Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 69
January 2, 2023
Witch of the Black Circle by Maria DeVivo
Witch of the Black CircleDawn of the Blood WitchBook OneMaria DeVivo
Genre: HorrorPublisher: 4 Horsemen PublicationsDate of Publication: March 7, 2022ASIN: B09NB1G11YNumber of pages: 217Word Count: 64k
Cover Artist:
Tagline: When it comes to witchcraft, it's never just a teenage phase...
Book Description:
For as long as she can remember, high school senior Joephie Turner's mother has told her she is cursed by a witch. As she settles into her new hometown of Northport, Long Island at the height of the 1980s Satanic Panic era, Joephie is accepted into a circle of friends obsessed with the occult. Demonic messages on cassette tapes, shady youth group leaders, and passionate sexual encounters push the teen into a thrilling world that lends a deeper meaning to the proverbial mantra: "sex, drugs, and rock and roll." Until it all goes wrong.
A decade later, haunted by nightmares of cults and rituals, formidable burgeoning witch Joephie pieces her memories together in search of answers about the small group of suburban teens that meddled with dark forces. As an adult, Joephie will have to decide what, or who, she is willing to sacrifice from her past in order to claw her way back to sanity.
Inspired by true events, Witch of the Black Circle is a deliciously wicked and nostalgic journey through time where the lines of reality and the supernatural blur. Content warning: satanic rituals; sex; graphic violence; language; drug use
Amazon
Excerpt
Dan reaches over to his bag and pulls out his math book. In the front pouch, I notice a small novel with a black cover. “Hey,” I say, nodding my head in the backpack’s direction. “Whatcha reading?”
“Uh, nothing,” he answers, shrugging his shoulders.
I put out my arms and tap my fingers together like a baby grasping at something. “Lemme see it!”“Nah. It’s really nothing,” he repeats, but he’s unconvincing, and it makes my curiosity burn a hole in my brain.
Kit’s curiosity is piqued as well, so she stands up and moves behind the chair with the backpack. “Now, now,” she sings. “No secrets here, Dan!” She grabs the bag from the chair and pulls out the book. “The Satanic Bible?”
Dan quickly shoots up from the chair, snatches the book away from her, and cradles it to his chest as to hide the cover from us. “Shhhh…” he admonishes as he looks side to side, assessing if my mother was in the vicinity or not.
I hold out my hand again. “What are you reading that for?” I ask. “Give it here.”
Reluctantly, he turns the book over to me, and I examine the cover, the spine, and the back like an investigator studying a piece of crime-scene evidence. Only, I don’t have on rubber gloves. I’ve known about this book. Heard about it. Knew the story of the author, Dr. Anton LaVey, and his Church of Satan. Practically, every youth ministry I had attended had mentioned the evil of this piece of literature at some point in time: If you even look at the book, you can be possessed. Being in its presence alone can have a profound effect on your heavenly soul. Dare not open or read the pages for fear of infiltration by a powerful demonic force. But as I actually hold the book for the first time in my life, I feel … nothing. No fear. No wonder. No spooky taboo. I press the book in my palms trying to feel for any ‘other-worldly’ vibrations or indication that if I open it up I will be damned to hell. But no. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. And more lies and deception from my past teachers come into clear view. “Dude. It’s just a book.”
“Yeah, I know it’s just a book,” he huffs, grabs it from me, and shoves it back into his bag.
The three of us sit back down in silence for a few minutes.
“You okay, man?” Kit asks, concerned.
“Yeah. Fine.”
Clearly, he’s not.
“Where’d you get it?” I ask.
“Why’d you get it?” Kit emphasizes.
Dan looks behind him and scans the kitchen again. Then, he moves his upper body slightly across the table as if to beckon me and Kit to huddle in. We oblige him and he speaks in a soft, hushed tone: “Thomas. This guy from my school. He got the connection with that Ricky kid and the Knights of the Black Circle.”
“The Knights of the Black Circle?” I ask. “What’s that?”
Dan glares at me and holds up his arm revealing the faded black circles drawn up and down his arm, over and over and over. I had thought they were just silly drawings borne out of boredom, but…
“They wanted him to read the book and know some stuff before they accepted him,” he continues. “Thomas said he could probably get me in, too, and told me what passages to study and shit.”
Kit’s pretty eyes widen, and her bangs touch her eyelashes again. “He knows the Acid King?”
A sneer forms on Dan’s lips and he nods. “Uh huh.”
“Wait,” I protest. “What are you talking about? Who are the Knights of the Black Circle?
What’s an Acid King?”
“The Knights…” Dan explains, “they’re a group. Local. They do stuff. They know stuff.”
About the Author:Maria is the Author of the Amazon bestselling and award winning series The Coal Elf Chronicles, the YA psychological horror series The Altered Experience, and the NA Urban Fantasy series The Aestrangel Trinity.
