The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.
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Howdie! Sorry it's been 2 weeks since my last Sunday Post, but I was a bit busy last weekend. I was at Balticon! :D
I had a great time seeing everyone there again. So many friends I've made over the years. Authors, Podcasters, and so many more. They are all amazing people and fun to hang out with. Balticon has become like a home to me with everyone's kindness. This year was the second year that I was a panelist and the first year I was a moderator! Wow, right!? I got to moderate the How to Do a Book Blog Tour. It was exciting! I'm planning on writing up my Balticon Post this week and sharing it with you all. It's always such a great time.
We then FINALLY got our air conditioning fixed this week. We went a week without it, again. They came to fix it the previous week, and found other parts were broken. Ugh. So we had to wait over a holiday weekend for the parts to come in and them to get here. Thankfully it was terribly hot, but I was away over the weekend. However the week was heating up quick and I was not staying upstairs with my sinus infection so I camped out in the living room with the dogs. lol. All is good now though. *sigh in bliss*
Other than that, schools out! Well for the kiddo it is. I still have to work all summer. He's in his bliss and ready to stay up all night and sleep all day. Um, yeah, no. I'm mom and can't let that happen. ;)
I had a great time seeing everyone there again. So many friends I've made over the years. Authors, Podcasters, and so many more. They are all amazing people and fun to hang out with. Balticon has become like a home to me with everyone's kindness. This year was the second year that I was a panelist and the first year I was a moderator! Wow, right!? I got to moderate the How to Do a Book Blog Tour. It was exciting! I'm planning on writing up my Balticon Post this week and sharing it with you all. It's always such a great time.
We then FINALLY got our air conditioning fixed this week. We went a week without it, again. They came to fix it the previous week, and found other parts were broken. Ugh. So we had to wait over a holiday weekend for the parts to come in and them to get here. Thankfully it was terribly hot, but I was away over the weekend. However the week was heating up quick and I was not staying upstairs with my sinus infection so I camped out in the living room with the dogs. lol. All is good now though. *sigh in bliss*
Other than that, schools out! Well for the kiddo it is. I still have to work all summer. He's in his bliss and ready to stay up all night and sleep all day. Um, yeah, no. I'm mom and can't let that happen. ;)
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The Fit Booker:
Goal: Workout in any form of exercise (or on Wii Fit) 2x's a week. (to feel better and hope to drop a few pants sizes)
How did I do last week... Erm...With not having air conditioning in the house I've done absolutely nothing in the way of exercise. I've not moved to do much of anything. Now, I did do a good bit of walking around at Balticon, but that wasn't very hard work. I've now got a sinus infection so I'm planning on when it's gone and I can breath better I'll start working out in some fashion.
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What's Happening in Books:
Current Read:
Into Thin Air by Val Griswold-Ford
and
Content work.
and
Content work.
Current Podcast Book Listen:
The Hidden Institute by Brand Gamblin
The Hidden Institute by Brand Gamblin
The Horde by Patrick Scaffido
Finished Last Week:
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone
Finished Podcast Book Listen:
Revolutions by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
Tales from the Archives Vol. 4:
#1 Spiritus Sanctus
#2 The Mummy of Barnsley
#3 The Black Empress
Tales from the Archives Vol. 4:
#1 Spiritus Sanctus
#2 The Mummy of Barnsley
#3 The Black Empress
...
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Last Week on the Blog:
Cover Reveals: (click titles to go to post & learn more)
Click the link to learn more about the books and their series:
Posts:
Around the Internet...
Reviews:
GIVEAWAYS:
Hmm. I'm getting ready to head out but I'll check my calendar later today and get the posts ready to go.
Review & Review Consideration:
Trailer Park Fae by Lilith Saintcrow
Goodreads Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow returns to dark fantasy with a new series where the fairy world inhabits diners, dive bars and trailer parks.
Jeremy Gallow is just another construction worker, and that's the way he likes it. He's left his past behind, but some things cannot be erased. Like the tattoos on his arms that transform into a weapon, or that he was once closer to the Queen of Summer than any half-human should be. Now the half-sidhe all in Summer once feared is dragged back into the world of enchantment, danger, and fickle fae—by a woman who looks uncannily like his dead wife. Her name is Robin, and her secrets are more than enough to get them both killed. A plague has come, the fullborn-fae are dying, and the dark answer to Summer's Court is breaking loose.
Be afraid, for Unwinter is riding...
Pure Blooded by Amanda Carlson
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jessica arrives back from the Underworld to find her father embroiled in a battle against the Made wolves. She and her crew drop everything to join them.
Once she arrives, the threat is after her. Jessica is lured into danger when her adversary takes something precious from her. With help from an unlikely source, Jessica goes up against her creator in a battle that will decide the path of everyone involved. She must war against a new set of foes, ones who could not only steal her power, but could take her soul as well.
Artificial Absolutes by Mary Fan
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jane Colt is just another recent college grad working as an Interstellar Confederation office drone—until the day she witnesses her best friend, Adam, kidnapped by a mysterious criminal. An extensive cover-up thwarts her efforts to report the crime, shaking her trust in the authorities. Only her older brother, Devin, believes her account.
Devin hopes to leave behind his violent past and find peace in a marriage to the woman he loves. That hope shatters when he discovers a shocking secret that causes him to be framed for murder.
With little more than a cocky attitude, Jane leaves everything she knows to flee with Devin, racing through the most lawless corners of the galaxy as she searches for Adam and proof of her brother’s innocence. Her journey uncovers truths about both of them, leading her to wonder just how much she doesn’t know about the people she loves.
Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:
Into the Aether by P.J. Schnyder
Goodreads Synopsis:
Journey Into the Aether with award-winning author PJ Schnyder in a collection of daring and sometimes explosive adventures:
In Evie's Gift , Evie travels to England with her brother to find a sponsor for her first season in London. She’s finding much more than intended, including an enemy submarine bent on destroying the airship carrying them across the ocean and a conspirator responsible for sabotaging her host’s mechanicals.
In A Swan in Siam , Agent John M. Alvey of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences searches for the source of a swan feather of peculiar properties in the court of the King of Siam and encounters both an assassin and a living legend.
Plus in the new, never before published Keeping Cadence , fiery Cadence is assigned as both gun expert and bodyguard when the senior crew of the Airship Vulpes is hired to transport precious cargo. Things never go as planned, but the two things Cadence can rely on like clockwork are her captain's explosive temper and the opportunity for a good fight.
My Bittersweet Summer by Starla Huchton
Goodreads Synopsis:
Margaret Walsh worked for six years to overcome the trauma she endured at the hands of bullies as a kid, and graduation promises the chance to start over in college and leave the past behind her for good.
What was supposed to be her last summer of fun before moving to Paris turns into a nightmare as her parents announce they're taking over management of a restaurant in the New England beach town where she spent her childhood. For them, it's an amazing possibility. For her, it means confronting memories— and people— she'd rather forget.
Margie's all grown up now, but some things never change. When Zach Robinson insists he's not the bully she remembers, it's all she can do not to laugh. Still, if she's learned anything over years, it's that everyone deserves an opportunity to be better.
Even lost causes need second chances, but with her heart on the line, asking her to bet on a long shot might take more faith than she's willing to give.
Tales of a Tesla Ranger edited by Tee Morris & Val Griswold-Ford
Goodreads Synopsis:
P G Holyfield. Award-nominated podcaster. Award-winning author. Voice talent. Friend. Father.
Patrick was all these things and so much more to the people featured in this volume. His tragic loss to cancer was not only felt within his family and friends in North Carolina, but coast-to-coast from Virginia to California, and around the world from England to New Zealand. He was a voice we knew, a friend we loved, and this collection of stories — many of them inspired by, featuring, and written by P G Holyfield — stands as his legacy. He touched us all, and we will miss him.
All proceeds from this anthology will go to the Patrick Holyfield's Childrens Trust, benefiting his daughters.
Featuring stories from PG Holyfield, Jared Axelrod, K T Bryski, Jack Mangan, Nathan Lowell, Chris Lester, Tee Morris, Scott Roche, Allen Sale, Christiana Ellis, Kate Sherrod, and Philippa Ballantine
The Diamond Conspiracy by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris
Goodreads Synopsis:
For years, the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences has enjoyed the favor of Her Majesty the Queen. But even the oldest loyalties can turn in a moment…
Having narrowly escaped the electrifying machinations of Thomas Edison, Books and Braun are looking forward to a relaxing and possibly romantic voyage home. But when Braun’s emergency signal goes off, all thoughts of recreation vanish. Braun’s street-wise team of child informants, the Ministry Seven, is in grave peril, and Books and Braun must return to England immediately.
But when the intrepid agents finally arrive in London, the situation is even more dire than they imagined. The Ministry has been disavowed, and the Department of Imperial Inconveniences has been called in to decommission its agents in a most deadly fashion. The plan reeks of the Maestro’s dastardly scheming. Only, this time, he has a dangerous new ally—a duplicitous doctor whose pernicious poisons have infected the highest levels of society, reaching even the Queen herself...
Nina Kimberly the Merciless by Christiana Ellis
Goodreads Synopsis:
*She's on a mission to kill the man who loves her. Why? Because he's an idiot. Ten years ago, Nina Kimberly the Merciless was cheated out of the life of adventure that she truly deserves. Her father, the fearsome barbarian conqueror Marcus the Merciless, met his first and only defeat at the hands of, well... a gopher hole. Ever since this epic humiliation, she and the rest of the horde have been stuck in the rural backwater kingdom of Langia. Now Francis IX, the idiotic king, has decided that he and Nina should be married. She can't kill him without starting a succession war, but the alternatives? Eww! Nina has long yearned for a hero to sweep her up on a glorious quest, but Francis' unwanted affections have forced her hand. No more waiting for a quest to find *her*, it's time to get proactive. She sets off into the big wide world, but the King decides to tag along, complete with a security spell to alert the Kingdom if he's killed. Nina is forced to swallow her pride and keep him safe... at least until she can find a way to break the spell. But nothing is ever simple in the life of a barbarian princess, and nothing is ever quite what it appears. The dragon is a pacifist (sometimes). The handsome rogue is a con-artist, but who is he conning? And even the wizard has a few surprises in store. While seeking the answer to all her problems, Miss the Merciless discovers that what she's always wanted may not actually be what she *wants*. *Nina Kimberly the Merciless* is a comic coming of age story filled with magic, mayhem and mercenaries, but mercy? Never.
Space Casey by Christiana Ellis
Goodreads Synopsis:
Space Casey tells the story of a fast-talking con-artist, 200 years in the future, who steals the wrong spaceship and finds herself thousands of light-years from home. This book presents the script of the award-winning audio-play with all-new illustrations and activities!
Inside (with both Inside books) by Maria V. Snyder
Goodreads Synopsis:
The world of Inside is simple. Do your job, stay out of the way and don't dream of anything better. Because as every Scrub knows, there are no other options.
Until Trella—the Queen of the Pipes, as some call her—gets involved with a revolution that will rock her world….
Trella was just doing a favor for a friend—her only friend. Hiding an injured man from the Pop Cops seemed easy enough—though dangerous. But then she discovered that the myths of Outside might be real….
Being Inside's hero only left Trella with more work. Ducking those responsibilities, she continued to explore her stark world—and found something she never expected. Strangers. From Outside…
Beware the Little White Rabbit
Goodreads Synopsis:
Curiosity often leads to trouble...
