Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 113
October 24, 2021
Need by Madison Wentworth #ParanormalEroticRomance
NeedMadison Wentworth
Genre: Paranormal Erotic RomancePublisher: Madison CrestDate of Publication: Aug. 30, 2021ISBN: 979-8468157046ASIN: B09F3WVDZCNumber of pages: 165Word Count: 24,000Cover Artist: Bookcoverzone.com
Tagline: Sometimes you crave what’s good for you. Sometimes he craves you too.
Book Description:
Cherie just met the love of her life, but there’s a catch: He’s dead.
It’s not every day you find true love on an adult website, but that’s the most normal thing about Cherie’s new boyfriend, Evan.
To start with, he isn’t actually new. They’re engaged, or so he says. But she has no memory of planning their wedding, or even meeting him, for that matter, because for her, it hasn’t happened yet.
The bond is there, though. She can feel it. As a vampire of the soul, she can taste it, and she needs to taste more of it. It’s a bond so strong that it awakened his spirit in order to find her. Now, she must save him in order to free him from death... so she can have all of him. She needs that.
Need isn’t a word she uses lightly. She’s never truly needed anyone before. But she’s discovering she needs him now, even as their time together appears fated to be cut tragically short. And he needs her, too, more than she knows.
Yet their mutual craving is only just awakening. Can they find a way to cheat the fates and find a future together?
Time alone will tell.
Amazon
Excerpt:
How are you supposed to feel when you find out the man you’ve fallen in love with, who you’ve never even met in person, reveals that the two of you were once engaged, and that you were—inadvertently or not—the cause of his death?
I try to plan for every contingency, but even super-prepared Cher hadn’t seen that one coming.
“Does that mean the whole thing has to happen all over again the same way?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Does it mean we’ll get to meet, after all? Or do I meet another version of you instead?”
“I don’t know.”
This was exasperating. The odd thing was, I found it almost impossible to be mad at him. It wasn’t his fault, anyway. He had no idea how to get out of the place where he was, wherever or whenever that might be, or what would happen if he did. I had no idea how to get him out, either, but I did know I had to find a way—and without him getting run over by a car again. I’d strap him to the bed if I had to.
“If we were engaged before, does that mean we still are?” I asked.
“I think so, unless you want to break it off. Do you?”
“No, I like being your fiancée.”
“Good. Because I like it, too.”
I still didn’t feel comfortable telling anyone else about Evan, or telling Layla anything more about him, because now it was even weirder than before. So, the only person I was left with as counselor was my inner voice.
I need to get him back here again. I need to see him.
Need. It was a word I’d hardly ever used before, and certainly not in connection with myself. But I seemed to be using it more and more with Even.
How do you think you’re going to do that if he’s dead?
It was a good question.
I could call my ghost-hunter friends.
You don’t need to hunt him. You already know where he is: In that smartphone screen of yours! You drew him to you through the internet. Now you just need to bring him the rest of the way.
How?
By being yourself. He hungers for you and can’t resist you. He will come.
Could it possibly be as simple as that? It couldn’t be. I remembered the voice had asked me once before who I was, and I’d answered that I was just me. But I was only that person when I was alone. Otherwise, I was always pretending—except when I was with Evan. I could be myself with him, too. So maybe it really was as simple as that, after all. It had to be, because I couldn’t think of anything else. But how could I be my true self, my vampire self, when the world was watching?
You can’t. You need to go someplace.
It didn’t help that I was having this conversation with myself at work.
“Cher, can you come over here for a sec?” Joy motioned toward me. “This customer needs his frames adjusted.”
“Coming.”
Fortunately for the eye clinic, and for my own job security, I was great at multitasking. I was able to keep brainstorming about how to get some privacy even while I was adjusting Mr. Thompson’s new glasses to fit him perfectly without pinching the bridge of his nose or pulling down too much behind the ear.
“Thank you,” he said. “You’re very good at that.”
I laughed easily. “I should be. I’ve been doing this long enough. But you’re very good at being a patient patient, and that makes all the difference.”
He nodded slightly and... was he blushing? So often, I found that the smallest kind word or gesture was appreciated beyond what I’d expected. People didn’t treat each other with kindness enough anymore. It had become rare enough that, when it happened, it was unexpected.
And they were grateful. It was sad that common courtesy had fallen so far out of style.
But being nice to people was how I’d been raised; it was part of who I was.
Vampires are known for their courtesy. They only enter where they’re invited.
That was it!
I had to be myself—my vampire self—to draw Evan back to the land of the living, but I had to invite him, too. That was the one thing I’d been missing. He might be dead, but he was also a vampire, and if I invited him, he would have no choice but to accept.
About the Author:
Madison Wentworth grew up on syndicated reruns of Dark Shadows and The Twilight Zone, coming of age not far from the Malibu surf. A job as a reporter for a small-town newspaper meant digging through police reports, gossip, rumor, and innuendo. And that led to more work as a writer, and a move east and northward to the opposite coast, a venue far more conducive to night-owl vampires and their felines.
An interest in cinema — and outings to see movies such as Ghost and The Sixth Sense — reignited a fascination with the paranormal, and stirred an interest in blending the mystical with the sensual.
The result is NEED, the author’s debut novella.
Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Madison-Wentworth/e/B09F5RH3LT/
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New Release - Shifting Summer: Mane Shift Book 2 by Laura Bickle #UrbanFantasy #Shifters #Witches
She’s a mediocre witch…and an even worse shifter.
Shifting SummerMane ShiftBook 2Laura Bickle
Genre: Urban FantasyPublisher: Syrenka Publishing LLCDate of Publication: 10/20/21ASIN: B09HBHM37PWord Count: 50093Cover Artist: Danielle Fine
Book Description:
Luna Summerwood, eldest of the Summerwood witches, always thought she was the least powerful one in her family. Her magical gift is the ability to talk to animals, which keeps the chaos in her veterinary clinic down to a dull roar. But a bite from handsome shifter Renan has turned her into a shifter, too…and that’s one power she doesn’t want.
Luna can’t control when she shifts into a maned wolf, and those unexpected transformations wreak havoc on her professional and personal life. Renan does his best to help, but he just found out some very bad news: A shadowy cult of sorcerers put a curse on the Summerwoods' house. Now, Luna and her sisters are being haunted by an ancient spirit that will stop at nothing to destroy them.
To make things worse, the Summerwoods are being investigated by local law enforcement. Luna’s ex-boyfriend, Dalton, lost control of his shifter powers and killed someone. As a result, Dalton’s a wanted man hiding from the law in Luna’s attic. He can’t control his wolf, and anyone in proximity to him is a potential target. Even Luna.
