Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 100
February 21, 2022
Dawned by Michelle Areaux #YAPNR #ParanormalRomance
DawnedMichelle Areaux
Genre: Young Adult- Paranormal RomancePublisher: Book Bliss PublishingDate of Publication: 2/14/22ISBN: B09MNPW2TLNumber of pages: 190Word Count: 48,000
Tagline: Eternity is a powerful tool
Book Description:
Twilight meets Lucifer in this exciting new paranormal romance.
Everything changed the moment sixteen-year-old Harlow Parker met the mysterious and captivating, Declan Quinn.
Always feeling as though she were destined to live a life of solitude, she never expected to meet someone so--magical. After the tragic death of her parents, she moved in with her godmother, Lorie, in the small, southern Kentucky town of Willow Falls. Nothing exciting ever happened here-- until Declan arrived.
And, once she meets the mysterious and swoon-worthy Declan, everything begins to spiral out of control. The magnetic pull she feels toward him is undeniable, and a gorgeous boy who would ultimately break her heart, was the last thing Harlow needed.
Declan Quinn has spent centuries looking for the one who can unlock his mortality. Despite his attempts to remain hidden in the shadows of the small town, he finds himself drawn to the quiet new girl. Curiosity gets the best of Declan and he soon realizes she may just be the one he has been looking for all along. As sparks begin to flare between the pair, Harlow quickly discovers there is something dangerous and supernatural about the boy she has fallen for. Declan is withholding a dark secret that could destroy Harlow and their relationship.
Desire inevitably overpowers both Harlow and Declan as they find themselves in the middle of a suspenseful supernatural war between good and evil. When both of their pasts come back to haunt them, they must find a way to fight together before they are destroyed forever.
Amazon
Excerpt:
I stop on the corner, ready to step onto crosswalk when I hear the rumble of a car heading my way. It is then that I decide to look up and away from the scattering of yellow and reds broken at my feet.
A pearl white sedan whips past me, stirring the leaves and air so that I feel as though I’m suddenly lost inside a tornado of fall.
The passengers turn to look out their window, probably confused by the strange girl who almost walked out in front of them. Their faces strike me and I forget how to breathe. It’s not because they are unfamiliar—Willow Falls is a small town. When you live here, you know everyone. No, their faces strike me as odd because they are the most beautiful and God-like creatures I have ever seen in my life.
A pair of ocean blue eyes locks on me and I still, my heart racing like a wild race horse. They belong to a guy around my age, but his striking features render me helpless. Raven black hair highlights his features as he stares me down. A blonde-haired guy, who is just as handsome, turns from the driver's seat and smiles a wicked smile that causes goose bumps to appear on my arms.
About the Author:Michelle Areaux resides in a small Kentucky town and enjoys writing tales of romance that includes the bitter and sometimes ugly truth of love, angst, heartache, and desire that all come with falling in love.
https://amzn.to/2EhyJUd
http://www.kingstonpublishing.com/michelle-areaux.html
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49142658-shadowed
https://www.facebook.com/Author-Michelle-Areaux-Novels-Page-1515918905127542/
February 18, 2022
Annihilation by Kaylin McFarren #UrbanFantasy #Giveaway
AnnihilationGehenna Book 2Kaylin McFarren
Genre: Fantasy, Urban FantasyISBN: 9781685640569ASIN: B09KMNBNQGPublisher: Creative Edge Publishing LLC Publication date: February 3, 2022Number of pages: 493Word Count: 143,000Cover Artist: Amanda Tomo Yoshida
Tagline: You can’t escape from what you are
Book Description:
With the death of Lucifer, Queen Lucinda assumes control of Hell, ordering her soldiers to prepare for a doomsday war with Heaven. Craving eternal power, she devours the souls of gifted demonic beings, acquiring their abilities to destroy her perceived political enemies.
Meanwhile, the Black Crows meet with the Knights of Darkness in their hidden headquarters, plotting against Lucinda in their efforts to maintain peace and the balance of power. Consumed by hatred over Crighton Daemonium's unrequited love, Lucinda is unaware of the secret conspiracy brewing, or that Lucifer's spirit has returned to Hell inside the body of a soul–trapped demon.