Thirteen powerful voices in young adult fiction invite you to journey into startling new Wonderlands in this nod to the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s timeless character, ALICE.
Mystery. Madness. Mayhem. Each story in this collection will intrigue, bewitch, and enchant. Through rich historicals, castles and keeps, wild wormholes, secret workshops, deadly plagues, and gritty urban explorations, we present new tales of Alice and her white rabbit.
Whether an intrepid reporter, a would-be car thief, or the last human in a world ruled by machines, at the heart of each story Alice is a girl discovering who she really is in worlds that never fail to surprise.
What wonders await, oh curious reader? Leap down the rabbit hole and discover the truth...
A Curse of Ash and Iron by Christine Norris
Goodreads Synopsis:
Benjamin Grimm knows the theater is much like real life. In 1876 Philadelphia, people play their parts, hiding behind the illusion of their lives, and never revealing their secrets.
When he reunites with his childhood friend Eleanor Banneker, he is delighted. His delight turns to dismay when he discovers she has been under a spell for the past 7 years, being forced to live as a servant in her own home, and he realizes how sinister some secrets can be. She asks for his help, and he can’t refuse. Even if he doesn’t believe in ‘real’ magic, he can’t abandon her.
Ellie has spent the long years since her mother’s death under the watchful eye and unforgiving eye of her stepmother. Bewitched and hidden in plain sight, it seems no one can help Ellie escape. Not even her own father, who is under a spell of his own. When she sees Ben one evening, it seems he is immune to the magic that binds her, and her hope is rekindled along with her friendship.
But time is running short. If they do not find a way to break the spell before midnight on New Year’s Eve, then both Ellie and her father will be bound forever.
Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton
Goodreads Synopsis:
Quin Kincaid has been put through years of brutal training for what she thinks is the noble purpose of becoming a revered ‘Seeker’.
Only when it’s too late does she discover she will be using her new-found knowledge and training to become an assassin. Quin's new role will take her around the globe, from a remote estate in Scotland to a bustling, futuristic Hong Kong where the past she thought she had escaped will finally catch up with her.
Lupus Rex by John Carter Cash
Goodreads Synopsis:
An astonishing new tale for children from John Carter Cash in the tradition of Watership Down, The Rats of Nimh, Redwall and Duncton Wood. Ysill and Cormo are two quail who must risk their lives when they are driven from their home by crows, and find they must make common cause with a other creatures, if they are to find safety in a world full of perils and adventure.
The crow king is dead, and in the field below all the creatures tremble as the Murder gathers to choose a new king from the rival sons Sintus, Milus and Nascus. When the crows drive everyone from the field to keep the reckoning secret, the quail Ysil, Cormo and Harlequin believe they must simply follow their elders to safety. But when the crows turn against each other, the forest becomes full of danger. In the confusion the last wolf, Asmod, shucks off his isolation and begins to raise an army to claim the kingdom for his own. As hidden truths are brought to light and enormous sacrifices are made Ysil and his friends must make an epic journey and an unthinkable alliance if the lesser animals are to survive.
Won:
Free Ebooks:
(On my Kindle App)
Carried Away by Frances Pauli
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jenna grew up on fairy tales of the Old Kingdoms and the magical Gentry creatures. The stories have always whispered to her of another life, called her to something that Jenna only thinks she's prepared for.
When a band of tinkers arrive in town, Jenna comes face to face with Tam, a peevish faun who catches her spying on his people. Suddenly, Jenna's dreams are full of his golden skin and flashing yellow eyes. Something about the faun triggers her wanderlust, but the more she learns of magic, the more she sees the flaws beneath the fantasy.
Tam might believe she is more than an ordinary girl, but to make her dreams come true, Jenna will have to believe in herself. Otherwise, the chance she's been waiting for will vanish back into the pockets forever.
A Kingdoms Gone Fairy Tale Fantasy Romance
Familiar by Frances Pauli
Goodreads Synopsis:
Small town witch, Deirdre Wallace, is used to being treated like a pariah. Her neighbors ignore her, the town delinquent has been stalking her, and the local police refuse to take the vandalism to her herb shop seriously.
The sexy new cop in town, Ray Santos, seems like a godsend. He's taking her case seriously. But their first meeting triggers a past life memory that thrusts them both right into the path of something evil.
Now Deirdre has to sort out who she once was, who is on her side, and who is trying to kill her before her past life steals any chance she has at a future.
It'll take more than one witch to tackle this demon. Thankfully, Deirdre has a whole coven to back her up.
Against the Dark by Carolyn Crane
Goodreads Synopsis:
SHE’S AN EX-SAFECRACKER FORCED INTO ONE LAST HEIST
Angel Ramirez left the safecracking game five years ago, and she’s worked hard to make amends and build an honest life. But when a beloved aunt is kidnapped, she must reunite with her girl gang to acquire the unique ransom: Walter Borgola’s prized diamonds. It’s a simple job that turns into a nightmare, thanks to a surprisingly clever—and searingly sexy—security guard named Cole Hawkins.
HE’S AN UNDERCOVER AGENT WITH BIG PLANS FOR HIS GORGEOUS THIEF
Cole is one of the Association’s most brilliant agents, under deep cover investigating a ruthless killer. He’s also running out of time: hundreds will die if he doesn’t stop the plan Borgola’s set into motion. Catching Angel is the break he needed--he promises not to turn her in if she poses as his lover and uses her unique talents to unlock the sociopath’s dungeon vaults.
But as pretend passions turn real, Cole regrets drawing Angel into his deadly game…and danger is closer than either of them could ever imagine.