When not writing about dark fantasy and horror, she teaches Language Arts and Journalism to middle school students in Florida. A lover of all things dark and demented, she takes pleasure in warping the comfort factor in her readers’ minds. Just when you think you’ve reached a safe space in her stories, she snaps you back into her twisted reality.
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/mariadevivo
Website: https://www.mariadevivo.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariadevivoauthor
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authormariadevivo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordevivo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorDeVivo
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MariaDeVivo
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MariaNewsletter
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Maria-DeVivo/e/B00CIAYHKY
December 26, 2022
A Bewitching Monday
The Glint of the Luopan by Sally Feng - Urban Fantasy - A Daoist journey through New York and Beijing. A secret society. A young woman on a mission to find her dad. https://jbbookworms.blogspot.com/2022...
Intimate Escape by DC Stone
https://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com...
The Glint of the Luopan by Sally Feng
https://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/202...
Intimate Escape by DC Stone
Intimate EscapeEmpire Blue SeriesBook FourDC Stone
Genre: Romantic SuspensePublisher: Evernight PublishingDate of Publication: 11/29/22ASIN: B0BLL64YJSNumber of pages: 250Word Count: 76,000
Cover Artist: Evernight Publishing
Book Description:
Juliette Scaglione doesn't think her world can get any worse. Recently dumped by her longtime boyfriend while on a vacation she paid for, she returned home only to find the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) on her heels.
DEA Agent Matt Gonzalez is sent on a task to uncover a mule at the airport, one he discovers is a feisty and beautiful woman whom he can't take his eyes off of.
Problem is, things get out of control for both fairly quickly as they are kidnapped by the cartel and taken to a prison in Mexico. The two have to learn how to rely on one another to escape the clutches of this violent operation. Through their journey across a country far from home, both of them recognize fighting their attraction may not be the only challenge they have to face.
Amazon BN
Excerpt:
“What do you expect to find in my bags?” she asked.
Agent Gonzalez stared at her, and rather than answer what she thought was a pretty logical question, he threw another softball. “I’ll ask you one more time. Do you give your consent to allow us to search your bags? I’m warning you now that I have a federal judge on standby in the event you say no, so one way or another, I will search these bags today. It’s just a matter of whether this will go quickly or take a few hours. Up to you.”
Her heart pounded against the inside of her chest, wanting to run away. She felt much the same way. Not that she thought he’d find anything. It was the absolute certainty she saw on his face that said he knew he’d find something.
“What’s going on?” she asked, hating the meek sound in her voice.
“Juliette—”
“Yes! Yes, you can search my bags, my—my body, but you won’t find anything in, or rather, on them.”
Agent Gonzalez unzipped her suitcase.
“After you find nothing, I expect an explanation for what’s going on.” There, that sounded firm. Not shaky, like what her insides were doing.
Agent Watson relieved her of her backpack and purse but placed them on the table and didn’t go through them. Instead, he kept his attention on what Agent Gonzalez was doing, though she knew without a doubt she had his full attention too.
Gonzalez removed her clothing in a systematic fashion, placing items one at a time on the table next to the suitcase. Out came her dirty clothes, which lay on top, jeans, dresses, and her underwear. Her cheeks heated as he continued, his movements slow and thorough.
He got to the bottom, having removed everything from within. Her things were scattered across the table like some bizarre game of Clue.
“See?” she said. “Nothing.”
Agent Watson didn’t move, but Gonzalez sure did. He reached inside her suitcase and felt around the corners, then yanked. The sound of fabric tore.
“Hey! What are you doing?” He tossed the fabric aside, and black plastic square packages were stacked inside in a neat and orderly fashion. Had to be about a dozen of them, at least five to six inches in width.
Shock rooted her to the spot for a few moments. “Wait. What is that?” she asked and took a step forward.
Watson held up a hand in front of her. “Ma’am, please stay back.”
“What is that?” she asked him again, hearing the rising hysteria in her voice.
Gonzalez pulled out one package and produced a pocketknife from somewhere, then cut into the wrapping. Everything around her moved in slow motion until she swore the world had ceased to spin. Her attention stayed riveted to the white powder that came out on the shiny blade.
“Gonna need a test kit,” he said to Watson. The other agent immediately set the bags beside the table, at the farthest reach from her, and left the room.
“Agent Gonzalez,” she said, sounding like she pleaded, because she did. She’d never seen that stuff before in her life. “That’s not mine. What’s going on?”
He pulled out twelve packages, and yes, she counted every single one, before grabbing another black trash bag that someone had taped to the inside of her luggage frame. Once he opened that, several brown baggies came tumbling out. She gasped.
No wonder her bag had been so heavy.