Reclaiming his throne, Lucifer punishes his daughter for her act of treason. However, his obsession with Samara, Crighton's beautiful daughter, leaves him incapable of controlling his stolen body. After forcing her into submission, he names Samara the new Queen of Hell yet continues his authoritarian rule. When an insurgency breaks out on Earth, he becomes distracted long enough for her to be kidnapped by Nexus rebel forces, believing her to be the prophesied savior of their planet.
Is Samara the Phoenix, destined to destroy Lucifer? Or is she his soulmate and the true Queen of Hell?
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/0Wxvtzl3UHs
Reviews
"Annihilation, the sequel to Kaylin McFarren's award-winning Soul Seeker, is a decidedly Shakespearean thriller. Amidst the supernatural world, the novel is essentially a classic story about love, betrayal and power between and among royal families. McFarren's blatantly "human" portrayal of Samara Daemonium's youthful obsessions set her up to be both victim, royal and a star in a wholly compelling coming-of-age story. To get this most out of Annihilation, readers are highly encouraged to read Soul Seeker first." -- Bella G. Wright, BestThrillers.com "Get ready for the steaming, twisted plot of Kaylin McFarren's Book 2 in the Gehenna series - Annihilation—where nothing is as it seems, and enemies are closer than anyone may think. Recommended!" - Chanticleer Reviews
"Simply couldn't put this book down, even when every hair on my neck was raised. It's that good!" -- Angela Fox, Publisher, Clackamas Review/Oregon City News
"This story is dark and decadent, and fans of such fare should find it largely entertaining." -- Blue Ink Reviews "Hell has a new ruler, Queen Lucinda. A thrilling venture into the depths of Hell offers unrelenting intrigue and fearsome characters, including timeless stories of love, friendship, sacrifice, and identity... plot twisting toward an epic battle." - RECOMMENDED, The US Review of Books
"Annihilation is truly absorbing, shocking at times, and virtually impossible to put down!" - Theodocia McLean, Book Marketing Global Network
"Left on a cliffhanger and ready for the next book in this fiery series, Annihilation is an intense, dramatic power struggle and like a jigsaw puzzle, lots of different pieces hide the bigger picture until the end. We are happy to add this book to the Indie Books We Love section of the LoveReading website." - Charlotte Walker, Love Reading
Excerpt: Chapter One - Annihilation by Kaylin McFarren
Two regiments of ram-horned, cloven-hoofed demons marched through the blazing corridors of Hell in preparation for the Red War against Heaven. Their stomping feet and thumping spears shook dust loose in the solid rock tunnels leading to twenty massive cellblocks, each identified by their cardinal direction: north, south, east, and west. Confined in one of the cells on the lowest level was Hecate, the Woodland Goddess and Queen Lucinda's loyal friend. Within a month of assuming control of Hell, word had reached her that Lucinda's new regime was responsible for numerous beheadings, boiling demons to death, and implementing monstrous atrocities against woodland creatures and outspoken opponents within her own council.
Believing their friendship would make a difference, Hecate arranged a meeting with Lucinda two weeks earlier and pleaded with her to abstain from cruel acts against mankind. "Think of your legacy...the positive impact you could make." The briskness she put into her voice was belied by the unshed tears glistening in her eyes. She shifted her position in the high-back chair and drew a deep breath. "Lucifer was brutal throughout his rein...up until the day he died. You've always made brilliant choices, Samara. I know that better than anyone. Lucifer made the worst decision of his life by sending Crighton to England, and only the Sovereign Sector is responsible for the consequences that followed. I'm just grateful that Lucifer didn't survive after that nasty battle with his brother, Castiel. If he had, who knows what would have happened?"
The Queen rested her chin on her fisted hands. "Indeed. But you need to remember that my name is now Lucinda. I changed it after meeting with the Knights of Darkness and taking control of Hell."
"Yes, of course. I'll never forget the day before that happened. I was in the old arena when Crighton's mother stabbed your father repeatedly," Hecate said somberly. "I understand she was welcomed into Heaven along with her soulmate, though I don't understand why..." She let her voice trail off, shaking her head. "I guess we should thank them for your justly-deserved position."
"I already have...thanked Crighton, I mean. I offered him a more substantial token of my gratitude as well, but he turned it down."
"Politely, I hope?"
"I was afraid to sit on the throne," she admitted. "That's why I waited so long to make changes. Tyrus helped Crighton escape from Hell, and Lilith played a large part in saving Ariel. But I was responsible for saving them all by agreeing to take my father's place."
