the people of London learned where Holly lived, the townsfolk dubbed her a practitioner of black magic.

One day, I found Holly sitting on one of the marble benches in the garden, sobbing. I picked a flower and put it in my daughter’s hair, sitting next to her beneath the statue of a praying angel.

“You need not worry about them, dearest. Mortals are always quick to place labels on what they do not understand.”

Holly sniffled and sobbed, wiping her nose and offering me a smile. “But why do they avoid this place, Jonathan?”

“Mortals fear what they cannot comprehend. Pay them no mind. You are a wonderful young woman,” I purred, brushing a blonde curl from her face.

The words appeared to have placated her as she smiled and joined me in a moonlight stroll through the garden.

***

Around midnight, after dinner with Holly, I dismissed her to bed. Once she departed, I sought out sustenance in the city.

A dense fog rolled in due to the cool winter weather and the recent days of rain.

Combined with the darkness of the streets and alleyways, I managed to meet a young working woman on the corner and wooed her into joining me for a walk to the park. As with other women, I made sure she understood I respected her body with gentle caresses and loving words murmured into her ears.

Once I placed her deep under my spell, I kissed the tender flesh of the woman’s throat and exposed shoulder, thanking her for her gift.

My fangs pierced her flesh, earning a moan of pleasure as her body surrendered its precious life force without any significant damage. Her body pressed against mine, her moans increasing with pleasure at my kiss.

I preferred this method to those of many of my other brethren who tore their victims apart during a feeding, choosing power to subdue instead of sexual allure.

When signs of weakness began manifesting I released my hold, picking her up after licking the small puncture wounds, my saliva healing them, leaving no marks or scars.

To assure she received care, I took her to the nearest hospital and deposited her on the steps without anyone noticing.

As always, I used hypnotic suggestion to erase her memory and leave her with a pleasant dream.

During the wee hours of the morning, I tended to enjoy the calls of the birds and the chirping of the crickets to help relieve the burden on my mind.

Not a soul roamed the streets near the bridge where I liked to sit and write poetry or read a book.

In the midst of the silence, a horrifying shriek caught my attention, almost startling me.

My pupils narrowed to those one might see in a viper or a cat. I let my body dissipate into the form of a black mist, hovering over the city in search of the source of the scream.

I found it in the shape of the body of a mangled man.

The whites of his eyes consumed most of the portion of the glossy orbs in his skull, mouth gaped open mid-scream.

I knelt before him, my own brows furrowed in frustration at the recognition of the familiar puncture wounds on the man’s throat. This cannot be. No other has hunted here in centuries.

The disturbing find made something clear.

Many of my kind preferred not to hunt in one place occupied by another of higher status, or in another’s territory for that matter. We changed due to the growing number of human hunters who would kill any of us they came across.

Despite the city’s size, my reputation often kept others out of my hunting grounds, for which I remained grateful.

This new kill had been malicious.

If I allowed such behavior to continue, it could draw the attention of the hunters or the local police to my home.

Whomever the responsible party, I needed to locate them and have a word with them or kill them if necessary.

My eyes closed, a heavy sigh drawing up from within my lungs. I placed my fingers over the man’s eyes, using a gentle touch to close them. “Forgive whichever of us did this to you. You did not deserve to die in such a horrific manner.”

Searching through the pockets of his trench coat, I located his identification card and vowed to send some money and roses to his family.

Sounds of sirens and the calls of the corner watchmen announced the arrival of the authorities. I left them the man’s wallet so they could inform his family of their loss.

I lurked in the shadows listening to the inspectors scrutinizing the scene.

“Bloody mystery, it is. This is the second mangled body we found this week. One has to wonder if we might be witnessing the birth of another blighter of a serial killer.” One of the inspectors scratched his head beneath the dome shaped hat.

I recognized him as Bertrand Abrams, a well-known officer and one of the only men who aided Holly during her visits to town.

From his looks, one would expect him to hail from Scotland. A bushy mustache and stringy hair with the consistency of sheep’s wool held the color of fire. Dimples set into high cheekbones and a double chin made me smile. A portly belly betrayed his affinity for too many scones and perhaps Scotch.

He had been wrong. This death held no mystery. I merely needed to find the one responsible before it resulted in too much of a personal dilemma.