Only then, after the whole horrid nightmare was laid out on the table, all the ugliness next to her things, her clothes, and her bag of toiletries, did he look up at her. “Ms. Scaglione,” he said, reverting to formalities, “the intel we received was there would be someone on your plane, matching your description and carrying a suitcase with over ten kilos of cocaine and about a hundred baggies of heroin. Although I haven’t tested it yet, I can tell you I’d bet my next paycheck that’s what is right here.”
“But it’s not mine.” Dryness coated the inside of her mouth, as if cotton balls had been shoved inside and sucked up all the moisture.
“Are those your clothes?” he asked.
She nodded.
“This your bag?” She nodded, getting where he headed. “Yes, but those drugs are not mine!”
“Of course, they aren’t.” But he said the words as if he didn’t believe her.
“They aren’t!” she yelled.
He slammed his hands on the table and leaned toward her.
About the Author:
D.C. “Desi” Stone is a best-selling romance author and full-time fraud investigator. She lives in the northeast with her incredibly supporting husband, two kids, a cat, and the ever-growing family of dogs.
After serving eight years of service with the United States Air Force, she went on to transition into the world of financial crimes and became a lead investigator for many years.
Reading has always been a passion of hers, getting lost in a good, steamy romance is one of her favorite past times. She soon after discovered her own love for writing and recreating stories and characters in her head. Her writing concentrates on romantic with specifics in paranormal, suspense, and erotica.
Now, when she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hudson Valley Romance Writers, New Jersey Romance Writers, RomVets, RWA Kiss of Death, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. She served as the 2014 NJRW Vice President and Conference Chair. Come stop by on Facebook, Twitter, or her website and say hello!
Website: www.authordcstone.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DCStoneauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcstoneauthor/
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/authorDCStone
Facebook Profile: http://www.facebook.com/dc.stone.92
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 23, 2022
A Bewitching Friday
INTERVIEW WITH SALLY FENT (GLINT LUOPAN) #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UKae50Mbpsx
INTERVIEW WITH C.G. COPPOLA (In the Moment Before) #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/J2XJ50MbppM
The Glint of the Luopan by Sally Feng [Tour with Excerpt] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/7PrC50Mbpta
Intimate Escape
Through their journey across a country far from home, Juliette and Matt recognize fighting their attraction may not be the only challenge they have to face.
https://lshadowlynauthor.com/2022/12/...
THE GLINT OF THE LUOPAN BY SALLY FENG - BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/EGeF50MbprI
The Dark Days of Winter & Ghost Stories for Christmas
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Christmases long, long ago
~It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
That line always confused me when I was a kid. Ghost stories? For Christmas?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/dark-da...
Sally Feng's Top Ten Urban Fantasy Series #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KIbr50M9ieN
New Release - New York Miracle: A Christmas Novella by Margo Laurie #PNR #ChristmasRomance
A sweet, festive story with a dash of the supernatural
New York Miracle: A Christmas NovellaMargo Laurie
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Women’s FictionLength: NovellaASIN: B0BN9LCXTKPublisher: Calleia Press Publication Date: December 18, 2022
Book Description:
Ellie Peach travels to Manhattan for an apprenticeship in the Garment District. While staying at a historic boarding house, she meets the charming and eccentric James Denny. He claims to be a Broadway actor waiting for his lost love. When Ellie offers to help search for her, it leads to old secrets and adventure...
https://amzn.to/3VjGo9L
#holidaynovella #christmasbooks #festivereads #christmasread #holidaybooks #christmasghoststories #christmasnovella #margolaurieauthor #christmasbookstagram #ziegfeldfollies
December 22, 2022
A Bewitching Thursday
INTERVIEW - NA URBAN FANTASY - IN THE MOMENT BEFORE by C.G. Coppola #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/cULo50Maps8
THE GLINT OF THE LUOPAN Book Review and Giveaway
https://kimberlybartosch.wixsite.com/...
Intimate Escape by DC Stone #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/x8Z350Mapvt
Book Review: Wolf Defender (The Defenders Book 1) by M Guida
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2022/12/bo...
SPOTLIGHT - FANTASY - THE GLINT OF THE LUOPPAN by Sally Feng
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/BCMB50MapqJ
Interview with C. G. Coppola Author of IN THE MOMENT BEFORE
https://kimberlybartosch.wixsite.com/...
The Dark Days of Winter & Ghost Stories for Christmas
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Christmases long, long ago
~It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
That line always confused me when I was a kid. Ghost stories? For Christmas?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/dark-da...
Sally Feng's Top Ten Urban Fantasy Series #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KIbr50M9ieN
Escaping the clutches of the cartel & going undetected through Mexico presents significant challenges when no one knows where you are, & when you’re insanely attracted to your subject of investigation.