"True enough, Lucinda." Hecate felt her eyes burn once more. She drew another deep breath before adding, "I'm sure your generosity will never be forgotten and will be celebrated for years to come."
"Since I managed to keep them alive, I suppose it's time for the three of us to assume our rightful responsibilities."
"Three of us?"
"That's right. Crighton, Tyrus and myself. We have a lot of unfinished business to resolve."
"Of course, Your Majesty." Hecate smiled at her, believing she was making progress.
"But first," Lucinda said, "I'd like to discuss your view on the way Tyrus' allies are likely to respond to our meeting. Especially with them opposing me at every turn. Then I'd like your personal impression on how the loyalists in my council will interpret your views on diplomacy in the woodlands. After that, there are a couple of treasury issues I promised to investigate. It's past time that my advisors and I established a tax structure and common currency. And now that we have the Imperial chambers remodeled and relaxed rules in place regarding horns, tails, and bat wings, we can start thinking about other things like enforcing appropriate punishment where it's due."
"Since you brought it up, don't you think it's a bit extreme...the way punishment is being handled? I thought you wanted to be a just ruler...the exact opposite of your father. If that's true, then why are you taking extreme measures with outcasts, human souls, and defenseless creatures? They would sing your praises if you allowed them to– "
"–run rampant and refuse to obey my laws?" Lucinda growled. She stood up with her eyes blazing red hot and her thin lips frowning. "So, that's why you're here. Not to support me but to oppose me like the rest of the ingrates in my kingdom. Leave and never come back here again! Your deception will not be forgiven or forgotten. Is that understood? I want you out of here...NOW!!" she screamed.
About the Author:Kaylin McFarren has received more than 60 national literary awards, in addition to a prestigious RWA Golden Heart Award nomination for FLAHERTY'S CROSSING - a book she and her oldest daughter, New York Times/USA Today best-selling author Kristina McMorris, co-wrote in 2008. Prior to embarking on her writing journey and developing the popular THREADS psychological thriller series, she poured her passion for creativity into her work as the director of a fine art gallery in the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon; she also served as a governor-appointed member of the Oregon Arts Commission.
Her award-winning time-travel adventure, HIGH FLYING, asks challenging questions that will linger long after the final twists are revealed. Jumping to the supernatural-horror genre, Kaylin's clever GEHENNA series leads readers into the pit of Hell, through the mechanisms of secret societies, and across the Earth’s crust, ever raising the stakes for her leading duo—a wicked demon and guardian angel presented with shocking revelations.
With each story she writes, this author delivers unexpected twists and turns and keeps her readers on the edge of their seats, leaving them guessing and thoroughly entertained. When she's not traveling or spoiling her two pups and three grandsons, Kaylin enjoys giving back to her community through participation and support of various charitable, medical and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and divides her time between her homes in Portland, Oregon and San Diego, California.
FUN TIDBITS
Kaylin is proud of the fact that her great aunt Bessie B. Cordell, an evangelistic missionary during WWII, was instrumental in opening an orphanage in Tientsin, China and also wrote two published novels, Precious Pearl and Blossoms of the Flowery Kingdom, documenting her dangerous, harrowing experiences.
She keeps a glass of wine close by while writing love scenes, Kleenex on her desk while writing heart breakers, and has been known to empty a box of chocolates when she's completely stumped.
A consummate "pantser" and perfectionist, she writes and edits as she goes, and uses photographs of models and actors from tabloid magazines to visualize her characters.
She loves her husband of 48 years dearly. However, if Josh Holloway, Hugh Jackman or Ian Somerhalder came knockin', well... their marriage just might be put to the test.