Following the release of the corpse to the medical examiner, I took the form of black mist and drifted back to Raven Hollow.

The beginnings of my night would be haunted by dreams of a past filled with love, vengeance and pain.

It would be filled with shining auburn locks and eyes the color of the fresh leaves of spring.


Author Bio:

Iona Caldwell is the lover of all things arcane, folklore, nature and magic.
She is the author of the British Occult Fiction, Beneath London’s Fog set to be published by FyreSyde Publishing October 2019. Her second title, Hell’s Warden is forecasted to release in February of 2020. When she’s not busy weaving worlds of the arcane and dark, she’s spending time out in nature. An avid lover of books, Iona claims her biggest inspirations are H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Edgar Allen Poe.

She believes storytellers should tell the stories they want to tell. As such, most of her titles are stand-alone novellas she hopes will leave her readers immersed in magical worlds.

She is also an extremely active book blogger who will review primarily horror, suspense, supernatural thriller, mystery, and occult/gothic fiction.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram


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Spooktacular Giveaway – Origins by Celia Breslin @CeliaBreslin @RoxanneRhoads

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Spooktacular Guest Blog – Binge-worthy Shows for Halloween

Halloween month is the perfect time to binge on surreal, spooky, otherworldly shows.  Here are some of my top picks for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

* Wacky witches and a good vs. evil struggle:  Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

* Zombies in a quarantine zone, aka Seattle:  iZombie

* Vampire Diaries spin-off, a school for all the preternatural folk: Legacies

* Surreal setting and quirky people with powers: Legion

* One sexy devil and a kickass cop:  Lucifer

* Harry Potter-esque fantasy with magicians/college students: The Magicians

* Flawed superheroes and some “wibbly wobbly timey wimey”:  The Umbrella Academy

Happy viewing and Happy Halloween!

Xo,
Celia



ORIGINS
Tranquilli Bloodline
Book 3
Celia Breslin

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Champagne Book Group

Date of Publication: September 9, 2019

Number of pages: 250
Word Count: 94,000

Cover Artist: Melody Pond

Tagline: The Chosen One is home. Bad little vampires beware…

Book Description:

In HAVEN and DESTINY, San Francisco nightclub owner Carina Tranquilli finds love and fights her vampire family’s enemies. Now, in ORIGINS…

En route to reunite with her estranged father in Italy, Carina is kidnapped by a human organization intent on vampire genocide. Beaten, starved, and forced to fight fellow captives, she finally manages to escape. Along the way, she encounters the group’s leaders—their identities shock her to the core.

Once home, Carina warns her family of this new threat, but dear old dad is missing. In his absence, the Tribunal, the governing body for all vampirekind, lies in disarray, with an old enemy making a bid for her father’s throne. What’s worse? The usurper wants her for his queen…and slave.

With a human-vampire war looming on one side and a vampire-vampire battle brewing on the other, Carina will have to rally her troops, take back the throne, and fulfill her destiny as the Chosen One. If not, her whole world will fall, taking everyone she loves with it.


Kobo       Amazon      Champagne





The car stopped. I couldn’t convince myself to step out. What if this was a freaking, injection-induced hallucination? What if I was still back in the damn prison? Besnik helped me out. The mansion’s mammoth double doors eased open. The man illuminated in the doorway chased away the numbness, pumped my heart so hard it might pound right out of my chest. He opened his arms wide, calling me. My lips curled upward in the first true smile I’d cracked since the last time he’d held me in his arms. That man, my man, loved me more than any other on this whole damn planet. “Alexander.” I ran to him. Alexander’s arms closed around me, his hold so tight I could barely catch a breath. Tremors ran through his hard body, again and again. “Carina,” he croaked, voice sandpaper rough. “Carina.” Nuzzling his neck, I planted fevered kisses along his tan, heated skin. He’d fed recently to be this warm under my lips. Temptation had me licking his pounding pulse, nipping at the vein. Couldn’t resist it. My fangs slid home. Energy exploded between us, our mate bond bursting to life and tearing away whatever magical wall had separated us for far too long. My bite, the catalyst, his blood the cure. Awash in the force of our reunion, Alexander staggered then clutched me closer while I pulled out of his neck and laved the rapidly healing holes. As our power continued to bubble and stitch us back together, he whisked us into the grand entryway, planted my ass on an ornate, antique cabinet, and devoured my mouth like a starving man. His hands roamed everywhere, searching, cataloguing, as if to reassure himself this wasn’t a hallucination, that I was really here, in his arms, relatively unharmed. The more he kissed me, the more those wonderful, golden threads of our connection resurrected inside me, around me, between us, and I felt like freaking Sleeping Beauty awakened from her magical slumber by a kiss from her fated handsome prince. The silly thought made me giggle against Alexander’s seeking mouth, and then I was crying while my love cupped my face between his hands, wiped away my tears with his thumbs, and pressed tender kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, the tip of my nose… “Alexander.” I fisted his shirt tight. Please, God, let him be real. “I… I don’t want to wake up.” Please, don’t let this end. His smoky blue eyes bored into mine, his brown hair spiked in every direction, a bit longer than in my memory. It’s not a dream, baby. You’re here. You’re home. Oh my God, I can hear you. I swiped some willful bits of hair away from his forehead, touched his full lips, ran my fingers along his strong jaw, taking in the whole handsome, bad-boy package. You’re back in my head. I’d never been happier to have someone inside my mind. Silence was seriously overrated. And back in your arms.
About the Author:
                                                                           