When Luna’s sister, Halley, disappears, the witches know that they’re losing the fight. Running on four feet and no sleep, Luna must find her voice as a shifter in order to protect all she holds dear.
New Release Sale Price $2.99
https://amzn.to/2YqYHm3
#NewRelease #OnSale #UrbanFantasy #Shifter #ShifterFantasy #Witches #Shifters #LauraBickle #NewBook #AmReading #WhatToRead
October 22, 2021
A Bewitching Friday
The Story Behind the Story: How to Nightwalk like a pro + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/yp7a50Gw139
Witch's Brew Cocktail Recipe with Maria DeBlassie #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #CocktailRecipe #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/PHHZ50Gw13Z
Halloween Feature & Giveaway - Eva's Homecoming by Celia Breslin #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/n7Yi50Gw0wy
Witch of the Cards by Catherine Stine - Book Tour + Giveaway
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2021...
Heavenly Desire by J.L. Sheppar #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/JmC050Gw0B5
Smoke & Mirrors by Elise Nelson - Book Tour + Giveaway
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2021...
Dead Man Walking by Zach Adams #Horror
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/h2Ux50Gw0sy
Behind the Veil by E. J. Dawson - Gothic Suspense - To catch a killer or save her sanity #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/i5oi50Gw0rr
Halloween Flash Fiction by Megan Speece #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HXzK50Gw125
Shadow Slayer by Laura A.H. Elliott - Book Tour + GIveaway
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2021...
SPOOKTACULAR RECIPES with Lara Bernhardt #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/W3qY50Gw10U
Shadow’s Past by Natalie Johanson Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/COBc50Gw0XO
Spooktacular Spotlight on #ParanormalRomance: Sea Mage by @louisabacio #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/XR9T50Gw0U1
Honour’s Rest by Judith Crow Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ZhMx50Gw0Jw
Keeping your Pets Safe on Halloween with Tena Stetler #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Ze2850Gw0Fu
SPOTLIGHT: HEAVENLY DESIRE BOOK 3 by J.L. Sheppard #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HJQu50Gw0BY
Haunted Halloween Spooktacular & #Giveaway ~ Recipe for Severed Finger Sugar Cookies by Eileen Sheehan, Author of Eliza: The Awakening Book One ~ Paranormal Shifter Series #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/lxIq50Gw0vu
Jasper: The Beginning by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/icjc50Gw0El
Shadow’s Past by Natalie Johanson #YAFantasy
Shadow’s PastShadow Series Book TwoNatalie Johanson
Genre: YA FantasyPublisher: Tea and Dagger PublishingDate of Publication: Oct. 15, 2021ISBN: 1087965632ASIN: B09FFTJBPWNumber of pages: 320Word Count: 110,000Cover Artist: Samantha at Magical Book Covers
Tagline: Rose will learn the past never stays buried Ancient history won't be forgotten And duties won't be ignored.
Book Description:
Her magic to walk through shadows has grown and changed to so much more.
The shadow wolves are demanding even more of Rose Trewin and now an ancient enemy has returned that threatens the Balance of the world. War seems to hang at the borders.
Rose must face the shadows of her own past if she wants to have any hope to save her kingdom.
Amazon BN
Excerpt
Rose opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling in the dim morning light. Blinking lazily, she rolled her head and checked the small window of her room. The winter wind rattled the shutters and even with the rags stuffed in the gaps, the freezing wind forced its way through the cracks.
She sighed and rolled out of bed, having chased sleep unsuccessfully all night. Even if the howling wind hadn’t kept her up, the nightmares did. Her sleep was fitful, and disturbing. Her dreams were haunted by gray wastelands and whispering ghosts. Recently, her dreams had taken a turn for the worse. The attempted coup on the castle over the summer had left different marks on Rose. That fighting, that type of pain was different than anything she was used to. It had left new scars, hidden and visible, on Rose.
Swinging her legs over the edge of the narrow bed, she absently rubbed the smooth burns that circled her wrists. Despite the thick wool socks, her feet quickly grew cold from the floor, and she glared at the faintly glowing stove. The orange coals did little to heat the small room.
She pushed off the bed and shoved her legs into plain trousers and a simple tunic hanging off the back of the long chair in her room. It was a small box of a room, large enough for a narrow bed, a desk and a chair. The stove was shoved in the corner between the bed and desk.
Unfortunately, the only coat she had was the deep blue uniform coat of the Light Horse: the messenger service of the king. Her belongings were sparse, and her actions over the summer required her to play the part of a Light Horse Officer. And, as her items were few and far between, she’d kept the uniform items. Shoving her arms into the coat, ignoring the feeling of being an imposter as she did so, she walked into the hallways in search of the kitchens.
They’d be warmer than her room, and maybe there was still a snack or two left lying about she could steal before attempting this feat called sleep.
Her life felt stalled. She’d come to the castle, after carrying the message for a dying Light Horse Officer, with the intent to leave again and continue her journey. But then she’d found another person with her magic. Something Rose thought was a mistake of nature or a curse of the gods, and then there was D’ray, the B’Leakon who’d attempted to overthrow King Micah. He appeared and upheaved her whole world.
And so she’d stayed, despite her fear of staying in one place, with the hope of learning more about her magic, of finding answers to questions she’d had all her life. Now, months later and winter fully set in, she had discovered nothing.
The stagnant feeling of her days added to her irritability and inability to sleep.
As she walked, she entered the older parts of the castle. Here the tapestries were older the further away from the public halls. Time had faded the once bright colors to dull, washed out fabrics, but you could still see the epic tales of warriors and kings sewed into their weave. One of the previous kings must’ve had a fondness for the sea, because along the hall to the kitchens, the tapestries were tales of sailors, great sea monsters, and the beginnings of the royal navy.
The suits of armor along these walls, tucked into the alcoves weren’t the shiny, polished displays for the public. These were tarnished, grimy, and damaged from time. She glanced at them as she passed and wondered where these went when they were replaced. Did the castle just throw them out? Or was there a giant room in some dusty old wing stuffed to the brim with old armor parts?
Outside, the raging blizzard beat against the castle and the hallways were frigid as a result. The wind rattled the shuttered windows and howled. The once thick carpets along the floors had long since been worn down by the hundreds of servants' feet over the years. The stone floor poked through in many places. The halls were dark, the few lanterns burned low, and the flames made dark shadows flicker along the stone walls and the suits of armor.
She tucked her fists into her pockets and trudged around the corner.
“Everything alright, ma’am?” A guard paused in his stride down the hall. His black and amethyst uniform made him blend into the dark.