https://twitter.com/4kaylin
https://kaylinmcfarren.blog/
http://www.kaylinmcfarren.com/
http://www.creativeedgepublishing.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kaylin.mcfarren
https://www.instagram.com/4kaylinmcfarren/
https://www.amazon.com/Kaylin-McFarren/e/B003BCPKE0/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3184417.Kaylin_McFarren
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Bonus Giveaway
Enter to win this Phoenix necklace (which refers to the Phoenix in the story), here are the simple rules:
Order a copy of ANNIHILATION by Kaylin McFarren on Amazon.com (ebook or paperback) then add your name to this Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/kaylin.mcfarren/posts/10223607520167331
Kaylin will be drawing a winning name on March 3rd
February 17, 2022
A Bewitching Thursday
Character Confessions from Pandemic: Chaos is Bleeding by Cynthia Fridsma #Horror #UrbanFantasy
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/TleT50HXsZV
Dawned by Michelle Areaux #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/AGWa50HXsYW
You can’t escape from what you are
Annihilation by Kaylin McFarren #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/JeSr50HWrfC
February 16, 2022
Pandemic: Chaos is Bleeding by Cynthia Fridsma #Horror #UrbanFantasy
Pandemic: Chaos is BleedingCynthia Fridsma
Genre: horror/thriller/urban fantasyPublisher: CynhiaFridsma.COMDate of Publication: November 24, 2021ISBN Paperback: 979-8773139225ISBN Hardcover: 979-8779427166 ISBN Audiobook: 978-1669614173ASIN: B09MJXPCMYNumber of pages: 280Word Count: 67,415Cover Artist: Cynthia Fridsma
Tagline: Since the pandemic, she stayed home. Then they kidnapped her friend.
Book Description:
Since the pandemic, Sybil Crewes hasn’t left home. She stopped her duties as an ATU agent (Anti-Terrorism Unit). But then, she got a disturbing phone call. Her friend, Harry Brown, has been kidnapped, and this forces Sybil out of her house.
While doing so, she uncovers an illegal lab where they created a deadly COVID-19 variant that turns its victims into skinned zombies. She contacts the ATU to resume her duties as an ATU agent to stop the new threat and save the world from its undoing.
Pandemic: Chaos is Bleeding is a fast-paced modern horror/thriller novel, and partly based on true events.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/OEmedgf3w0c
Amazon Kobo Google
Scribd BingeBooks AudioBooks Libro NookAudio
Excerpt
The cold air was refreshing as she sprinted to her Ford Mustang in the parking lot. After she sat down in the driver’s seat, she opened Windows Maps on her cell phone to search for the address her evil handler had texted. Since Microsoft stopped supporting Windows Phone, she couldn’t use her voice to enter the address in the navigation app of her cell phone.
It felt weird to go unarmed, on a mission unknown, while the navigation calculated the best route from her current location. Whoever captured Harry held all the cards. At the moment, she had no other choice but to follow up on their instructions. She started the car and drove off. Luckily, there wasn’t much traffic on her way to the mansion.Since the pandemic, life was slow. People had more time on their hands, working from home, distracted by their kids and spouse. Eating more comfort food—watching TV all day, or in Sybil’s case, spending time with her pet rabbit, Max, and trying to avoid the news. She didn’t have a TV. Well, she did, but she used her 70-inch display as a monitor. It was connected to a Windows 10 laptop with an external soundcard attached to a Dolby digital surround set. Felicity installed the equipment and showed Sybil how to use her dinosaur cell phone as a remote control for the laptop.
The laptop offered her a safe window to the world. She had online meetings once a week, on Sunday night at eight, and sometimes she watched the news on CNN. Most of the time, she used the laptop to binge-watch streaming media. Prime video, Netflix, Disney Plus, and reruns of her favorite TV shows: Body of Proof, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and she loved movies starring Denzel Washington. My life during the pandemic.
She wanted to floor the gas pedal, but then she noticed a police car and she slowed down considerably. The police vehicle turned left at the intersection. She glanced over her shoulder. A truck came into sight, and a few more cars appeared on the street ahead of her. Morning rush hour was about to begin, even though she hadn’t expected it.
Sybil reached her destination in twenty-six minutes after she floored the gas pedal when she reached the outskirts of Boston. She had some time to kill, but she didn’t want to waste it by sitting in her car. So, she explored the area. The mansion didn’t stand out by itself. It was a wooden, two-story building, Victorian architecture style, late 1800s, set in a rural landscape outside Boston, normally a thirty-five-minute drive if she hadn’t gone way above all posted speed limits. Its shingles used to be white at some point.
She exhaled and contacted Vanessa Dogscape—an ATU data analyst, and currently married to her friend and coworker Felicity Walker. Perhaps Vanessa could help her—off the record. She didn’t want to involve the ATU. It took a while before Vanessa answered the phone.
“Sybil. You know what time it is?”
“I’m aware of what time it is. Look, I need your help. Harry’s been kidnapped by—I don’t know who. Anyway, they want me to do some errands.”
“My God!” Vanessa replied in a worried voice.