*Approximately 62'000 words*
Initiation by K.A. Salidas
Goodreads Synopsis:
The great cataclysm wiped almost all life from the face of planet Earth, but tiny pockets of survivors crawled from the ashes, with only one thought: survival, at any cost.
But not all survivors were human.
In the new world order being a Vampire is a crime punishable by eternal servitude in the arena as a Gladiator of the Iron Gate. Mira, a newly turned vampire, must prove she has what it takes to survive in the human's world. It's kill or be killed. Immortality is not guaranteed.
Wicked Good Witches (3 book set) by Starla Silver
Goodreads Synopsis:
Wicked Good Witches- A Little Bit Funny, a Little Bit Sexy, and Around-the-Clock Supernatural Trouble... The Three Book Box Set is a Limited Time Offer so Grab it Fast!
The Howard Witches, three siblings charged with protecting The Demon Isle...
Charlie, the werewolf.
Michael, the empathic death reader.
Melinda, living under self-inflicted house arrest. Her gift: prophetic dreams of people about to die.
Their mentor, the four-hundred year old Vampire, William Wakefield. Charming, ridiculously handsome, and walking a dangerous line between sinking into darkness and living in the light. In constant temptation to declare his love for the one woman that could be his undoing.
The story begins with an unsolved murder. One that will change everything...
Come stalk the streets of The Demon Isle... you'll go up against witches, vampires, werewolves, demons, shapeshifters, ghosts, mermaids, faeries and a host of other devious supernatural creatures waiting to wreak havoc on The Demon Isle. Where fans of the paranormal come to vacation and immerse themselves in fantasy. Where magic comes to life, mysteries abound, and you might just find yourself laughing, crying, and most definitely, falling in love.
In Book One:
Melinda Howard is the Demon Isle's weird girl... the one that's been holed up in the Howard Mansion for the last four years. Why? No one knows the truth except her family... a long line of witches charged with protecting the Demon Isle, along with their mentor, the four-hundred year old Vampire, William Wakefield.
Another reason Melinda doesn't mind her self-inflicted imprisonment. She gets to spend her days with the charming vampire, who also happens to be her best friend. Only now, she's spending her night's with him too. He just doesn't know it...
Any other girl would enjoy the nightly thrill of a sexy vampire invading her dreams. But not Melinda as her dreams have a tendency to come true. Although typically, they don't include the handsome vampire she's crushing on, but rather horrifying visions of people about to die.
But she cannot stay under self-inflicted house arrest forever. And if her brothers or William get their choice in the matter, Melinda will be out of the house partying with her friends, giving her affections to a human, not a vampire, and digging into her role as a witch.
A role her eldest brother Charlie lives for and a role her second brother Michael would rather live without. Nevertheless, when duty calls, usually from the local sheriff needing help with some tourist who's gotten themselves into trouble, life screeches to a stop, and duty takes over.
Such is the case when the sheriff needs help with a four-year-old murder investigation; one she fears has a supernatural cause. To assist her in the case, she calls upon the skills of The Howard Witches.
However, what they learn might be more than any of them can deal with, or accept. Worse yet, they fear what this discovery will do to Melinda, as it returns them all to the core of her self-imprisonment.
Back to the lives, she could not save...
Wicked Good Witches...
Book 1: Demon Street Blues
Book 2: Alpha Knows Best
Book 3: Bye Bye Bloodsucker
Book 4: Ghast Me Gently
Book 5: A Nightmare to Remember
Book 6: A Stake With a View
Book 7: Bite Me, Baby!
Justice Calling by Annie Bellet
Goodreads Synopsis:
Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress.
Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe.
As long as she doesn’t use her magic.
When dark powers threaten her friends’ lives, a sexy shape-shifter enforcer shows up. He’s the shifter world’s judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one, and he thinks Jade is to blame. To clear her name, save her friends, and stop the villain, she’ll have to use her wits… and her sorceress powers.
Except Jade knows that as soon as she does, a far deadlier nemesis awaits.
Justice Calling is the first book in The Twenty-Sided Sorceress urban fantasy series. Readers who enjoyed The Dresden Files or The Iron Druid Chronicles will likely enjoy this series.
Concrete Evidence by Rachel Grant
Goodreads Synopsis:
A year ago she lost everything. Now she wants revenge…
Accused of stealing artifacts from a five hundred year-old shipwreck, underwater archaeologist Erica Kesling is determined to clear her name. She’s concealed her past and taken a job certain to give her access to the buyer of the missing antiquities. She's finally closing in on her goal, when she's distracted by a sexy, charismatic intern who makes her want something other than revenge.
But Lee Scott is no intern. He's looking for the lead conspirator in an international artifact smuggling scheme, and Erica is his prime suspect. He’ll do whatever it takes to win her trust and get her to reveal her secrets, even seduce her.
As Erica and Lee struggle to conceal their real agendas, the one thing they can’t hide is the attraction that burns hot between them. When Erica’s quest puts her life in jeopardy, Lee must choose between old loyalties and a woman he never expected to fall for.
(On my Nook)
Free Audio Books/Stories:
The Hidden Institute by Brand Gamblin
Goodreads Synopsis:
Rising above your station can be deadly.
Cliffy is a child born on the streets of a Neo-Victorian world. Witnesses to a murder, he blackmails a nobleman, receiving a unique bribe. In exchange for his silence, the nobleman introduces him to the Malcolm Rutherford Holden Institute of Regentrification. There, Cliffy learns to walk, talk, and act like a nobleman, so that he may infiltrate high society. But that type of fraud is punishable by death, and when Cliffy uncovers a plot to assassinate a head of state, he's hunted by more than just the aristocracy.
Royal intrigue, daring escapes, sub-dermal machines, and bear polo. A grand adventure in a not-so-distant world.