“Yup,” Rose said and kept walking.
He dipped his head in a marginal nod and turned back down the hall. She continued on her journey to the kitchens, further into the belly of the castle.
Finally, at the door, feeling the residual heat of the hearths from inside the kitchens, Rose took a deep breath. Her bones were tired. A weight had settled in her limbs since the summer.
She wanted to sleep. To sleep for days, but she worried the weariness that she carried wouldn’t be cured by sleep.
“Ma’am?”
Rose jerked at Aaron’s voice and found him sitting at the large kitchen table in the center of the room. The candlelight lit up little of his face, but with the shadows, Rose could see his high cheekbones and dusty blond hair. His face was full of sharp angles and lines. She was sure some would call him handsome.
“Everything alright?” he asked, his voice soft but attentive. She’d never seen him lose his attention or his patience.
Rose sniffed, annoyed she’d jumped, and settled across from him at the counter. “Yes.
Can’t sleep. What’s your excuse?”
Aaron, one of King Micah’s personal guards, glanced at her before returning to the block of cheese he was cutting into. “I’m getting off shift and needed a snack before heading to bed.”
Aaron was a tall mountain of a man that managed to sneak around and move with barely a sound in a way Rose was jealous of. She guessed he was a few years older than her, maybe somewhere in the later half of his third decade. He carried himself like a warrior, and she’d seen him fight to know there was no lie in the lithe, lethal way he moved. It made her wary, but she’d never once seen him raise his voice.“Oh. Well, tell me, Aaron of the guard.” She nicked the cheese he’d sliced off the block and he frowned at her. “Do you enjoy it?”
Aaron frowned at her but sliced off another piece before pulling the teapot off the fire and settling at the table. He poured them both a cup before speaking. “Shield. Those who guard the royal family are Black Shields. And yes, it is a very fulfilling position.”
Rose raised her eyebrows and sipped the tea. “You enjoy following a man around all day, every day? And what royal family? It’s just him here.”
“There’s more to it, and you know that,” Aaron said with a sardonic look. “And yes, right now, only the king. But when his cousins or his aunt visit the castle, their protection falls to us. And eventually, the queen and heirs.”
“I see.” Rose ducked her head, shame burning her cheeks. She did know that. She’d seen the work and risk Aaron and the other Shields had taken to protect the king last summer. She shouldn’t have insulted him so. “I apologize. I’m in a mood, it seems.” She stared into her tea.
“Sleep disagrees with me.”
She pushed strands of her hair out of her eyes and tried to tuck it behind her ear.
Aaron nodded and pushed his plate toward her. “After the battle this summer, I’m sure many find sleep hard to come by. It will pass in time.”
She would bury these nightmares just like she has with all the others. These will just take her more time. More time and more rum. She started to rub the smooth scar on her wrist and had to tell herself to stop.
“Are you still training with Archie?”
Rose chuckled. “Everyone really does call him Archie when he’s not looking, don’t they?”
Archie, or Archibald as he preferred it, was one of the Swordmasters in the castle that trained new and upcoming recruits. His younger sister, Mariah Sayla, was captain of the Light Horse. She was currently trying to convince Rose to become a Light Horse Officer herself. Rose still had her doubts about that being a good idea. Assassins didn’t belong in castles.
Aaron laughed, a deep, baritone laugh. “Yes, and I’ll denounce you as a liar if you tell him.”
Rose laughed too and it felt good to laugh, like something had loosened in her chest with the sound. She hadn’t laughed since the summer attack on the throne room, when her magic had gone to shit, and she’d been trapped there after exhausting her magic, after letting the shadows in too far. Her hand went to the scars on her wrist again. D’ray had burned her wrists when he’d forced her memories out with his magic in an effort to assassinate the king. “Your secret is safe with me.”
He nodded his thanks, a smile still on his lips. “How’s your training going? It’s hard work, and not many stick with it. Archie must see something in you to keep you on, without being paid,” he eyed her with a raised eyebrow, “or a member of a corps.”
She crooked a smile and ignored the jibe. “It’s a challenge, and I like challenges.” It also lets me clear my mind and not… think or feel or... “It’s just me and the sword and trying not to get smacked.” She paused and chewed her cheek. “Although, I don’t like the broadsword. Archie started me with a long knife, but...I’m much better with my little daggers.”
Aaron scrunched his brows together as he thought, and Rose took the opportunity to steal more cheese. “I have watched you fight in the practice rings. All of the Shields are Swordmasters, but we are also trained in...a variety of weapons aside from the broadsword. You should train with us sometime. Maybe I can train you in some weapons more to your style.”
Rose nodded noncommittally. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to commit to more training with more people. The more ties she made here, the harder it would be to leave. Some part of her didn’t want to disappoint so many people if she disappeared, and fewer ties meant less disappointment. Although, she wasn’t sure when she started caring about what others felt. The thought made her frown. She was already becoming too attached here, and she wasn’t even sure she was going to stay.
The bells started their chimes, and even down in the depths of the kitchens, they heard their faint echo. “I really must be retiring. I suggest you try to do the same.”
Rose nodded and watched him leave. She stood and checked in the back of the cheese larder and found the bottle of brandy was still there.“Mine,” she whispered as she grabbed it, stuffed it in her pocket, and finally turned back to her room.
* * * * *
Later that afternoon, while nursing a rather impressive headache, Rose sat curled in the stiff, overstuffed armchair in the common room for the Light Horse. The room was filled with a scattering of tables, and benches. The hearth had a large bookshelf built into the stone around it. Random knick knacks from the years were scattered on the plain wood shelving. A carved horse. A mismatched collection of books. Some trophy from a race she didn’t know. The room was old and shabby, but it was lived in and loved. She felt like an intruder sitting here.
The fire roared in the hearth, making the large room warm and cozy. The sound of wood popping and crackling in the flames filled the room. The storm continued to blow outside; the window on the far end of the room was crusted with ice.
In the back of her mind, the shadows were restless, no doubt adding to her brandy headache. Something was stirring them, the denizens of the Shadow Land. She could feel them prowling in the shadows, could feel their irritation. She’d never felt them behave like this before. Normally the shadowy beasts existed on their own and, up until this summer, kept to themselves. She didn’t know what it meant, but whatever it was… they were angry about it.
“What is causing such a frown?”