Celia lives in California with her husband, daughter, and two feisty cats. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and has a particular fondness for werewolves, vampires, and the Fae. Her stories are action-packed and typically include one of the many varieties of romantic entanglements: fated mates, second chance, rescue romance, opposites attract, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and more.

When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies, as well as everything in the Marvel Universe franchise. Of course!
                                        
Web site: http://www.celiabreslin.com/    







Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/bxqwRL     


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Giveaway – The Long Night by M G Darwish @infrangilis @XpressoTours

The Long Night: Blood Will Be Served
M.G. Darwish
(Fortier, #2)
Publication date: September 9th 2019
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Suspense

The Vampire Alfred, is known as the Fortier. Vicious, renowned and feared.

Alfred Zeidan is proclaimed Fortier, the Strongest amongst the vampires. After ending a century old feud between the two most prominent vampire houses, he sets out to rid his race of a shadow that has long haunted them.

The Elders have been the deciding factor in the fall of so many civilizations that date back to Carthage and the Romans. So many have fallen to them, but now Alfred as the Strongest takes on this challenge.

No one has ever considered a world without the Elders running it, would it spread chaos in the Underground? Or will it shift the balance of the supernatural completely? One thing is for certain: Alfred intends to see this through. Will he succeed? Or will succumb as those before him?

Excerpt 1 They mentioned the City Morgue and the name Lexa Sonej. She wasn’t a native. Only then, any doubt I had about the existence of the Beast perished. Only the Beast could inflict wounds similar to mine. Time to visit the dead. I leapt over the roofs of houses until the City Morgue came into sight. That was the safest way to travel on the surface, you see. Humans are always looking below. I jumped down right at the entrance. It was late, so probably the best time for me to examine an unattended body. Perhaps I could find a trail or two. I noticed a light emitting from inside. The coroner could still be around. With luck, he probably used another door and left it unchecked so that he could leave too. So, I went behind the building and sure enough, found another door. The gate was locked, but it didn’t matter. I jumped, high enough to pass right over it. I opened the door into pitch darkness. He probably knew the place so well that he had it completely memorized. Lucky for me, I didn’t need light to see anyway. I could smell the rotten corpses. Even when humans freeze the bodies, they emit a smell – undetectable to humans but not to me. I followed the smell, using it to find the clear route to where I needed to go. I strolled through a narrow corridor, staying completely silent; no breaths, footsteps, nothing. I am more comfortable amidst darkness than I am in light, for the dark accepts all, while the light judges harshly. A large double door stood before me. This was the way to the corpses, of that I was sure. I gently opened it and slid inside. The coroner was looking at me straight in the eyes. “What are you doing here?” he said, sharply. His heartbeat increased. “I’m looking for Lexa Sonej,” I said to him. I figured it was best to avoid spilling his blood, and if I could somehow get his help, it would save me quite the trouble. “Well, you’re in the wrong place, buddy,” he said, then cracked up. “Only dead men linger here.” His beats returned to normal, I wonder if he knew how correct his statement was about to be. “Need to examine the body, if you don’t mind.” “You with the cops?” he asked, as he narrowed his brows. “Not exactly.” He probably hated cops. I could even smell traces of drugs in his possession. “Her family hired me to find the killer,” I added. “A PI, eh? Well, you definitely look the part, but you should tone down the Sherlock look. Holy shit, it’s not the sixties,” he laughed before he got up from his chair and walked towards what appeared to be little cupboards with numbers on them. “Sherlock died in 1957.” “A smartass too apparently,” he whispered as he pulled open one of those cupboards, revealing a bed with a body on it. I’ve never seen such a barbaric thing in all my life. “You have quite the stomach I’ll tell you that,” he said to me, then paused for a second. “Most people freak out or even puke their guts out when they see a body like this.” “A body like what?” “Like this,” he said as he removed the covers. I didn’t budge, but that sight was not right. Her throat was hollow, completely empty and void, she had sewing marks on both of her arms and towards her stomach. “She was dismembered?” I asked. The coroner nodded. “That’s very observant. We had to sew back the parts just for the burial. His poor family almost feinted at the sight of her. What kind of an animal does this in your opinion?” he asked me. His pulse didn’t change, so he was merely making small talk. “No animal can do this,” I said, leaning closer towards the corpse. “Then what can?” “A beast,” I said.