“I need you on this. But please, keep it off the record. I don’t want to endanger Harry’s life.”
“Sure. How can I help?”
“Perhaps you can pinpoint them somehow and get their location so I can kick some ass?”
“I need more intel before I can do anything,” Vanessa said.
“They contacted me via my cell phone and sent me a text message. Oh, and a picture of Harry’s battered face.” She gritted her teeth at the thought.
“Send the text message and the picture to me. And please activate the ATU app Felicity programmed three years ago for your Windows Phone, so I can tap into each conversation and perhaps ping their location while you talk to them. Are you sure you want me to help you off the record? It’s better to make this an official ATU investigation. At least, let me inform Jack.”
Sybil closed her eyes for a moment. If the criminals found out she had informed the ATU, it’d complicate things. Perhaps endanger Harry’s life. But then again, she sure could use all the help she could get. Otherwise, she wouldn’t bother Vanessa with it. Taking that into consideration, and the knowledge that Jack was a professional, Sybil agreed to Vanessa’s suggestion.
Despite the sun in a clear, blue sky, her body responded with a shiver that ran down her spine. She did not know what to expect as she stood near the abandoned mansion with its weather-beaten, cracked walls covered in pointless graffiti. But she knew she had to go inside as she sat down on her haunches, studying the rusty sword lying in the mud. She took a deep breath before she carefully touched its sticky handle. Blood! Clotted blood.
Her stomach gnawed at the sight. She smelled. It wasn’t human. She stared at the mansion as she heard a strange sound she couldn’t identify. Immediately, her old instincts kicked in—weird sounds coming from an abandoned mansion equals danger. She grabbed the sword in both hands, jumped up, kicked the battered door wide open and ran inside. It was time to act; this was no time to be cautious. Lives were at stake.
The wooden planks creaked under her feet as she rushed into the dark hallway. The sound of rasping breathing reached her eardrums when she entered a dark room with just enough light to see the overturned furniture and the bloodstained, fractured walls …
About the Author:As far back as she can remember, Cynthia Fridsma has been listening to exciting stories told by her mother. She grew up reading books by Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, and Philip K. Dick, among others. It was Cynthia’s mother who inspired her to start telling—and writing—her own stories.
Ms. Fridsma’s writing career started after a handicap in 2014—she has a tremor in her right hand, numbness in the fingers, and pain in her wrist. She had to give up her other creative outlets, such as photography, computer programming, and gave up on juggling, so focused on what she could do rather than what she couldn’t do. Besides writing, she sometimes plays guitar—in Jimi Hendrix style.Cynthia lives with her husband and pet bunny, Max, in Amsterdam.
Website: https://www.cynthiafridsma.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cynthia_fridsma
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.fridsma.writer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.fridsma
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthiafridsma2534
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CynthiaFridsma
Newsletter: https://www.cynthiafridsma.com/index-page-50-category-50.html
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12962314.Cynthia_Fridsma
February 15, 2022
A Bewitching Tuesday
Guest Blog- Dawned by Michelle Areaux #YAPNR #ParanormalRomance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Mgpe50HVnvN
Pandemic: Chaos is Bleeding by Cynthia Fridsma #Horror #UrbanFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/WCBJ50HVnxK
SPOTLIGHT: ANNIHILATION GEHENNA (Kaylin McFarren)
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/16zs50HVntY
February 14, 2022
A Bewitching Monday
Arts and Crafts with Kim Mullican - Book Soaps #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/vFkn50HUcZ2
Beautifully Broken Heroes by Julia Keanini - Book Tour
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2022...
Virtual Book Tour: Dawned by Michelle Areaux #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KbAz50HUe1Z
Pandemic: Chaos is Bleeding by Cynthia Fridsma #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Ho0E50HUe6J
Beautifully Broken Heroes Aurora’s Girls Book One by Julia Keanini - Sweet Romantic Suspense - We were broken, every part of us. But that makes us the very best at what we do. #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/1CFT50HUcUh
SPOTLIGHT w/EXCERPT - URBAN FANTASY - ANNIHILATION (Gehenna, #2) by Kaylin McFarren #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/jifK50HUcMM
Beautifully Broken Heroes by Julia Keanini #RomanticSuspense
Beautifully Broken HeroesAurora’s Girls Book OneJulia Keanini
Genre: Sweet Romantic SuspensePublisher: Pickled Plum PublishingDate of Publication: 12/21/2021ISBN: 979-8784847072ASIN: B09KL9FC2MNumber of pages: 184Word Count: 49,788Cover Artist: Steven Novak
Tagline: We were broken, every part of us. But that makes us the very best at what we do. Making sure that no other woman or child suffers in the way that we have.