Vatican Assassin by Mike Luoma
Goodreads Synopsis:
It's 2109. BC - Bernard Campion - poses as a priest, but he's really an assassin for the New catholic Church. His assignment: Assassinate Meredith McEntyre, Governor of Lunar Prime, the non-aligned city-state on the Moon! There's an out of control interplanetary War between the west and Islam, between The Universal Trade Zone, the commercial power of Earth, and the UIN, the Universal Islamic Nation, based on Mars. BC's next move will change everything! BC's bosses in the Office of Papal Operations - the OPO - tell him Luna Prime Governor McEntyre has been sympathizing with the enemy, the UIN. Can't let her give the Moon to the UIN. That's where he comes in. BC works for the Pope, ""officially"" assigned as PR man to the Cardinal and the Vatican Mission on Luna Prime. Just a mild mannered, young priest working for the New catholic Church on public relations. But under his cover he's a weapon pointed at the UIN by the NcC and their Earth based allies, the UTZ. As he goes off, the repercussions will be cosmic!
Call of the Herald by Brian Rathbone
Goodreads Synopsis:
Book One of The Dawning of Power Young Adult Epic Fantasy trilogy. Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war.
Dragon Ash by Charlie Brown
Goodreads Synopsis:
Tales from the Archives Vol. 4:
#1 Spiritus Sanctus
#2 The Mummy of Barnsley
#3 The Black Empress
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Posts:
Around the Internet...
Reviews:
~~~~~~~~~~
This Week to Come on the Blog:
Hmm. I'm getting ready to head out but I'll check my calendar later today and get the posts ready to go.
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Received Last Weeks:
Review & Review Consideration:
Goodreads Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow returns to dark fantasy with a new series where the fairy world inhabits diners, dive bars and trailer parks.
Jeremy Gallow is just another construction worker, and that's the way he likes it. He's left his past behind, but some things cannot be erased. Like the tattoos on his arms that transform into a weapon, or that he was once closer to the Queen of Summer than any half-human should be. Now the half-sidhe all in Summer once feared is dragged back into the world of enchantment, danger, and fickle fae—by a woman who looks uncannily like his dead wife. Her name is Robin, and her secrets are more than enough to get them both killed. A plague has come, the fullborn-fae are dying, and the dark answer to Summer's Court is breaking loose.
Be afraid, for Unwinter is riding...
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jessica arrives back from the Underworld to find her father embroiled in a battle against the Made wolves. She and her crew drop everything to join them.
Once she arrives, the threat is after her. Jessica is lured into danger when her adversary takes something precious from her. With help from an unlikely source, Jessica goes up against her creator in a battle that will decide the path of everyone involved. She must war against a new set of foes, ones who could not only steal her power, but could take her soul as well.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jane Colt is just another recent college grad working as an Interstellar Confederation office drone—until the day she witnesses her best friend, Adam, kidnapped by a mysterious criminal. An extensive cover-up thwarts her efforts to report the crime, shaking her trust in the authorities. Only her older brother, Devin, believes her account.
Devin hopes to leave behind his violent past and find peace in a marriage to the woman he loves. That hope shatters when he discovers a shocking secret that causes him to be framed for murder.
With little more than a cocky attitude, Jane leaves everything she knows to flee with Devin, racing through the most lawless corners of the galaxy as she searches for Adam and proof of her brother’s innocence. Her journey uncovers truths about both of them, leading her to wonder just how much she doesn’t know about the people she loves.
Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:
Goodreads Synopsis:
Journey Into the Aether with award-winning author PJ Schnyder in a collection of daring and sometimes explosive adventures:
In Evie's Gift , Evie travels to England with her brother to find a sponsor for her first season in London. She’s finding much more than intended, including an enemy submarine bent on destroying the airship carrying them across the ocean and a conspirator responsible for sabotaging her host’s mechanicals.
In A Swan in Siam , Agent John M. Alvey of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences searches for the source of a swan feather of peculiar properties in the court of the King of Siam and encounters both an assassin and a living legend.
Plus in the new, never before published Keeping Cadence , fiery Cadence is assigned as both gun expert and bodyguard when the senior crew of the Airship Vulpes is hired to transport precious cargo. Things never go as planned, but the two things Cadence can rely on like clockwork are her captain's explosive temper and the opportunity for a good fight.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Margaret Walsh worked for six years to overcome the trauma she endured at the hands of bullies as a kid, and graduation promises the chance to start over in college and leave the past behind her for good.
What was supposed to be her last summer of fun before moving to Paris turns into a nightmare as her parents announce they're taking over management of a restaurant in the New England beach town where she spent her childhood. For them, it's an amazing possibility. For her, it means confronting memories— and people— she'd rather forget.
Margie's all grown up now, but some things never change. When Zach Robinson insists he's not the bully she remembers, it's all she can do not to laugh. Still, if she's learned anything over years, it's that everyone deserves an opportunity to be better.
Even lost causes need second chances, but with her heart on the line, asking her to bet on a long shot might take more faith than she's willing to give.
Goodreads Synopsis:
P G Holyfield. Award-nominated podcaster. Award-winning author. Voice talent. Friend. Father.
Patrick was all these things and so much more to the people featured in this volume. His tragic loss to cancer was not only felt within his family and friends in North Carolina, but coast-to-coast from Virginia to California, and around the world from England to New Zealand. He was a voice we knew, a friend we loved, and this collection of stories — many of them inspired by, featuring, and written by P G Holyfield — stands as his legacy. He touched us all, and we will miss him.
All proceeds from this anthology will go to the Patrick Holyfield's Childrens Trust, benefiting his daughters.