Rose blinked, focusing her eyes again, and turned to Sam Fiben. He sat across from her on the equally battered and old couch. He watched her with his expressive, eager eyes. Sam was also a member of the Light Horse and, like so many of the officers, had a magical ability. While it wasn’t a requirement, as far as Rose was aware, the corps seemed to attract lost souls with odd magics. Sam controlled fire. Poorly, but he was learning. The stoic captain also had magic and could read minds. A skill that had set Rose on her nerves when she’d first arrived.
“Was I frowning?”
He nodded, a small grin on his lips. His piercing blue eyes seemed to twinkle at her.
“You looked quite bothered.”
“Hmm,” she hummed and set her eyes back to the fire. “Something’s changed.”
“What has?”
“I don’t know,” she murmured and rolled her shoulders. But she needed to find out.
She stood with a sigh, head pounding behind her eyes, and turned from the room. She could feel Sam’s eyes on her, but she ignored the stare on her back. The people in the Light Horse were so open, so used to sharing their cares and troubles with each other, but she’d survived by keeping her secrets close to her. She didn’t know how to share. Didn’t know if she wanted to.
Instead, she retreated to her drafty room, her boots clicking on the stone floor with her hasty steps. Closing the door behind her, Rose’s hands shook. The last time she’d used her magic, it had taken control. It had harmed people, the king. She’d nearly lost her mind to the shadows. But the hells be damned, she wasn’t going to let them control her.
She closed her shutter, blocking out the little light from the afternoon. In her dark room, Rose dropped into the shadows, into the Undertunnels. Like stepping into a room, she entered the world that existed between worlds. It lived in the shadows, the darkness, the between spaces of the world. Here, the world was awash with blues and grays and a heavy mist settled around her knees. The dark world is broken up by little ‘windows’ looking into the world at places where light meets darkness.She could feel the wolves pacing in the darkness, could sense their agitation. Perspiration broke out on her forehead at their nearness, but they made no move to break into her mind. A wind stirred the mist in a flurry, and dew gathered on her face.
“What’s happening?” she asked, her voice wispy. She ground her teeth in annoyance.
Red eyes appeared in the darkness and soon, the darkness condensed into a snout, a head, the body of a wolf. Standing nearly to her chest, the red-eyed beast stared at her, hackles raised and dew-drops dotting its fur.
“What is happening?” Rose asked again. This time her voice was firmer.
The wolf lifted its lips in a silent snarl, white fangs gleaming in the darkness.
“He’s awakened.” The voice echoed in her mind.
She fought back a grimace and told herself, again, that she was in charge of these beasts. Not the other way around. “Who?”
“He ruins the Balance. He should not be!”
More wolves appeared in the darkness.
“Who!” Rose shouted at them.
They froze, all blazing eyes turned to her. A stillness settled in her bones, and even the swirling mist seemed to hang suspended.
“The Earthmover.”
About the Author: Natalie Johanson grew up and lives in the valley of Salt Lake City surrounded by the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Her days are spent trying to herd her two cats, Holmes and Watson. Natalie's summers are spent camping or exploring new places. She usually spends her winters hiding from the snow.
http://www.nataliejohanson.com
http://www.facebook.com/nataliejohansonauthor
http://www.instagram.com/natalietheauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58405409-shadow-s-past
October 21, 2021
5 Unusual Halloween Activities with Vanessa Morgan & Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children
FIVE UNUSUAL HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES
By Vanessa Morgan
Do you want to do something different for Halloween? Here are five unusual places you can visit.
A horror-themed museum
Torture museums are the obvious picks for Halloween. But what about a Museum of Vampires and Legendary Creatures, or a Museum of Fantastic Art?
A horror-themed escape game
Escape games are all the rage these days, and they come in a variety of different themes. For Halloween, pick one with a haunted house or horror topic. Will you make it out... alive?
An abandoned (haunted) house or building
They don't even have to be haunted; abandoned locations are creepy enough in and of itself, especially if you visit them at nighttime. A word of caution, though: Some of these places can be dangerous (holes in floors, falling bricks), so don't go exploring on your own.
A horror-themed restaurant or bar
The Vampire Cafe in Shinjuku, Japan, for example, has cross-shaped food, dark corners, blood-red decorations, and waiters dressed up as vampires and speaking with a Transylvanian accent. If you want to keep it more simple and close to home, you could opt for Lost Boys Pizza in London, England, named after the 1980s horror movie – complete with horror movie background music, black pizzas (Kale All Vampires, Fangs for the Memories), and horror-themed events (movie screenings, vampire yoga).
A horror film festival
Many cinemas host horror movie nights for Halloween, but it's even more fun to visit a horror film festival (such as Razor Reel) and enjoy horror films all week(end) long.
Which unusual Halloween place(s) would you like to visit?
Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous ChildrenVanessa MorganGenre: horror, thriller, movie reference, encyclopediaPublisher: Moonlight Creek PublishingDate of Publication: August 15, 2021ASIN: B09CNSJRTFNumber of pages: 392Word Count: 143.538Cover Artist: Gilles Vranckx
Book Description:
Something's wrong with the children. They're murdering classmates, torturing parents, speaking in tongues, drinking human blood, and practicing black magic. Your offspring is on the rise, their blood no longer innocent. There will be casualties, and you may be among them.
Featuring nearly 250 of the creepiest, weirdest, and most dangerous kids ever to inhabit the cinematic landscape and sourced from over 40 different countries, Evil Seeds is THE comprehensive movie guide to villainous children in all their incarnations: the supernatural horror of ghosts and demonic possession, twisted tales of twins and changelings, dark matters of witches and evil babies, visceral frights of werewolves and vampires, the lurid lore of golems and trolls, and shocking drama of murderous orphans, juvenile serial killers, survivalist youngsters, and disturbing family values.
From cult classics to obscure fan favorites, Evil Seeds proves there is no shortage of frightening children. So keep an eye on your little darlings, or they might just fix their sights on YOU.
