Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 19

Review This Cursed House by Del Sandeen

This Cursed House by Del Sandeen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was heavy reading in many ways. 

So much emotion, discomfort and horrors to face but it was so well done.

This Southern Gothic is everything you could hope for in a spooky book - New Orleans, old haunted mansion/plantation house, ghosts, and curses.

But none of that is the true horror in this novel.

The real horror is the lasting effects of slavery and racism and how they created generational trauma. The long lasting effects make people hate themselves for what they are and hate their own because they see in their family members what society has taught them to hate.  These people are so filled with self-loathing they take that out on their loved ones.

Racism and societal standards created a family of monsters who do truly horrifying things. 

I received an ARC from Netgalley.

View all my reviews

Other Worlds by Kay Freeman - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular

Luna Lord’sRecipe for Healthy Carrot Muffins 

for Humans and Werewolves

Ingredients:

¾ cp of gluten-free flour
½ cp of almond, rice or banana flour
⅔ cp dark brown sugar 2 tb raisins (optional)
2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda pinch of salt
2 large eggs
⅓ cp of melted butter or choice of oil 1 tb of vanilla extract
4 medium carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
½ cp crushed pineapple

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spraymuffin tins or line muffin tins with paper liners if using.

Whisk all dry materials together. Inanother medium lightly whisk the egg, then whisk in the butter or oil andvanilla extract

Quickly and lightly fold the wetingredients into the dry ones with a rubber spatula. Stir in the carrots andpineapple until everything is evenly mixed. The batter will appear thick.Divide it up into the muffin tins, evenly. Bake until brown and toothpick comesout clean, approximately 30 minutes. Take out of tins after five minutes andcool on rack. These are great warm but they can be eaten cool as well. Thesefreeze well too and can be reheated in the microwave.

Muffins are about 180 calories a piece,approximately, and calories will fluctuate depending on oil and flour chosen.

 

 

Other WorldsKay Freeman
Genre: A Gothic RomantasyPublisher: Kay Freeman LLCDate of Publication: September 1, 2024 ISBN:979-8-9901068-3-3 ASIN: B0D4T2FDHLNumber of pages: 202Word Count: 77, 320
Cover Artist: Consuela Parra 
Tagline:  Run with Wolves or Fly with Immortals? A Love Story Written in Blood.
Book Description:
After Luna's world shatters, she seeks refuge in the mystical town of Assisi, Italy. Passions run high in this supernatural realm. Luna is irresistibly drawn to a gothic villa teeming with secrets and danger, owned by a vampire who offers her immortality. Nearby, a werewolf pack leader stalks her in the forest, determined to claim her as his mate. Torn between these new loves and her past one—her famous soon-to-be ex-husband—and her passion for photography, Luna sets out to discover what makes life worth living.
Join Luna on a perilous journey of desire and destiny in a novel that weaves contemporary gothic themes with fantasy. Enemies to Lovers, Beauty and the Beast, and Love Triangle tropes.
Amazon      Kobo      Smashwords      BN

Excerpt:

Thisone’s perfect… similar to the model in the Botticelli painting Birth of Venusand the evil one who took his son. She has a long, narrow face, alabaster skin,and golden-brown hair that shines in the sun.

Justlike her.

Kingcrouches, blending in with the low-hanging branches of the donkey killer plant.He’s been stalking the woman on the bike path since yesterday morning. It’s apopular path with bikers, connecting the towns of Assisi and Spoleto in Umbria.It’s December now, though, and too cold, which explains why she is the only onecurrently on it. The woman’s faded blue jeans and turquoise flannel shirt makeher easy to track.

Yesterday,she sat under a sprawling pine tree, its thick branches casting dark shadows onher face as she wrote a letter. The paper covered her lap. She attacked it withher pen, each stroke seemed more violent than the last until she tore theletter into pieces. Her chest heaved and then, after she had calmed down, shewrote another. When she finished, she read it aloud, her voice breaking astears streamed down her cheeks. She begged her boyfriend to send money.

Afterpushing her completed version into an envelope, the woman walked to town,speaking to herself the whole way before she mailed it. Then she trudged backto her tent in the woods and got drunk, passing out, her desperation revealingitself once more. King had slept while she slept, only coming to when her movementsawakened him this morning.

Nowshe stops to fetch the last of her wine from her backpack and smokes reeferwhile she hikes, making her more vulnerable. She’s probably on her way back toher tent, the one she slept in last night. The flimsy canvas is no barrier orprotection from him or anything else. How silly for her to be out here alone.

VictorKing is alone, too. That’s seldom the case. Most of the time, he travels withothers from his pack, but right now, they’re back in the cave. If they had beenhere, King wouldn’t be able to do what he’s about to.