Goodreads / Amazon


Author Bio:

M.G. Darwish is an award nominated author who writes dark, twisted and action-packed fiction. He tries his best not to base his characters on anyone he knows in real life to avoid that extra weird conversation about how they were brutalized and killed in the book. Oh and he’s terrified of a penguin uprising more than ghosts and demons.

He is best known for his Secret of the Moonlight which was featured on Wattpad.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Beneath London’s Fog by Iona Caldwell @IonaCaldwell7 @SydeFyre

Hey guys. Are you ready for a trip to London…but it won’t be the trip you imagine.

Beneath London's Fog

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The eerie cover of Beneath London’s Fog by Ilona Caldwell makes me think of Jack the Ripper and ghosts. Are you creeped out yet?

Jonathon has made himself a prisoner in Raven Hollow Manor, along with his daughter, Holly. He lost his love, Anna, but her ghostly presence lingers.

His past is coming back to haunt him when a serial killer goes wild in the foggy nights of London.

He is able to transform himself and I loved it. He becomes a cat, a Great Dane, or a mist in the night. Being immortal allows him to see without being seen. He is very protective of Holly and struggles to allow her some freedom. He is easily able to ‘spy’ on her, assuring her safety. After all, he knows first hand the monsters that lurk in the shadows. His oasis is by Anna’s gravesite. He reads Poe and Robert Frost to her.

Holly knows that he is an immortal. Authors have the freedom to create the immortal they want to portray, and I love Ilona Caldwell’s version.

I begin to wish for his happiness, for him to move on and create a new life, without Anna.

Enter…Walter Deverough, a detective on the hunt. I wonder….I feel we’ll be seeing a lot more of him.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and SHE will scorch the earth with her need for revenge.

We, also, have Leland…a hero to the end.

Fast paced. Suspenseful. A vampire of a different color. Great world building as I pictured him walking the streets of London, damp and weary. Ilona Caldwell draws pictures with her words.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Beneath London’s Fog by Ilona Caldwell.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Jonathan is the immortal master of Raven Hollow Manor – a decrepit mansion riddled with superstition, murder and restless ghosts. Beneath it lies a restless malice.

Its previous owner driven mad, violently kills his guests with a rusted ax, creating the perfect venue for Jonathan to seclude himself in a prison of his own device.

When the streets of London begin to run red with blood; the bodies exhibiting disturbing signs and baffling wounds, the identity of the killer remains elusive to police.

The bodies are just the beginning of Jonathan’s troubles. A mysterious letter accusing Jonathan of committing the murders appear, raising suspicion in the police. Hidden beneath the mangled bodies, Jonathan soon realizes he is being forced to face demons he thought died in a forlorn past he attempted to escape. 

One thing Jonathan knows for certain: He must deal with the demons of his past if he is to survive his future. Not only him but those he has come to love as well

ABOUT ILONA CALDWELL

Iona Caldwell

My name is Iona Caldwell. I’m the author of the British Occult Fiction, Beneath London’s Fog set to be published by FyreSyde Publishing October 2019. When I’m not busy weaving worlds of the arcane and dark, I’m spending time out in nature. I love books. My biggest inspirations are H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Edgar Allen Poe. I blog about many things but mostly everything bookish.