Amazon US Amazon UK
About the Author:
Vanessa Morgan is the editor of the movie reference guides When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies, and Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children. She also has had one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders) published. Three of her stories have been turned into movies. She has written for myriad Belgian magazines and newspapers and introduces movie screenings at several European film festivals. She is also a programmer for the Offscreen Film Festival in Belgium. When she's not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching movies, eating out, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/eeriestoriesAmazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Vanessa-Morgan/e/B0092GUO2M
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2890032.Vanessa_Morgan
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A Bewitching Thursday
In the Kitchen with Laura A.H. Elliott #Halloween #Recipes for Monster Claws and Assorted Eyeballs #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UAGp50GvaZO
Poetry Corner with Elise Nelson #PoetryCorner #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/k8WZ50Gvb4T
In the Kitchen with Natalie Johanson - #Recipe for Swedish Cardamom Bread #Kardemummanbrod #InTheKitchen #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/2rg650GvaVF
INTERVIEW WITH MADISON WENTWORTH (NEED) #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Skx050GvaRY
Honour’s Rest by Judith Crow #YAMagicalRealism #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/efiJ50GvaKb
Heavenly Desire by J.L. Sheppard #PNR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/6lPk50GvaGh
Demon Shadow by Timothy Patrick Means Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Zaqg50GvavT
Urbantasm Book Three The Darkest Road by Connor Coyne Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Rfoz50Gvaua
To catch a killer or save her sanity
Behind the Veil
E. J. Dawson #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/PNIp50GvapW
Halloween Spooktacular: 5 Things NOT to Do While Ghost Hunting by Louisa Bacio + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/x2TW50GvaUJ
HAUNTED HALLOWEEN - SUSPENSE - THE WANTLAND FILES by Lara Bernhardt #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/SIcX50Gvb70
Music Playlist for Witch of the Cards by Catherine Stine #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/FxpI50GvaXc
Halloween Flash Fiction by Megan Speece #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/N6Gj50Gvb1f
Celia’s 2021 Halloween Viewing Picks #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/GG0h50GvaAg
Eliza: The Awakening by Eileen Sheehan - Book Tour + Giveaway
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2021...
Shadow’s Past by Natalie Johanson
http://roxannerhoads.booklikes.com/po...
Halloween TV Viewing Picks with Celia Breslin #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #PNR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/jsKM50GvanR
Do you have a fear of Halloween? Guest Blog by Tena Stetler #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
Do you have a fear of Halloween?
Then you suffer from Samhainopobia.
I don't fit in that category! Do you?
Today Halloween is attracting adults in a masquerade type atmosphere, much like Mardi Gras. Their costumed antics mock, challenge, and tease the mysterious, possible malevolent forces of the night. The otherworld becomes our world on this night of enchanted possibilities and transcendence. Are we reaffirming death as a part of life in an exhilarating celebration of magic for an evening? Or like me, just enjoying the air of celebration on a night the veil between the living and dead is purported to be the thinnest. Every year with the help of my hubby, I decorate our house to the hilt on the first day of October and revel in Halloween décor the entire month.
Did you know Jack-O-Lanterns originated in Ireland? People placed lit candles inside hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween) holiday. Boy, did we do a role reversal on that aspect of Halloween. Instead of chasing the spirits away, we tend to invite them in.
Most present-day Halloween traditions are traceable to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Halloween consists of mysterious customs, but each has a history, or at least a story behind it. Take wearing costumes, and roaming from door to door demanding treats. This behavior can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and about, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This is where the practice of trick-or-treating began. To this day, vampires, witches, ghosts, and skeletons are among the favorite costumes.
Our Halloween also retains activities from the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, (pumpkins) as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices for cider associated with the day. Although at my house, hot chocolate is pretty popular, since Halloween almost guarantees the first snow of the year.
Happy Halloween!
Hidden Gypsy MagicA Witch’s Journey SeriesBook ThreeTena StetlerGenre: Paranormal Romance/MysteryPublisher: The Wild Rose PressDate of Publication: September 28, 2020ISBN: 978-1-5092-3256-7ASIN: B08FXBNLW5Number of pages: 330Word Count: 85,144Cover Artist: Kristian Norris
Tagline: The consequences of awakening hidden gypsy magic could forever alter life as they know it!
Book Description:
The Salem Wildlife Sanctuary is Gwen Taylor's life work. Her Irish Gypsy heritage provides a hidden talent she uses to help the creatures under her care. But even her magical skills can't help new rescues in dire need of veterinary care.
The opportunity of signing on as the vet for Gwen's sanctuary dropped into Brock Scutter's lap after he expanded his practice to include wildlife. The personal attraction he and Gwen experience is undeniable the more their professional and personal lives collide.
Touring the only "non-haunted" house in Salem they both feel a spark of magic. A trip to his family's cabin uncovers a heritage he didn't know existed. If they want a future together, it means facing the consequences of awakening hidden Gypsy magic and a race against the clock to correct past wrongs.
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"This house may not have a history of magic, but I'd bet it's magical. You're going to put an offer in. Right?"
"As I said before, it may be completely out of my price range."
"I have a feeling the house has been waiting for you." Gwen flung her hand to her mouth, her face flushed, and her gaze swiveled to him. "I don't know what made me say that."
Looking thoughtful, he grinned. "Since the day I stumbled upon Pepper's secret — then discovered that you and I share the gift or curse of gypsy blood, things have been different—" Pausing, he shoved his hand in his jean's pocket and jingled the change in his pocket. "I've been different. It's as if knowing magic exists awakened something in me."
"Join the club. Years ago my best friend Pepper made a believer out of me. In fact, there were times I wished—never mind. Whether it was my outlook or as you said magic awakened. But to be fair, I've always had what I called a sixth sense with animals, attuned to their feelings, almost their thoughts, fears, that kind of thing. Pepper called it my talent. But as we became close, I noticed other abilities… you'll think I'm crazy."
"Try me." He moved closer to her and the front door banged open. Quickly he rushed to the top of the stairs.
About the Author:Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.
Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Authors’ Secret’s Blog - https://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/
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October 20, 2021
Witch's Brew Cocktail Recipe with Maria DeBlassie #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #CocktailRecipe
Witch's Brew Cocktail
It’s been a while since I’ve concocted a cocktail recipe, and even longer since I’ve come up with one for Halloween. I love a good cocktail because they’ve always struck me as one of the most basic kinds of potions. Think about it: a good cocktail can give us liquid courage, exorcise a hard work week, or even act as a temporary love spell. And as will all potions and spells, the medicine is in the dosage. Too much and it’s poison, too little and your Friday night is perhaps a little less adventurous (wink wink).
It bears repeating that I like to avoid syrupy or excessively sugary ingredients and stick to clean tastes modeled after the classics when it comes to cocktail making. I do this because most novelty cocktail—a la Halloween drinks—are sugar bombs. Not my idea of a good time or a tasty drink. Although I call these Halloween-inspired concoctions, I have been known to drink them throughout the year, especially the green fairy, a tasty absinthe-kissed cocktail perfect for ending the workweek and stirring up some writing inspiration for the weekend.
Lately, come Saturday night, I’ve been experimenting with this new drink: Witch’s Brew. It was inspired by my garden and all the herbs I cultivate there: rosemary, lavender, sage…all delicious, all medicinal, all typically associated with healers and witches because of their various magical and healing properties. I started wondering how I could fold those flavors into a tasty magical brew.