Oncehe traps her, he’ll call his friend Matteo, a human. Matteo promised to giveKing five million lire for any woman he traps and gives him. King will use themoney to buy food and supplies. There’s been limited food to hunt as it’sgotten colder, and once it snows, there’ll be even less.

Kinghad scoped the woods all morning and afternoon. There are no hunters or farmerswho will shoot at him to help the woman. The nearest cottage is three milesaway.

Shepicks up her backpack before placing one strap over her shoulder and taking afew steps. King keeps within striking distance. The jays and blackbirds goquiet, and the woman senses something wrong and freezes. She turns her headfrom right to left, searching the woods.

Kingknows she can’t find him.

About the Author:
Kay Freeman spent the early part of her career as a professional artist. She’s shown her work throughout the United States under her professional name, Kay A. Klotzbach. Kay was a full-time art professor in South Jersey for over twenty-three years and was granted a Princeton Mid-Career Fellowship for her teaching and her community based service learning projects.
Kay decided to pursue her passion for writing after her manuscript, Truth Moon, was selected by Romance Writers of America’s RAMP program in 2021, which led to the publication of her debut novel, Truth Moon, by The Wild Rose Press. Kay has gone on to self-publish six other novels. 
Kay has won several awards for her writing. In 2022 Hitman’s Honey won third place in Mid Atlantic Author Society’s Romance Contest and in 2024, her novel Leather Man was one of three finalists in Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume Contemporary Short Category. Her novel The Flower Queen topped Amazon’s Best Seller List, climbing to number eleven in June 2023 in the Historical Romance, 20th Century category. Kay is celebrated for crafting hard-won happily ever-afters that involve spiritual journeys and transformations for her characters. She also writes a publication for romance authors, What Do Romance Authors Think About, a free newsletter on Substack. Besides her passion for art, reading, and writing, she loves the blues, tequila, and her husband Barry. Kay lives in Wilmington, DE. 
You can learn more at:
https://www.kaylaafreeman.com/ 
https://x.com/KayFree78949595 
https://www.facebook.com/kay.freeman.7921975
https://www.instagram.com/kayfreemanthewriter/


a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Bewitching Friday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops


Wanderer of the Wastes by Kit Karlsson #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4elvXN8


The Hunter’s Daughter reviews: “This was an intricate and fast paced read that had its hooks in me from the first chapter" - @kerasalwaysreading
The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from
@berkleypub
SHOP NOW: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#NicolaSolvinic #TheHuntersDaughter


The Taker of Faces stalks the night for her next victim. Great Oak hatches plans to crush dissent in her realm. Injured Desideria is at the mercy of a strange creature that means her no harm—or so it says. Dark fantasy abound in the fairytale world of Tales of the Wythenwood. https://bit.ly/3yKNqiK
#DarkFantasy #Fantasy #EpicFantasy #JWHawkins #Anthropomorphic #Kindle #MarkLawrence #AnnaStephens #BenGalley
Tour Giveaway - $25 Amazon Voucher & Signed print copy of Tales of the Wythenwood https://kingsumo.com/g/3lpronm/tales-...


How to Care for Your Monster Girlfriend with Kit Karlsson
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...


Please stop by my booth tomorrow, September 28 2024, at the Flushing Harvest Fest
I'll have copies of all my Haunted America Books plus spooky art and crafts
https://fb.me/e/4fp6dqxUl


October 2 Books & Boos
Paint a Ghost with Author Roxanne Rhoads and chat about local haunts
Roxanne's books will be available to purchase
Grain & Smoke
115 N Maple St
Flushing MI 48433
6:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/74614...
Requires Pre-Registration Sign Up Here:
https://grainandsmoke.com/books-boos-...




As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned

A Bewitching Thursday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops


Wanderer of the Wastes by Kit Karlsson ~ Fantasy Romance #FantasyRomance #Romance #Magic ThereIsAGive@way #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/47KhOXC


The Taker of Faces stalks the night for her next victim. Great Oak hatches plans to crush dissent in her realm. Injured Desideria is at the mercy of a strange creature that means her no harm—or so it says. Dark fantasy abound in the fairytale world of Tales of the Wythenwood. https://bit.ly/3yKNqiK
#DarkFantasy #Fantasy #EpicFantasy #JWHawkins #Anthropomorphic #Kindle #MarkLawrence #AnnaStephens #BenGalley
Tour Giveaway - $25 Amazon Voucher & Signed print copy of Tales of the Wythenwood https://kingsumo.com/g/3lpronm/tales-...

How to Care for Your Monster Girlfriend with Kit Karlsson
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...