​All of my novels are stand-alone novellas, each with a cast of people I hope my readers will come to love as much as I have.

​I do accept reviews but they’re very selective and I urge you to check my review policy first. ​

Website / Twitter / Instagram

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Giveaway – Courting Darkness by L R Braden @LaurenRBraden @SDSXXTours

Courting Darkness
The Magicsmith Book 2
by L.R. Braden
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
A great story of murder, mystery . . . and well-developed characters.”—Margie Hager, Netgalley Reviewer on A Drop of Magic
A Drop of Magic is a damned fun and original read, with sass, action, hot men, and a whole lot of magic.” —Diana Pharaoh Francis, author of the Diamond City Magic, Magicfall, and Horngate Witches series
Deeper into the shadows. . .
The paranatural community isn’t done with Alex. She’s been summoned to the fae court, and she’s got her hands full trying to prepare. But her date with the fae will have to wait. There’s been a death at the gallery, and the man she hoped would be a part of her future is the prime suspect.
Bitter enemies pull her into the middle of a paranatural war for territory that has her dodging police, swords, teeth, and claws—not to mention the truth. The deeper she digs, the more secrets she uncovers, and the less certain she is about the innocence of the one man she wanted to trust.
She thought she was done with murder and monsters, but she’ll have to enter the belly of the beast if she hopes to save her friend.
A Drop of Magic
The Magicsmith Book 1
The war isn’t over . . .
With the world clinging to a fragile peace forced on the Fae by humanity after the Faerie Wars, metalsmith Alex Blackwood is plunged into the world of the half-fae who traffick in illegal magical artifacts. Her best friend’s murder and his cryptic last message place her in the crosshairs of a scheme to reignite the decade-old war between humans and fae.
Worse, violent attacks against her and the arrival of a fae knight on a mission force Alex to face a devastating revelation of who and what she is. To catch a killer, retrieve a dangerous artifact, and stop a war, Alex will have to accept that she’s an unregistered fae “halfer” with a unique magical talent—a talent that would change everything she believes about her past, her art, and her future.
Her world is crumbling around her, and Alex will have to decide who to trust if she and the world are going to survive.
A Drop of Magic is a damned fun and original read, with sass, action,
hot men, and a whole lot of magic.”
Diana Pharaoh Francis, author of the Diamond City Magic, Magicfall, and Horngate Witches series
Born and raised in Colorado, L. R. BRADEN makes her home in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with her wonderful husband, precocious daughter, and psychotic cat. With degrees in both English literature and metalsmithing, she splits her time between writing and art.
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
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Stirring Up A Vampire’s Nest – I Am A Twilight Fan Forever #Twilight @_KrisJStewart @robpattinsonww @TayIorLautner01

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I am starting October off with my favorite horror and romance movie of all time, Twilight.

From first glance, I fell in love with Twilight.

Twilight GIF

Kristen Stewart’s eyes are so expressive, it was like she was mesmerized, in a trance, and lost to Edward…forever. I am amazed at the quality of her acting though, at times, I thought the dialogue was laughable. In the beginning she does come across as a whiny, selfish brat, but because I know the ending, the whole triangle thing was explained in a mind blowing way. Her lip sucking and soft snorting could be annoying, but, like anything I fall in love with, I am easily able to get past it. For her age, she comes across as brave, intuitive, and able to handle whatever comes her way, never wavering.

The music is amazing and emotional.I laughed and I cried. I would get lost in it and it invoked so many emotions I would be overcome with…a warmth that is all encompassing, a sit up and pay attention moment when the danger rises to a fever pitch, or a clash between Edward and Jake is on the horizon. Like Calgon, I just wanted to close my eyes and let it take me away…deeper into the fantasy.

They did an amazing job with the special effects. The more I watch it, the more I marvel at them. We do have the cheesy moments and I do cringe, but they are few and brief.