I used gin as the base because of herbaceousness and went for a bold choice of mixer: chartreuse. It’s what gives this drink the verdant green color we typically associate with potions. It’s also an ancient healing tincture made from over 130 herbs. It tastes fresh, like mint and fennel, with the other herbs as a strong supporting cast. Yum! I paired this refreshing taste with lime because I love a good gimlet and its variants.
The real kicker to this is what I do with the gin. I infuse it with green apples—who doesn’t think of witches without thinking of forbidden fruit?—along with rosemary and a few juniper berries to make the herbaceousness of the gin really pop. Also because I love rosemary, the natural protector of the herb world. Juniper berries are also fast becoming a kitchen witch staple in my home. Did you know juniper both protects good energy and repels the negative? If that’s not magical, I don’t know what is! Add a dash of bay leaf bitters, for the leaf’s powers of divination.
As with all spells (and drinks), feel free to play with the recipe. Chartreuse might be a bit pricy for some (though a little goes a long way so it will last a while!), try swapping it out with rosemary or ginger simple syrup or apple schnapps (or both!)—it will change the flavor, but will no doubt be equally festive, if with more sugar. The infused gin makes about two cups of yum—plenty to experiment with or to whip up a magical batch of this brew.
All good spells require a little time, a little love, and quality ingredients. While this cocktail is a touch more labor-intensive than my others in that you first need a week to infuse the gin, it’s worth it. Plus, while you wait, you can prepare the right kind of energy you want to infuse into this brew. Do you need a little more magic in your life? A little more mischief? A dash of hope or a heading dose of healing? Whatever you need, let it brew until you’re ready to infuse it into a batch of this tasty elixir.
Ingredients:
For infused gin:2 cups gin1 Granny Smith apple2-4 juniper berries (depending on how strong you want the juniper flavor to be)1 large spring of rosemary
For cocktail:
2 oz apple and herb-infused gin2 dashes bay leaf bitters.75 oz chartreuse.5 to .75 oz freshly squeezed lime juice (depending on how tart you like it)
In infuse gin, slice green apple and place in clean mason jar. Squeeze juniper berries so they crack a little—this will help the alcohol absorb their flavor more—and place in jar. Pour gin over ingredients and let sit for a week, shaking when you remember to. A day or two before you want to enjoy your cocktail, throw in a sprig of rosemary that has been slightly bruised, again, to help the alcohol better absorb its flavor. I wait for a little on the rosemary because the fresh stuff takes less time to be extracted in alcohol and letting it sit too long in the gin muddies the flavor. To use, pour gin through a strainer into a clean mason jar.
For the cocktail, mix gin, chartreuse, lime juice, and a dash of bitters in a shaker. Add ice and shake until the container is frosty. Serves one—so double or triple the batch and invite your coven over. Pair with a chilly autumn night, a full moon, and a handful of spells. Cauldron optional.
This post originally appeared on Enchantment Learning and Living, home of professor, writer, and bruja Maria DeBlassie, where true magic is in the everyday!
Weep, Woman, WeepA Gothic Fairytale about Ancestral Hauntings Maria DeBlassieGenre: Gothic Fairytale, Occult, SupernaturalPublisher: Kitchen Witch PressDate of Publication: August 25, 2021ISBN:978-0-578-97464-4ASIN: B09CV9P9SHNumber of pages:150 pagesWord Count: 37,935Cover Artist: Rachel Ross
Tagline: Nothing makes a woman brave except getting on with the business of daily life.
Book Description:
A compelling gothic fairytale by bruja and award-winning writer Maria DeBlassie.
The women of Sueño, New Mexico don't know how to live a life without sorrows.
That's La Llorona's doing. She roams the waterways looking for the next generation of girls to baptize, filling them with more tears than any woman should have to hold. And there's not much they can do about the Weeping Woman except to avoid walking along the riverbank at night and to try to keep their sadness in check. That's what attracts her to them: the pain and heartache that gets passed down from one generation of women to the next.
Mercy knows this, probably better than anyone. She lost her best friend to La Llorona and almost found a watery grave herself. But she survived. Only she didn't come back quite right and she knows La Llorona won't be satisfied until she drags the one soul that got away back to the bottom of the river.
In a battle for her life, Mercy fights to break the chains of generational trauma and reclaim her soul free from ancestral hauntings by turning to the only things that she knows can save her: plant medicine, pulp books, and the promise of a love so strong not even La Llorona can stop it from happening. What unfolds is a stunning tale of one woman's journey into magic, healing, and rebirth.
CW: assault, domestic violence, racism, colorism
Amazon
Excerpt:
One time, I was feeling mighty fine and thought I’d try something different. I saw this ad in a magazine where a woman was in an obscenely large bathtub and covered up to the neck in bubbles. This was in a room with a marble floor, and there were candles everywhere, and she had her hair up all nice and a face mask on. Well, I got to thinking a nice long soak after a hard day’s work would be nice.
This was a few months after my run-in with Sherry, and I was trying hard to let myself enjoy things more. It occurred to me after seeing her that her fatal flaw was not believing that her future was right in front of her. Or maybe she was too afraid to take it with both hands. I began to wonder if we didn’t hold back and do half the work for La Llorona with all that we ran from life.
So I bought some bubble bath and made more beeswax candles and set about having myself a spa night. I mean, my bathroom was nowhere near as nice as the one in the picture. My tub was only long enough for me to sit upright and was right next to the toilet, but I made do.
It was lovely. I mean, divine! I could see why fancy women liked this. I put on the radio, and the music was soft and sweet, like the candlelight against the fading day. I was so relaxed, that I was about to fall asleep in that tub.
That was when I felt cold hands grip the soles of my feet and pull me under.
I should have seen it coming. Why willingly linger in a body of water? But I didn’t, and that was how I found myself drowning in bubbles and thrashing around in my tub. It’s also how I learned that evil woman could find me anywhere—and I mean anywhere—so I could never let my guard down.
Her grip was strong. Seemed like the harder I fought, the stronger she got. I was flailing about, my arms searching for anything and everything to hold on to, when I knocked one of those beeswax candles into the tub. To this day, I have no idea why that scared her, but it did. She recoiled something quick at the hiss of the flame when the wax hit water.
I didn’t waste a second—I hoisted myself out of the tub and collapsed on the bathroom floor, choking and sputtering and sopping wet. Took me forever to clean up the mess and cough up all those flower-scented bubbles. My feet were cold and sore for days, with claw marks where her bony fingers hooked into my skin.
Whoever said bubble baths were relaxing was a big fat liar.