Book Description:
We were broken, every last one of us. I lost my cousin to a brutal murder when I was just eleven. Nadia was emotionally battered and bruised until she was just a shell of her formerly confident self. Ella joined the military to change the world, but unknowingly left her sister behind in the clutches of a monster. And Shai was nearly beaten to death by the man who had vowed to love and protect her.
Maybe we still are broken, at least a little. But it’s because of our scars, not despite them, that we’re able to find and rescue others like us. Others who are still being broken, used as punching bags by loved ones, sold as nothing more than objects, or kept against their will.
I’ve trained for this since I was a child and now I’m putting that training into practice, knowing I can beat up any perpetrator, save any victim, with my bare hands. Nadia hasn’t come across a legal conundrum that she can’t solve and while we try to stay on the right side of the law, sometimes we have to bend the rules to save a life. So Nadia makes sure we never get in trouble for doing the right thing. Ella can talk an elephant into flying, and her skills have wrung confessions out of hardened criminals. And Shai . . . well, Shai is lethal. No man will leave her in a pool of her own blood again.
But because we’re so focused on our mission, the rest of life can get a little messy. Like relationships. I’m kind of in love with my best friend and he has no idea. He’s the only man in my life who hasn’t been intimidated by my strength, and part of me wonders if he’s actually attracted to it. But that relationship is going nowhere since I have a hard time admitting my feelings even to myself. Then Shai has a hot thing going with the police officer who saved her life, but since she refuses to acknowledge it, her love life has stalled before it had a chance. And don’t get me started on Ella and Nadia. Those women attract men every moment of every day, but won’t give any of them a second glance. But we’ll figure it out. The way we do with everything.
We are a team of the world’s most elite warriors, women seeking salvation and redemption for those who can’t do it themselves and holding their abusers accountable. And thanks to our boss, Susie, we’re backed by billions to carry out our work. The criminals of the world won’t know what hit them. Because we are Aurora’s Girls.
Amazon
Excerpt:
A man who preyed on women when they were alone: that’s who we were looking for. The women always sat at the bar, where he'd approach them, manage to gain their trust, and then lead them elsewhere to turn from Prince Charming into their worst nightmare.Knowing that a man capable of such deplorable acts probably stood within a couple dozen feet of me sent shivers up my spine even though I was far from cold in that hot club with my leather jacket. Unlike Shai, who wore a dress that displayed her sleeves of tattoos, I was covered up, especially for a club. I wasn't averse to dressing up, but it felt strange to wear a little black dress my first day at a new job. And how did one fight in a dress? I was sure Shai had it all down, but I preferred my jeans, white tank, and jacket, thank you very much. In that ensemble I was certain I could hold my own . . . and then some.
If there was one thing I knew, it was how to fight. My first self-defense course started the summer I turned ten. It was a few months after my cousin had been murdered by her ex-boyfriend. My mom, and especially my aunt, thought it was imperative that I know how to protect myself in any situation, even if someone came at me with a gun like the man who'd taken my cousin from me.
So to that one summer of classes was added karate and then jiu-jitsu. Soon I had a black belt in several different types of martial arts, and then I turned my attention to boxing. Some have said we Andersons have an unhealthy obsession with training and mastering fighting techniques. But those people weren't awakened one spring morning by their aunt’s screams of terror upon finding out that her only daughter had been murdered just days before her twenty-first birthday.
"We need to move," Shai said in a low voice, taking one of my leather-clad arms and leading me to the dance floor.
I stood awkwardly for a moment before I realized why we were now on the dance floor. We were supposed to dance. So we did. Shai was relaxed, just swaying side to side, but I couldn't dance half-heartedly. The song was one of my favorites so I had to vibe with it. My moves wouldn't make me TikTok famous or anything, but I wasn't bad, if I did say so myself.
"Is Ella okay?" I asked, leaning down to yell in Shai's ear.
We made quite the pair. At five-nine, I was all lean limbs. I'd inherited my height from my father along with my light mocha skin, but what my sisters liked to call light brownde hair and green eyes were all my mom.