Twilight has made everything vampire so much better for me. It allows me to visualize the action, such as fighting, death, turning…

Three outstanding peripheral characters stand out and I feel deserve a special mention. Blondie, for being there, Bella’s savior til the end. Seth, what a sweet boy, that believes in doing the right thing, loyal and trustworthy. AND a very special shout out to Leah. When she makes that move in front of the Cullin’s house…doesn’t get much better than that.

kristen stewart twilight GIF

To vamp or not to vamp, that is the question. I first got into vamps with Angel reruns, then Charmed and Supernatural reruns. I caught a few Buffy episodes, but missed out on most of it.

I do love my vamps mean and ugly, but, now, I also love them soft and vegetarian. Cheesy and hot. It’s so bad I can’t look away. I watch whatever pops up on cable over and over. binging on Hulu. Poor constipated Edward and lip sucking, soft snorting Bella. a whiny selfish brat…and a hottie, Jacob. Sometimes Edward’s facial expressions are so very creepy. To pick my favorite character is really hard, because as I learn more about each one, they all have their special touch added to the whole.

Two other cringe worthy moments are when Riley is standing over Charlie…I can feel his breath on my face, and when Bella’s knees hit the floor. I cringe every single time!

My favorite quote:

“So the lion fell in love with the lamb.”

What a stupid lamb.”

“What a sick masochistic lion.”

Everything about Twilight has made my enjoyment of the supernatural world of werewolves and vampires so much more enjoyable. I am able to visualize the action and know more of the history of the fabulous fictional characters.

BLEW MY MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I rarely buy books or DVDs, but this was a must have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..and I bought the set of books too, so be on the lookout for those reviews.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5+++++
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#BooksFromTheBackLog – Ward of the Vampires by Kallysten #Kallysten

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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.

I downloaded Ward of the Vampires, Ward of the Vampire #1, by Kallysten from Amazon on 6.2.14. Been a while. lol

Ward of the Vampire (Ward of the Vampire, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Fabulous cover the Ward of the Vampire by Kallysten drew me into this vampire story with characters that captured me, making me want to know more as they took me to a wonderful place of magic and romance.

Forgot to mention the cliffhanger. This is more like a preview or a tease of what is to come in the series, which is complete and available as a set and you can get it HERE for $4.99 on Kindle

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

It’s THE party of the season. Socialites, artists and A-list stars have been invited to Morgan Ward’s birthday bash, including Angelina’s boss, Delilah.

For months, Angelina has been looking at the preparations from afar, but never did she imagine that, come the day, Miss Delilah would put her in a gorgeous gown and bring her along as her ‘plus one.’

Wandering from crowded room to crowded room in the sumptuous mansion, Angelina grows overwhelmed and escapes onto a balcony, only to find it occupied by her host. That first meeting leaves her struggling for her very life, but she soon gets an unexpected do-over.

Meeting Morgan Ward for the first time all over again, Angelina finds herself falling into his arms… But is it all only a fantasy?

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#BooksFromTheBackLog – Eternal Desire by Roxanne Rhoads @RoxanneRhoads

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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.

Roxanne Rhoads runs Bewitching Book Tours and I have been a host there for years. When I saw she had a book on Instafreebie, I grabbed it. Does that mean we are supposed to review it? Heck I don’t know any more…I downloaded it on 1.16.17 and it was released in October of 2009. Have you read it?

Eternal Desire

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

New Orleans. Halloween. Ooooo sounds right up my alley and a bit creepy. I do love to get my creep on. BUT, beware of the heat, this is an erotic vampire love story that burns with passion…but for who?

She was at Quillon’s beck and call. He is a vampire and she is a paranormal researcher, so she knows that all the monsters are real and they do walk among us. She lives a solitary life, carrying her B.O.Bs with her when she travels. Are you curious? Okay, I’ll tell you, but just this one thing and that’s it. Battery operated boyfriends

There were no big surprises for me and I don’t read a lot of erotic stories, but this short was just right and hit all my supernatural buttons.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Eternal Desires by Roxanne Rhoads.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Paranormal researcher Liz Beth’s dreams are haunted by a sensual vampire, who may or may not be real. She arrives in New Orleans the week of Halloween in search of her elusive dream lover, Quillon. She doesn’t find him, but she does encounter a handsome stranger, Christien. They begin a passionate affair, but she is torn between her dream lover and her flesh and blood lover, both of whom are a mystery to her. She fights to regain her reason, trying desperately to find the truth about Quillon while Christien holds her under his own spell.

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