About the Author:Maria DeBlassie, Ph.D. is a native New Mexican mestiza blogger, award-winning writer, and award-winning educator living in the Land of Enchantment. Her first book, Everyday Enchantments: Musings on Ordinary Magic and Daily Conjurings (Moon Books 2018), and her ongoing blog, Enchantment Learning and Living are about everyday magic, ordinary gothic, and the life of a kitchen witch. When she is not practicing her own brand of brujeria, she's reading, teaching, and writing about bodice rippers and things that go bump in the night. She is forever looking for magic in her life and somehow always finding more than she thought was there.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/enchantmentll
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Jasper: The Beginning by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
The Curse of the Werewolf
The werewolf originated in the times of ancient Greece when their gods reigned supreme. During one fateful festivity, Lycaon, the son of Pelasgus, was in need of a meat to serve. Too lazy to go hunting for wild game or to slaughter a lamb, he served the Greek god, Zeus (who was the ruler of the sky and of all gods and mankind), a meal made from the remains of a sacrificed boy. This severely enraged Zeus. As punishment, the angered god turned Lycaon and his sons into wolves. They were to be looked upon by the rest of humanity as something to abhor.
Zeus’ lover Selene (who was the goddess of the moon) took pity on Lycoan’s family. She felt it unfair to make them pay for a sin that they had no part of. After much effort, she convinced Zeus to shorten the curse and allow them to enjoy humanity until they were of age to wed and breed. (This age, at that time, was their early teens when their hormones took over and a girl became a woman and a boy became a man). Instead of the curse being a constant, it would activate only during the hours of the full moon. All other times they were allowed to be human.
Although she campaigned for the pain that was involved in the shift to be eliminated, she was only able to have it become lessened over time.
As for humanity’s viewpoint on the werewolf, she was able to do nothing to change it.
As centuries passed, new gods came into play and Zeus’ power faded enough to allow certain branches of Lycaon’s bloodline to breed out the curse enough so that it often skipped generations. In some, it would afflict only one or two per generation. In others, it remained dormant unless they were exposed to a werewolf’s venom or scratch.
Because humanity abhorred and hunted them, they kept to themselves and hidden as best as they could. This meant that many with a dormant werewolf curse in their genes never encountered a werewolf. They had the good fortune to go through life never knowing their true selves.
Those who were less fortunate and encountered a werewolf had the curse awaken in them. As did those of a generation that followed one that was skipped, leaving them without others nearby to aid them in their shift.
Such is the curse of the werewolf.
Jasper: The BeginningBook OneEileen SheehanGenre: Paranormal Romance ThrillerPublisher: Earth Wise BooksDate of Publication: June 29, 2021ISBN: 979-8527979565ASIN: B097XFT4VTNumber of pages: 162Word Count: 55,511
Tagline: Taking a shortcut through a dark and remote alley on Halloween night proved to be a life changing decision of research scientist, Jasper Greene.
Book Description:
Bitten by a zombie and brutally attacked by a group of werewolves, he was left for dead only to be discovered and rescued by a vampire king who took him home to heal.
Delighted to discover that Jasper's research was on genetics with a focus on elongating life (for which he often used himself as a test subject due to lack of money), the vampire king assigned him the task of shifting the vampire DNA so that it was less obvious what they were when in the company of humans.
With his assistant, Lila, in tow he was provided a lab and set to work. With toxins from werewolves and zombies mingling with the vampire blood he was provided during his healing time, Jasper struggled to adjust to his new body while he did his best to accommodate the vampires until the opportunity to escape presented itself. But, where does a man who has vampire, werewolf and zombie traits go?
The Beginning, is book 1 of the Jasper series.
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Excerpt… Even though he’d drawn blood, it wasn’t the zombie character who pummeled him to the ground. He was still trying to piece it together, but he was certain that the beating came from another source. Two. No, three men. They came out of nowhere in wolf-like costumes and sliced off the head of the zombie dressed character with a large sword while Jasper was struggling to be free of him. Jasper’s first thought was that he’d stumbled into a gang war zone of some type. Gang battles were nothing to take lightly. Although death was often a result of such battles, beheading wasn’t something that he’d read about in the news.Traumatized to the point of being immobilized by what he’d just witnessed, he was unable to fight back when the three men proceeded to tackle him to the ground and pummel his body with fists, rocks, and, finally, a crowbar. It wasn’t until much later that he questioned why they’d left his head intact.
The attackers desire to closely mimic the character of the costumes they wore was both frustrating and shocking. He could only reason that there was some sort of contest or gang challenge that they were participating in to make them behave with such dedication even while mugging someone. If memory served him right, he was clawed and bitten by one of them as well.
Left broken and barely holding onto life, he felt certain that he wouldn’t survive more than a few hours. The possibility of someone of strong moral character stumbling upon him in that dingy alley and calling for medical help was bleak. If by some miracle someone did come along to rescue him in time, he’d definitely have to get tested for diseases that could have entered his bloodstream via these wounds.
He grew weaker and weaker as he faded in and out of consciousness. Whenever his mind got coherent enough to realize his situation, he was surprised to discover that he was still able to inhale life giving air. He shouldn’t have survived such a brutal attack. Yet, the searing pain that coursed through every inch of his body told him that he’d done just that.
The question was… for how much longer?
Summoning enough strength to move his hand to his pants pocket, he was surprised to discover that his money was still there. He could feel that the designer watch that he’d purchased to replace the watch he’d inherited from his grandfather and had been stolen in a mugging while in his early twenties had also been left on his wrist. Things weren’t making sense. Getting drunk and, then, acting in character and attacking in such a way was one thing, but since when did robbers beat a man to mere inches from his life and then not rob him? Then, were they really robbers? They’d beheaded a man, after all.
About the Author:
Eileen Sheehan primarily writes hot, steamy romances (mostly New Adult) with a sexy male and strong female. A few are steamier than others (see their description). The majority of her novels are paranormal, but some are just plain novels about people in love (contemporary or historical with the author name of Ailene Frances). ALL of her stories have a bit of naughtiness, some excitement, a few thrills, and maybe a touch of mystery mixed in with sometimes naughty, sometimes sweet lovin'. She strives to write a novel length that will allow the busy woman to be able to sit down in an evening or two and be taken on a romantic journey without having a week go by before she gets to the end of the story.
An incurable romantic, she has a love affair with at least one of her characters... one book at a time. She hopes the same thing happens to you.
www.sheehan-author.infohttps://www.facebook.com/groups/162542557665509
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October 19, 2021
Halloween TV Viewing Picks with Celia Breslin #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #PNR
Celia’s 2021 Halloween Viewing Picks
My family watches (and binge-watches!) paranormal shows year-round, but especially during Halloween month. Here are our top ten recommendations for Halloween this year.