Tales of the Wythenwood by J.W. Hawkins
https://www.owenhabel.com/2024/09/tal...


Please stop by my booth on September 28 2024 at the Flushing Harvest Fest
I'll have copies of all my Haunted America Books plus spooky art and crafts
https://fb.me/e/4fp6dqxUl


October 2 Books & Boos
Paint a Ghost with Author Roxanne Rhoads and chat about local haunts
Roxanne's books will be available to purchase
Grain & Smoke
115 N Maple St
Flushing MI 48433
6:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/74614...
Requires Pre-Registration Sign Up Here:
https://grainandsmoke.com/books-boos-...

A Bewitching Tuesday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops


How to Care for Your Monster Girlfriend with Kit Karlsson
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...


Tales of the Wythenwood by J.W. Hawkins
https://www.owenhabel.com/2024/09/tal...


“I knew this was wrong, so wrong.”
“But it felt right, in a way I could never explain, as if I were retrieving parts of my past, calling them home.”
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group on sale May 14, 2024. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #newrelease



Please stop by my booth on September 28 2024 at the Flushing Harvest Fest
I'll have copies of all my Haunted America Books plus spooky art and crafts
https://fb.me/e/4fp6dqxUl


October 2 Books & Boos
Paint a Ghost with Author Roxanne Rhoads and chat about local haunts
Roxanne's books will be available to purchase
Grain & Smoke
115 N Maple St
Flushing MI 48433
6:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/74614...
Requires Pre-Registration Sign Up Here:
https://grainandsmoke.com/books-boos-...

A Bewitching Monday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops

Wanderer of the Wastes by Kit Karlsson #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3XvalXw


10 Things You Didn’t Know About About H. R. Sinclair #UrbanFantasy https://serenasynn.blogspot.com/2024/... 


The Hunter’s Daughter unfolds a chilling tale of a woman with a dark legacy: she's the secret daughter of a serial killer. As a copycat killer emerges, she must rely on the eerie skills her father taught her in the forest to track them down. It's a gripping story that will keep you on edge until the very end.
The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #TheHuntersDaughter #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #newrelease


Tales of the Wythenwood Book One Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3XTVE1M


The Taker of Faces stalks the night for her next victim. Great Oak hatches a plan to crush dissent in her realm. Injured Desideria is at the mercy of a strange creature that means her no harm—or so it says. Dark fantasy abounds in the fairytale world of Tales of the Wythenwood. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4daEDoo


A gardener inherits a haunted brownstone, fickle magic, and a hidden key that someone else wants. And they’re willing to kill for it.
#bloodstonewitch #lostwitch https://amzn.to/4co24Ky


Making Believable Characters with J.W. Hawkins #DarkFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4e7M2WP


Attracting and Caring for Fairies- Advice from H. R. Sinclair #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3MLkwlM


Please stop by my booth on September 28 2024 at the Flushing Harvest Fest
I'll have copies of all my Haunted America Books plus spooky art and crafts
https://fb.me/e/4fp6dqxUl


October 2 Books & Boos
Paint a Ghost with Author Roxanne Rhoads and chat about local haunts
Roxanne's books will be available to purchase
Grain & Smoke
115 N Maple St
Flushing MI 48433
6:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/74614...
Requires Pre-Registration Sign Up Here:
https://grainandsmoke.com/books-boos-...


Bloodstone Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4eBf4xV


As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned

Wanderer of the Wastes by Kit Karlsson

Wanderer of the WastesKit Karlsson
Genre: Fantasy RomancePublisher: Lake Country PressDate of Publication: October 29, 2024Number of pages: roughly 300Word Count: 97,700Cover Artist: Fay Lane
Tagline: In a world where magic can save or shatter, Kol Mendona must survive lethal secrets—and an even deadlier love—as he discovers he might not be as human as he believed…
Book Description:
Kol Mendona, one of the last humans on the magical continent of Alon, is desperate to escape his dying underground compound. When Alessi, a fierce dragon slayer with silver eyes, arrives, Kol sees a way out.  As they journey together through the deadly wastes, an unexpected bond forms between them – one fueled by passion and dangerous magic.  But as Kol’s strange new powers awaken, their bond becomes increasingly unstable. Something within him is changing in ways he doesn’t fully understand, and if Alessi ever discovers the truth, Kol may lose more than her affections…
Amazon

Excerpt 1:

“If you take me with you, I’ll doanything,” he said. To buy Astor some time. To get out of there.

She opened the door and pushed himout, preparing to close it again, but he put his foot in it.

“Anything?” she asked.

“Anything.”