Featuring stories from PG Holyfield, Jared Axelrod, K T Bryski, Jack Mangan, Nathan Lowell, Chris Lester, Tee Morris, Scott Roche, Allen Sale, Christiana Ellis, Kate Sherrod, and Philippa Ballantine
Goodreads Synopsis:
For years, the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences has enjoyed the favor of Her Majesty the Queen. But even the oldest loyalties can turn in a moment…
Having narrowly escaped the electrifying machinations of Thomas Edison, Books and Braun are looking forward to a relaxing and possibly romantic voyage home. But when Braun’s emergency signal goes off, all thoughts of recreation vanish. Braun’s street-wise team of child informants, the Ministry Seven, is in grave peril, and Books and Braun must return to England immediately.
But when the intrepid agents finally arrive in London, the situation is even more dire than they imagined. The Ministry has been disavowed, and the Department of Imperial Inconveniences has been called in to decommission its agents in a most deadly fashion. The plan reeks of the Maestro’s dastardly scheming. Only, this time, he has a dangerous new ally—a duplicitous doctor whose pernicious poisons have infected the highest levels of society, reaching even the Queen herself...
Goodreads Synopsis:
*She's on a mission to kill the man who loves her. Why? Because he's an idiot. Ten years ago, Nina Kimberly the Merciless was cheated out of the life of adventure that she truly deserves. Her father, the fearsome barbarian conqueror Marcus the Merciless, met his first and only defeat at the hands of, well... a gopher hole. Ever since this epic humiliation, she and the rest of the horde have been stuck in the rural backwater kingdom of Langia. Now Francis IX, the idiotic king, has decided that he and Nina should be married. She can't kill him without starting a succession war, but the alternatives? Eww! Nina has long yearned for a hero to sweep her up on a glorious quest, but Francis' unwanted affections have forced her hand. No more waiting for a quest to find *her*, it's time to get proactive. She sets off into the big wide world, but the King decides to tag along, complete with a security spell to alert the Kingdom if he's killed. Nina is forced to swallow her pride and keep him safe... at least until she can find a way to break the spell. But nothing is ever simple in the life of a barbarian princess, and nothing is ever quite what it appears. The dragon is a pacifist (sometimes). The handsome rogue is a con-artist, but who is he conning? And even the wizard has a few surprises in store. While seeking the answer to all her problems, Miss the Merciless discovers that what she's always wanted may not actually be what she *wants*. *Nina Kimberly the Merciless* is a comic coming of age story filled with magic, mayhem and mercenaries, but mercy? Never.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Space Casey tells the story of a fast-talking con-artist, 200 years in the future, who steals the wrong spaceship and finds herself thousands of light-years from home. This book presents the script of the award-winning audio-play with all-new illustrations and activities!
Goodreads Synopsis:
The world of Inside is simple. Do your job, stay out of the way and don't dream of anything better. Because as every Scrub knows, there are no other options.
Until Trella—the Queen of the Pipes, as some call her—gets involved with a revolution that will rock her world….
Trella was just doing a favor for a friend—her only friend. Hiding an injured man from the Pop Cops seemed easy enough—though dangerous. But then she discovered that the myths of Outside might be real….
Being Inside's hero only left Trella with more work. Ducking those responsibilities, she continued to explore her stark world—and found something she never expected. Strangers. From Outside…
Goodreads Synopsis:
Curiosity often leads to trouble...
Thirteen powerful voices in young adult fiction invite you to journey into startling new Wonderlands in this nod to the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s timeless character, ALICE.
Mystery. Madness. Mayhem. Each story in this collection will intrigue, bewitch, and enchant. Through rich historicals, castles and keeps, wild wormholes, secret workshops, deadly plagues, and gritty urban explorations, we present new tales of Alice and her white rabbit.
Whether an intrepid reporter, a would-be car thief, or the last human in a world ruled by machines, at the heart of each story Alice is a girl discovering who she really is in worlds that never fail to surprise.
What wonders await, oh curious reader? Leap down the rabbit hole and discover the truth...
Goodreads Synopsis:
Benjamin Grimm knows the theater is much like real life. In 1876 Philadelphia, people play their parts, hiding behind the illusion of their lives, and never revealing their secrets.
When he reunites with his childhood friend Eleanor Banneker, he is delighted. His delight turns to dismay when he discovers she has been under a spell for the past 7 years, being forced to live as a servant in her own home, and he realizes how sinister some secrets can be. She asks for his help, and he can’t refuse. Even if he doesn’t believe in ‘real’ magic, he can’t abandon her.
Ellie has spent the long years since her mother’s death under the watchful eye and unforgiving eye of her stepmother. Bewitched and hidden in plain sight, it seems no one can help Ellie escape. Not even her own father, who is under a spell of his own. When she sees Ben one evening, it seems he is immune to the magic that binds her, and her hope is rekindled along with her friendship.
But time is running short. If they do not find a way to break the spell before midnight on New Year’s Eve, then both Ellie and her father will be bound forever.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Quin Kincaid has been put through years of brutal training for what she thinks is the noble purpose of becoming a revered ‘Seeker’.
Only when it’s too late does she discover she will be using her new-found knowledge and training to become an assassin. Quin's new role will take her around the globe, from a remote estate in Scotland to a bustling, futuristic Hong Kong where the past she thought she had escaped will finally catch up with her.
Goodreads Synopsis:
An astonishing new tale for children from John Carter Cash in the tradition of Watership Down, The Rats of Nimh, Redwall and Duncton Wood. Ysill and Cormo are two quail who must risk their lives when they are driven from their home by crows, and find they must make common cause with a other creatures, if they are to find safety in a world full of perils and adventure.