* Ash vs. Evil Dead: comedy horror series with the fabulous Bruce Campbell as Ash, our hero with a chainsaw arm.
* Castle Rock: Stephen King fans, check out this super creepy psychological horror series.
* Daybreak: A comedy adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world with teens battling zombies. while trying to survive.
* The Expanse: a science fiction series that’s both crime drama and political thriller, with war tension, a missing person, and a shocking conspiracy.
* The Haunting of Bly Manor: wonderfully creepy gothic horror, ghost story set in a gorgeous, scary mansion.
* The Irregulars: A supernatural crime drama set in Victorian London, with a band of misfits, Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes, and assorted troublesome, supernatural beings.
* Locke & Key: three siblings deal with magical reality-warping keys, demons, and superpowers.
* Stranger Things: outstanding science-fiction horror with spunky kids, secret government antics, and creepy creatures.
* The Umbrella Academy: fantastic fantasy adventure series in which seven adopted siblings with superpowers deal with family drama, time travel, and saving the world.
* The Witcher: don’t miss the adventures of Geralt, our sexy, handsome, and fierce monster hunter as he navigates a dark fantasy world fraught with peril.
Happy viewing!
A Demon's EmbraceCupid Dating Agency Book FourCelia Breslin
Genre: Paranormal RomancePublisher: Celia BreslinDate of Publication: December 2020ISBN: 9781393692881ASIN: B08Q8JRLWNNumber of pages: 124Word Count: 30KCover Artist: Brantwijn Serrah
Tagline: She believes him the enemy. He's determined to prove her wrong.
Book Description:
Former relic-hunter and soldier for Hell, Stryker spends his days of redemption running a holiday store in a cheery little town in the California wine country. He’s not complaining. The gig puts him across the street from his one and only heart’s desire—a blue-eyed angel with a clever brain, a hot bod, and the wickedest right hook this side of Heaven. Too bad his delectable Angel Cake won’t give him the time of day.
Warrior-class angel and restaurateur, Zara keeps busy designing interesting foods and beverages for the eateries and gym she owns with her celestial teammates. She certainly has zero time or interest in the annoyingly sexy, darkly bronzed demon who drove her bonkers for eons while working for the other side.
But then a freak storm complete with hell beasties rampages their hometown, and God and the cupids order the pair to team up to investigate. Frustrating news for Zara. Fantastic for Stryker. His new mission? Show his feisty angel their partnership is meant to extend far beyond this one job for Heaven...
Amazon US Angus and Robertson Apple Books
Excerpt
Stryker and Zara's First Kiss...
Location: Charon's boat, River Styx, the Underworld...
...The boat heaved upward as if struck from below, sending her airborne. Before she could conjure her wings, Stryker shot up and snatched her around the waist, hauling them both to the deck.
Flat on his back with her sprawled atop his hard body, he grinned, much too pleased with himself for her liking. “Told you it gets rough,” he shouted over the rush of water. “I never lie to you, Angel Face.”
“That in itself is a lie,” she shot back, wedging her fingers in the gaps between the bone flooring and gripping tight while the chopping river tossed their ride. She could list thousands of his deceptions. Fine, they were revisiting his loathsome past behavior. “What about the time you stole the Ark of the Covenant? Or the Holy Chalice? The Vatican heist? Or when you took Joan’s sword and—”
“Aw, c’mon, she deserved it. She cut off the tip of my wing.”
“It regenerated, and you had no right to bother her in the first place when she was busy saving—
“Hey, I gave it back.”
“I made you give it back, demon.”
He laughed but the sound was lost in the great roar of the river. Its turmoil increased, waves thrashing over the bow as if their presence angered the river.
“Buckle up, baby.” Stryker held her tight to his chest. The boat bucked upward and bashed down, again and again. Freezing water sprayed everywhere, drenching them in seconds. Zara shuddered, chilled to the bone, half expecting ice to form on her frame.
Cheek to cheek, Stryker clutched her close with a hand cupping her head and one massive arm banded around her torso. “Hang on Angel Cake, I’ve got you.” Warmth slid into her quivering body, a soothing heat wafting from the demon. “Nice trick, right?” he murmured into her ear, lips grazing her skin.
Teeth chattering, she didn’t reply, too caught up in the sensation of his surprisingly soft lips on the shell of her ear, and his spicy scent, an intriguing blend of cardamom, cinnamon, and earthy, masculine musk.
Desire danced through her, followed fast by denial. No. Please, no. Eternal enemy. Archnemesis. He’s the bad guy. But her libido didn’t seem to care one bit about their battle-filled past, or even their more recent clashes. Her treacherous body relaxed against his, basking in the continued warmth emanating from him.
“Yes, baby. That’s it.” His hand slid to her nape, and he exhaled against the sensitive skin of her neck, setting off a flurry of butterflies in her stomach.
Trap. This had to be a trap, right? Nothing good could come of a tryst with a demon. It didn’t matter how loudly the hum chimed in her, or how wonderful his hard body felt under hers, they couldn’t possibly—
Oh, no, now his clever fingers kneaded the knots in her muscles, massaging the tension from her neck and shoulders, making her melt.
His warm lips brushed her ear once again. “Angel…”
She should stop him. Really, she should. Then he nuzzled the hollow of her shoulder, and his soft kisses eroded her superego’s usual iron will. […] Maybe, if she explored the cosmic hum trying to call them together instead of running from it, she would discover it meant nothing at all. Maybe, she could simply kiss him and move on.
She turned her head. He stilled, one hot palm planted between her shoulder blades, the other lounging on her lower back, his mouth so close their breath mingled. Goose bumps tracked over her and not from the cold since she had Stryker as her personal space heater.
Zara didn’t dare look into his eyes, instead digging deep one last time to stop this insanity, dredging up reasons this was a bad idea. Demon. D’uh. Longtime foe. Brash, blunt, devious, conniving, opinionated, manipulative, flirtatious, and yes, flirting was bad, so very, very ba—
[...] Lord help her, she wanted him too. Her gaze clashed with his. Such pretty eyes for a demon, like black onyx flecked with amber. He went statue-still beneath her, seemed to be holding his breath now, waiting for her to…
Make a move?
She wrapped a lock of his shoulder-length hair around her finger. Damp from the crashing river. Shiny, deepest black. Silky, and as warm as his body. She tugged on it.
A groan escaped him, and he kissed her.
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. When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to fantasy TV shows and movies.
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