“That’s a dangerous word when there are fatesworse than death.” She tilted her head again to the side, an amused look on herface. “You’re a strange man, Kol.” She slammed the door, and he was alone inthe darkness.

About the Author:  Kit enjoyed writing as a child and rediscovered her passion during the COVID-19 lockdown. She has a degree in finance from Southern Methodist University and recently graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was the administrative editor of an academic publication. When she’s not writing, you can find her running barefoot, taming stray cats, or listening to paranormal podcasts.
https://x.com/kitkarlsson
https://www.tiktok.com/@kitkarlsson

A Bewitching Friday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops

Bloodstone (Lost Witch, Book One) by H. R. Sinclair ~ #UrbanFantasy #UF ~ @SouthpawPOV
https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/2024/...


The Taker of Faces stalks the night for her next victim. Great Oak hatches a plan to crush dissent in her realm. Injured Desideria is at the mercy of a strange creature that means her no harm—or so it says. Dark fantasy abounds in the fairytale world of Tales of the Wythenwood. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4daEDoo



To Anna, everything is clear-cut, grounded in logic & facts. Yet, when her past resurfaces, she's forced to confront the murky depths of her subconscious. The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from @berkleypub https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB #nicolasolvinic #TheHuntersDaughter


Bloodstone by H. R. Sinclair
https://www.westveilpublishing.com/?p...


A gardener inherits a haunted brownstone, fickle magic, and a hidden key that someone else wants. And they’re willing to kill for it.
#bloodstonewitch #lostwitch https://amzn.to/4co24Ky




Making Believable Characters with J.W. Hawkins #DarkFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4e7M2WP


Attracting and Caring for Fairies- Advice from H. R. Sinclair #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3MLkwlM


Please stop by my booth on September 28 2024 at the Flushing Harvest Fest
I'll have copies of all my Haunted America Books plus spooky art and crafts
https://fb.me/e/4fp6dqxUl


October 2 Books & Boos
Paint a Ghost with Author Roxanne Rhoads and chat about local haunts
Roxanne's books will be available to purchase
Grain & Smoke
115 N Maple St
Flushing MI 48433
6:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/74614...
Requires Pre-Registration Sign Up Here:
https://grainandsmoke.com/books-boos-...


As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned

A Bewitching Thursday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops


A gardener inherits a haunted brownstone, fickle magic, and a hidden key that someone else wants. And they’re willing to kill for it.
#bloodstonewitch #lostwitch https://amzn.to/4co24Ky



The Taker of Faces stalks the night for her next victim. Great Oak hatches a plan to crush dissent in her realm. Injured Desideria is at the mercy of a strange creature that means her no harm—or so it says. Dark fantasy abounds in the fairytale world of Tales of the Wythenwood. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4daEDoo


The Hunter’s Daughter unfolds a chilling tale of a woman with a dark legacy: she's the secret daughter of a serial killer. As a copycat killer emerges, she must rely on the eerie skills her father taught her in the forest to track them down. It's a gripping story that will keep you on edge until the very end.
The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group. Now available: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #TheHuntersDaughter #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #newrelease



Making Believable Characters with J.W. Hawkins #DarkFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4e7M2WP


Attracting and Caring for Fairies- Advice from H. R. Sinclair #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3MLkwlM


Please stop by my booth on September 28 2024 at the Flushing Harvest Fest
I'll have copies of all my Haunted America Books plus spooky art and crafts
https://fb.me/e/4fp6dqxUl


October 2 Books & Boos
Paint a Ghost with Author Roxanne Rhoads and chat about local haunts
Roxanne's books will be available to purchase
Grain & Smoke
115 N Maple St
Flushing MI 48433
6:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/74614...
Requires Pre-Registration Sign Up Here:
https://grainandsmoke.com/books-boos-...


As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned

A Bewitching Wednesday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops

Making Believable Characters with J.W. Hawkins #DarkFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4e7M2WP


“I felt haunted by him.”
“Not in the way my father had been haunted. I believed that my father’s will had been taken from him, that Veles acted through him. Perhaps that was a true possession, and I merely flirted at the edges of it. Enchanted. Maybe that was how it had begun with my father.”
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB  https://amzn.to/48NTMdP
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #newrelease


Attracting and Caring for Fairies- Advice from H. R. Sinclair #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3MLkwlM


Join Me on October 5 for a Book Signing at AMaizing BookBee in Flushing
https://www.facebook.com/events/93627...


Bloodstone by H. R. Sinclair #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4eu3zIi


Please stop by my booth on September 28 2024 at the Flushing Harvest Fest
I'll have copies of all my Haunted America Books plus spooky art and crafts
https://fb.me/e/4fp6dqxUl