The crow king is dead, and in the field below all the creatures tremble as the Murder gathers to choose a new king from the rival sons Sintus, Milus and Nascus. When the crows drive everyone from the field to keep the reckoning secret, the quail Ysil, Cormo and Harlequin believe they must simply follow their elders to safety. But when the crows turn against each other, the forest becomes full of danger. In the confusion the last wolf, Asmod, shucks off his isolation and begins to raise an army to claim the kingdom for his own. As hidden truths are brought to light and enormous sacrifices are made Ysil and his friends must make an epic journey and an unthinkable alliance if the lesser animals are to survive.
Won:
Free Ebooks:
(On my Kindle App)
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jenna grew up on fairy tales of the Old Kingdoms and the magical Gentry creatures. The stories have always whispered to her of another life, called her to something that Jenna only thinks she's prepared for.
When a band of tinkers arrive in town, Jenna comes face to face with Tam, a peevish faun who catches her spying on his people. Suddenly, Jenna's dreams are full of his golden skin and flashing yellow eyes. Something about the faun triggers her wanderlust, but the more she learns of magic, the more she sees the flaws beneath the fantasy.
Tam might believe she is more than an ordinary girl, but to make her dreams come true, Jenna will have to believe in herself. Otherwise, the chance she's been waiting for will vanish back into the pockets forever.
A Kingdoms Gone Fairy Tale Fantasy Romance
Goodreads Synopsis:
Small town witch, Deirdre Wallace, is used to being treated like a pariah. Her neighbors ignore her, the town delinquent has been stalking her, and the local police refuse to take the vandalism to her herb shop seriously.
The sexy new cop in town, Ray Santos, seems like a godsend. He's taking her case seriously. But their first meeting triggers a past life memory that thrusts them both right into the path of something evil.
Now Deirdre has to sort out who she once was, who is on her side, and who is trying to kill her before her past life steals any chance she has at a future.
It'll take more than one witch to tackle this demon. Thankfully, Deirdre has a whole coven to back her up.
Goodreads Synopsis:
SHE’S AN EX-SAFECRACKER FORCED INTO ONE LAST HEIST
Angel Ramirez left the safecracking game five years ago, and she’s worked hard to make amends and build an honest life. But when a beloved aunt is kidnapped, she must reunite with her girl gang to acquire the unique ransom: Walter Borgola’s prized diamonds. It’s a simple job that turns into a nightmare, thanks to a surprisingly clever—and searingly sexy—security guard named Cole Hawkins.
HE’S AN UNDERCOVER AGENT WITH BIG PLANS FOR HIS GORGEOUS THIEF
Cole is one of the Association’s most brilliant agents, under deep cover investigating a ruthless killer. He’s also running out of time: hundreds will die if he doesn’t stop the plan Borgola’s set into motion. Catching Angel is the break he needed--he promises not to turn her in if she poses as his lover and uses her unique talents to unlock the sociopath’s dungeon vaults.
But as pretend passions turn real, Cole regrets drawing Angel into his deadly game…and danger is closer than either of them could ever imagine.
*Approximately 62'000 words*
Goodreads Synopsis:
The great cataclysm wiped almost all life from the face of planet Earth, but tiny pockets of survivors crawled from the ashes, with only one thought: survival, at any cost.
But not all survivors were human.
In the new world order being a Vampire is a crime punishable by eternal servitude in the arena as a Gladiator of the Iron Gate. Mira, a newly turned vampire, must prove she has what it takes to survive in the human's world. It's kill or be killed. Immortality is not guaranteed.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Wicked Good Witches- A Little Bit Funny, a Little Bit Sexy, and Around-the-Clock Supernatural Trouble... The Three Book Box Set is a Limited Time Offer so Grab it Fast!
The Howard Witches, three siblings charged with protecting The Demon Isle...
Charlie, the werewolf.
Michael, the empathic death reader.
Melinda, living under self-inflicted house arrest. Her gift: prophetic dreams of people about to die.
Their mentor, the four-hundred year old Vampire, William Wakefield. Charming, ridiculously handsome, and walking a dangerous line between sinking into darkness and living in the light. In constant temptation to declare his love for the one woman that could be his undoing.
The story begins with an unsolved murder. One that will change everything...
Come stalk the streets of The Demon Isle... you'll go up against witches, vampires, werewolves, demons, shapeshifters, ghosts, mermaids, faeries and a host of other devious supernatural creatures waiting to wreak havoc on The Demon Isle. Where fans of the paranormal come to vacation and immerse themselves in fantasy. Where magic comes to life, mysteries abound, and you might just find yourself laughing, crying, and most definitely, falling in love.
In Book One:
Melinda Howard is the Demon Isle's weird girl... the one that's been holed up in the Howard Mansion for the last four years. Why? No one knows the truth except her family... a long line of witches charged with protecting the Demon Isle, along with their mentor, the four-hundred year old Vampire, William Wakefield.
Another reason Melinda doesn't mind her self-inflicted imprisonment. She gets to spend her days with the charming vampire, who also happens to be her best friend. Only now, she's spending her night's with him too. He just doesn't know it...
Any other girl would enjoy the nightly thrill of a sexy vampire invading her dreams. But not Melinda as her dreams have a tendency to come true. Although typically, they don't include the handsome vampire she's crushing on, but rather horrifying visions of people about to die.
But she cannot stay under self-inflicted house arrest forever. And if her brothers or William get their choice in the matter, Melinda will be out of the house partying with her friends, giving her affections to a human, not a vampire, and digging into her role as a witch.
A role her eldest brother Charlie lives for and a role her second brother Michael would rather live without. Nevertheless, when duty calls, usually from the local sheriff needing help with some tourist who's gotten themselves into trouble, life screeches to a stop, and duty takes over.
Such is the case when the sheriff needs help with a four-year-old murder investigation; one she fears has a supernatural cause. To assist her in the case, she calls upon the skills of The Howard Witches.