And then there was Shai. Tiny, tattooed Shai with her long brown hair pulled back in her signature ponytail, her dark eyes carefully scanning everything around us even as my thoughts continued to wander.
Why was it so hard for me to focus? Probably because it felt like nothing was happening. After years of training, I was ready for action. I was sure it would become easy as soon as our target approached Ella, but for now I really needed to get my head back in the game. Again.
"She's fine," Shai mouthed.
Thankfully I'd been looking at her so I didn't miss her message.
Aunt Susie had warned me that working with Shai would mean needing to practically read her mind. Shai didn't train people. She didn't have the time or patience for it. So if I wanted to work with Shai, I needed to guide myself. Of course I'd already been through months of Aurora training, but I'd have no training on the job. I figured that was a fair trade for working with the best in the business.
There were dozens of other teams Aunt Susie could have placed me on, but I thanked my lucky stars I was right where I was. I'd already learned so much and I was only half an hour into my first job.
The dance floor was packed but Shai and I had carved out a little space for ourselves, so I was taken aback to see a guy suddenly encroaching on that space. He approached from behind Shai, his intent apparent by the way his eyes bored into her butt. He looked back at his friends, laughing and pretending to grope Shai's bottom. I was about to warn her or tell the guy off, but never got the chance.
Somehow sensing his approach, Shai spun toward the guy and his eyes widened. From my position behind her I couldn’t see her face, but the look she gave the coward sent him scurrying away immediately.
I bit back a chuckle as Shai turned back to me and resumed her indifferent pretense at dancing. I didn't know her well yet, but doubted she would have appreciated my laughter. And I definitely didn't want to get whatever treatment she'd just given Mr. Gropey.
About the Author: Julia Keanini is just a city girl living in a country world (and secretly loving it). She loves the mountains and would adore the beach, if it weren't for all the sand and salt (wait, that is the beach?). A good book, a great song, or a huge piece of chocolate can lift her mood, but her true happiness is found in her little fam. She writes about girls who deal with what life throws at them and always about love, cause she LOVES love.
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bf4p3j
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaKeanini
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjuliakeanini/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Julia-Keanini/e/B00U9NB002/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/13575845.Julia_Keanini
February 12, 2022
On Sale for .99 Pussycat Kill by Steve Powell
Dani is anything but normal
Pussycat Kill Steve Powell
Genre: New Adult Action RomanceASIN: B09R14T6H7Publication Date: January 22, 2022
Orphaned at a young age, Dani is caught-up in an impossible love triangle near the end of college.
Graduating, she unexpectedly lands a high-stakes job as a traveling adventurer, in search of numerous artifacts that lie in the hands of illicit individuals.
Recovering from a serious injury she harkens back to meeting her absentee father, a point in time where she discovered that she is anything but normal.
https://amzn.to/3HBdhsF
#OnSale #NewAdult #Romance #Action #Thriller #PussycatKill
Dani is anything but normal
Steve Powell
Genre: New Adult Action Romance
ASIN: B09R14T6H7
Publication Date: January 22, 2022
Orphaned at a young age, Dani is caught-up in an impossible love triangle near the end of college.
Graduating, she unexpectedly lands a high-stakes job as a traveling adventurer, in search of numerous artifacts that lie in the hands of illicit individuals.
Recovering from a serious injury she harkens back to meeting her absentee father, a point in time where she discovered that she is anything but normal.
https://amzn.to/3HBdhsF
#OnSale #NewAdult #Romance #Action #Thriller #PussycatKill
February 11, 2022
A Bewitching Friday
Interview- Pandemic: Chaos is Bleeding by Cynthia Fridsma #Horror #UrbanFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/N6Ay50HSBmO
Dawned #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rZBo50HSBkC
Annihilation by Kaylin McFarren Virtual Book Tour
https://www.mommasaystoread.com/2022/...
Beautifully Broken Heroes by Julie Keanini #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/bpG250HSBfw
Blood and Fire by Kim Mullican #UrbanFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/7rF350HSBj1
YA Paranormal Romance Author Michelle Areaux: Creating an alpha male beefcake + excerpt #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/eTe650HRzBJ
Why Book Covers are Important by Kaylin McFarren #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/o5Jf50HPgcO
Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Writing by Kim Mullican #UrbanFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/BejI50HQtHx