Intimate Escape #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/SqVH50M9i8q
December 21, 2022
A Bewitching Wednesday
Sally Feng's Top Ten Urban Fantasy Series #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KIbr50M9ieN
Interview with C. G. Coppola Author of IN THE MOMENT BEFORE
https://kimberlybartosch.wixsite.com/...
Deck the Halls with Wolf Defender by M Guida
https://buffykennedy.com/2022/12/deck...
The Color of Trauma
Experiencing another's past could end her future...
https://lshadowlynauthor.com/2022/12/...
Wolf Defender by M Guida [Tour Spotlight] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/8mkc50M9ilf
The Glint of the Luopan by Sally Feng Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/sl0e50M9iiM
Escaping the clutches of the cartel & going undetected through Mexico presents significant challenges when no one knows where you are, & when you’re insanely attracted to your subject of investigation.
Intimate Escape #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/SqVH50M9i8q
In the Moment Before by C.G. Coppola Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours
https://www.mommasaystoread.com/2022/...
Giveaway & Review – The Color Of Trauma by Holly Smurthtwaite @H_Smurthwaite #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/EI5u50M9iaM
Avalon: a Heartwarming True Cat Story by Vanessa Morgan - Memoir / Cats - Some cats need nine lives to make a difference. Avalon only needed one. #bewitchingbooktours
https://jbbookworms.blogspot.com/2022...
In the Kitchen with Sally Feng- Chinese Spicy Hotpot #InTheKitchen #ChineseRecipe #spicyhotpot
Plus a #giveaway to win a print copy of The Glint of the Luopan
https://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/...
Edge by Susan Mac Nicol- Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/TtpQ50M9i3r
Christmas Bitch by Jack Lelko - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ZYEG50M9i19
December 20, 2022
A Bewitching Tuesday
Author Interview - Intimate Escape by DC Stone #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UYLP50M8ai5
Author Guest Post with Jack Lelko: Christmas Bitch #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/qX6j50M8aeN
In the Moment Before
Grayson isn’t like other boys—and I’m starting to find out why. #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/6rvP50M8ah8
A Wolf Christmas Wedding with M Guida - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/zxuF50M8aoi
Cranberry Cake Recipe with Hollie Smurthwaite #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/OAFC50M8ajW
The Glint of the Luopan Sally Feng #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/oEn150M8alA
Edge by Susan Mac Nicol - M/M Rockstar Contemporary Romance - Words cost nothing to write but sometimes, they lead to heartbreak and tragedy. #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/nQHc50M8afH
Wolf Defender by M Guida - Paranormal Romance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/JRWx50M6XjF
Meet the Characters (The Glint of the Luopan by Sally Feng) + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HYFB50M6Xiv
December 19, 2022
A Bewitching Monday
Meet the Characters (The Glint of the Luopan by Sally Feng) + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/so3950M6Xiu
Wolf Defender by M Guida - Paranormal Romance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/nIwp50M6XjG
In the Moment Before by C.G. Coppol [Tour Spotlight #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KmgK50M6Xgt
The Color of Trauma by Hollie Smurthwaite [Tour Spotlight] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/3rEM50M6Xfk
Intimate Escape by DC Stone [Tour Spotlight] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/IE7S50M6Xe9
What does Christmas- the season of goodwill - mean to me? by Susan Mac Nicol, Author of Edge ~ M/M Rockstar Contemporary Romance ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza ~ #EnterforaChance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Fw8f50M6Xc1
Christmas Bitch by Jack Lelko - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/oePB50M6Xb6
AVALON BY VANESSA MORGAN - BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/qM2g50M6Xah
The Glint of the Luopan by Sally Feng #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/A1R650M6XhG
Giveaway & Recipe – Avalon by Vanessa Morgan
@RoxanneRhoads #bewitchingbooktours https://www.fundinmental.com/avalon-v...
December 15, 2022
A Bewitching Thursday
Intimate Escape by DC Stone #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/peJp50M4qXe
In the Moment Before The Coyote And The Claw Companion Series Novella 1 by C.G. Coppola - New Adult Urban Fantasy Romance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/wFbl50M4qTl
FIX: THE FLINT CHRONICALS BOOK ONE by MELODIE BOLT #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/IWuw50M4qQk
The Meaning of Christmas from Susan Mac Nicol #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/U2if50M4qKI
Cranberry Cake Recipe by Hollie Smurthwaite, Author of The Color of Trauma ~
@H_Smurthwaite
~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #PNR #Suspense #EnterforaChance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/8BwV50M37ps
Delaney’s Vanilla and Nutmeg Cookies with White Chocolate Ganache by Jack Lelko, Author of Christmas B!tch @Neurdotically ~ Magical Realism ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza ~ #EnterforaChance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/QiAw50M4qFi
Avalon: a Heartwarming True Cat Story by Vanessa Morgan - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/yYSy50M4qCk