However, what they learn might be more than any of them can deal with, or accept. Worse yet, they fear what this discovery will do to Melinda, as it returns them all to the core of her self-imprisonment.
Back to the lives, she could not save...
Wicked Good Witches...
Book 1: Demon Street Blues
Book 2: Alpha Knows Best
Book 3: Bye Bye Bloodsucker
Book 4: Ghast Me Gently
Book 5: A Nightmare to Remember
Book 6: A Stake With a View
Book 7: Bite Me, Baby!
Goodreads Synopsis:
Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress.
Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe.
As long as she doesn’t use her magic.
When dark powers threaten her friends’ lives, a sexy shape-shifter enforcer shows up. He’s the shifter world’s judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one, and he thinks Jade is to blame. To clear her name, save her friends, and stop the villain, she’ll have to use her wits… and her sorceress powers.
Except Jade knows that as soon as she does, a far deadlier nemesis awaits.
Justice Calling is the first book in The Twenty-Sided Sorceress urban fantasy series. Readers who enjoyed The Dresden Files or The Iron Druid Chronicles will likely enjoy this series.
Goodreads Synopsis:
A year ago she lost everything. Now she wants revenge…
Accused of stealing artifacts from a five hundred year-old shipwreck, underwater archaeologist Erica Kesling is determined to clear her name. She’s concealed her past and taken a job certain to give her access to the buyer of the missing antiquities. She's finally closing in on her goal, when she's distracted by a sexy, charismatic intern who makes her want something other than revenge.
But Lee Scott is no intern. He's looking for the lead conspirator in an international artifact smuggling scheme, and Erica is his prime suspect. He’ll do whatever it takes to win her trust and get her to reveal her secrets, even seduce her.
As Erica and Lee struggle to conceal their real agendas, the one thing they can’t hide is the attraction that burns hot between them. When Erica’s quest puts her life in jeopardy, Lee must choose between old loyalties and a woman he never expected to fall for.
(On my Nook)
Free Audio Books/Stories:
Goodreads Synopsis:
Rising above your station can be deadly.
Cliffy is a child born on the streets of a Neo-Victorian world. Witnesses to a murder, he blackmails a nobleman, receiving a unique bribe. In exchange for his silence, the nobleman introduces him to the Malcolm Rutherford Holden Institute of Regentrification. There, Cliffy learns to walk, talk, and act like a nobleman, so that he may infiltrate high society. But that type of fraud is punishable by death, and when Cliffy uncovers a plot to assassinate a head of state, he's hunted by more than just the aristocracy.
Royal intrigue, daring escapes, sub-dermal machines, and bear polo. A grand adventure in a not-so-distant world.
Goodreads Synopsis:
It's 2109. BC - Bernard Campion - poses as a priest, but he's really an assassin for the New catholic Church. His assignment: Assassinate Meredith McEntyre, Governor of Lunar Prime, the non-aligned city-state on the Moon! There's an out of control interplanetary War between the west and Islam, between The Universal Trade Zone, the commercial power of Earth, and the UIN, the Universal Islamic Nation, based on Mars. BC's next move will change everything! BC's bosses in the Office of Papal Operations - the OPO - tell him Luna Prime Governor McEntyre has been sympathizing with the enemy, the UIN. Can't let her give the Moon to the UIN. That's where he comes in. BC works for the Pope, ""officially"" assigned as PR man to the Cardinal and the Vatican Mission on Luna Prime. Just a mild mannered, young priest working for the New catholic Church on public relations. But under his cover he's a weapon pointed at the UIN by the NcC and their Earth based allies, the UTZ. As he goes off, the repercussions will be cosmic!
Goodreads Synopsis:
Book One of The Dawning of Power Young Adult Epic Fantasy trilogy. Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war.
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Shazam Brothers are performers, jugglers, illusionists and con artists. They are also gnomes, part of the tribe that lives on the Little East End of Isenstock. When they accidentally steal the most powerful artifact of the city, the Quigley Dagger, they risk unleashing the greatest evil known.
"Dragon Ash" is a satirical fantasy that blends sword and sorcery with screwball comedy, Tolkein as performed by the Marx Brothers. In the tradition of Fritz Leiber, Robert Aspirin and every "Abbott and Costello Meets" movie, this book combines high action, low comedy and a salty attitude for those looking for something completely different.
Tales from the Archives Vol. 4:
#1 Spiritus Sanctus
#2 The Mummy of Barnsley
#3 The Black Empress
~~~~~~~~~~
Reviews to Come:
The Secret World Chronicle: World Well Lost by Mercees Lackey,Steve Libby, Cody Martin, & Dennis Lee
Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron
The Sentinel by Chris Lester
The Muse by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester
Master of Myth by Starla Huchton
Danube Waves by Katharina Bordet
Rhune by Michael J. Sullivan
Heartstealer by K.T. Bryski
Lex Talionis by Starla Huchton
7th Son: Deceit by J.C. Hutchins
7th Son: Deceit by J.C. Hutchins
7th Son: Destruction by J.C. Hutchins
House of Grey 5 by Collin Earl
7th Son: 7 Days anthology by J.C. Hutchins
House of Grey 6 by Collin Earl
The Secret World Chronicle: World Divided by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
The Secret World Chronicle: Waiting On by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
The Secret World Chronicle: Revolutions by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone
House of Grey 5 by Collin Earl
7th Son: 7 Days anthology by J.C. Hutchins
House of Grey 6 by Collin Earl
The Secret World Chronicle: World Divided by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
The Secret World Chronicle: Waiting On by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
The Secret World Chronicle: Revolutions by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone
Tales from the Archives Vol. 4: #1 Spiritus Sanctus
Tales from the Archives Vol. 4: #2 The Mummy of Barnsley
Tales from the Archives Vol. 4: #3 The Black Empress
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