July 17, 2016 by Tina Williams

ARC REVIEW ~ November Rain (Bad Bloods #1), Shannon A Thompson

Young Adult

#dystopian, #urbanfantasy #scifi #paranormal

Book Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them.

Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.

My Review ~ 5 stars

Dark and Insightful Dystopian read

November Rain is the first instalment in the Bad Bloods series, available for pre-order, alongside November Snow the next book in the series. It is a real treat to read –fast-paced, character driven and eerily prescient. Originally conceived by author Shannon A Thompson over a decade ago, it has now been re-released by Clean Teen Publishing.

The story is set in a world where the divisions between those in power and those who are reviled by the status quo are chilling and stark. This future dystopia echoes current world events where we are witnessing many societies becoming more and more fearful and intolerant of those who are different and where there is talk of walls, both physical and metaphorical being put up to keep people apart. The story is told through the eyes of young adults and children and I feel that the issues raised are all the more poignant for it.

Serena the heroine, a bad blood, condemned to death by the authorities, escapes her fate after being unexpectedly freed by a prison guard. Exhausted and injured she is on the run and is saved and healed by Daniel, a fellow bad blood who is leader of a rival ‘flock’ (a group of bad bloods who join together for survival). As the plot unfolds we learn that Serena and Daniel are linked in some way and that Serena has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that the result of the impending election is favourable to her kind, giving them a place in human society, rather than them being exterminated.

There is no love lost between Robert, the leader of Serena’s flock and Daniel. The two have a history, although neither the reader nor Serena is privy to the details. Both Serena and Daniel know that pursuing their friendship will undoubtedly lead to a confrontation, but nevertheless they are drawn to one another. Daniel and others know that Serena and her powers are special in some way. What is her role in safeguarding the future of the bad bloods at this crucial time of an impending election which pits those who would protect her kind against those who hanker after their destruction? Is she up to the challenge? Who will survive the approaching storm? Not all of these questions will be answered. Indeed, there is plenty of suspense and the scene is set for more revelations and plot twists in book #2 which I am impatient to read!

I am familiar with the work of Shannon A Thompson and she is an immensely talented writer. She does a fantastic job of painting the picture of the dystopian society which her characters inhabit. It is a world where the bad bloods, those who possess unpredictable and special abilities, are feared and persecuted. It is chilling in parts, often hinting at horrors, rather than describing them in detail. It is a reminder of how societies can sometimes turn against others, perceiving them as a threat purely on the basis of them being different. I was reminded of events from history such as the witch trails and the Holocaust, not to mention contemporary events surrounding the modern day diaspora of those from war torn countries which has resulted in the pressure of immigration on other nations, which some are fearful of.

A top read for readers of Young Adult fiction and/or for those who are seeking a thought provoking read.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, an ARC of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon US Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880615.Shannon_A_Thompson

https://shannonathompson.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorShannonAThompson/

July 8, 2016 by Caroline Barker

Book Blitz Raven’s Peak (World on Fire #1) by Lincoln Cole

Title: Raven’s Peak (World on Fire #1)

Author: Lincoln Cole

Genre: Horror, paranormal thriller

Release date: July 5th, 2015

Length: 276 pages

BUY LINKS: Amazon UK and Amazon US

Blurb: A quiet little mountain town is hiding a big problem. When the townsfolk of Raven’s Peak start acting crazy, Abigail Dressler is called upon to find out what is happening. She uncovers a demonic threat unlike any she’s ever faced and finds herself in a fight just to stay alive.

She rescues Haatim Arison from a terrifying fate and discovers that he has a family legacy in the supernatural that he knows nothing about. Now she’s forced to protect him, which is easy, and also trust him if she wants to save the townsfolk of Raven’s Peak. Trust, however, is considerably more difficult for someone who grew up living on the knife’s edge of danger.

Can they discover the cause of the town’s insanity and put a stop to it before it is too late?

Author bio

Lincoln Cole is a Columbus, Ohio-based author who enjoys traveling and has visited many different parts of the world, including Australia and Cambodia, but always returns home to his pugamonster puppy, Luther, and family. His love for writing was kindled at an early age through the works of Isaac Asimov and Stephen King and he enjoys telling stories to anyone who will listen.

https://www.facebook.com/lincolnjcole
https://www.twitter.com/lincolnjcole

http://www.LincolnCole.net

June 27, 2016 by Caroline Barker

Review Round-Up, April & May ’16

Hi readers, it has been a while since our last Review Round Up. Life certainly seems busy at the moment, and a little chaotic. With Britain’s EU referendum resulting in an ‘out’ vote, the government in turmoil with no real plan, and the weather just as changeable, I am sure many of us are looking for ways to keep calm and focus on other interests.

Tina has been working extremely hard with the Tamworth Litfest group, ensuring the smooth run of the Romancing the Word event, as well as setting up many author events over the next year. As a visitor to Romancing the Word, I have to say that it was a magical day for all – authors and visitors. It was an absolute pleasure to meet with Helena Fairfax, Pat Spence, J.A. Heron, Julia Ibbotson, S.J. Warner, and many, many more.

Meanwhile, I have taken some time away from the blog to build on the foundations of my family’s move to Scarborough. I have been volunteering at a local school, helping with reading, and joined a local Zumba class. Walking along the fantastic coastline and through beautiful parks and forests have also taken up weekends as we familiarise ourselves with this very beautiful corner of England. Another pastime has easily been taking my time as I have enjoyed photographing many a stunning view, and now with a new camera I am hoping to pursue this more too. And then, there is the Euro 2016 football tournament that I have been watching obsessively, as well as trying to fit in episodes of Outlander, Preacher, Outcast and Vikings!

Aside from this, we have our number 1 passion of reading some fantastic reads. Below you will find twelve reads from April and May that we have reviewed for you. From crime fiction, paranormal horrors and psychological thrillers to regency romance and erotic romance we hope, as always, that there is a little something for everyone. (Please click on the book titles for more book info and our full reviews.)

And please remember, whatever the weather, whatever the chaos find time to do a little of something you enjoy 🙂

Caroline & Tina ❤

Find us on Facebook and Twitter @areadersreviewb

Bloq by Alan Jones, crime fiction, thriller, drama (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: A father waits in Glasgow’s Central Station for his daughter, returning home from London for Christmas. When the last train has pulled in, and she doesn’t get off it, he makes a desperate overnight dash to find out why. His search for her takes over his life, costing him his job and, as he withdraws from home, family and friends, he finds himself alone, despairing of ever seeing her again.

This is a gritty crime novel with some sexual content.

Love’s Misadventure (Mason Siblings #1) by Cheri Champagne, historical regency romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Miss Annabel Bradley refuses to accept life as a spinster. Her many years of pouring greedily over gothic novels has put her head in the clouds; dreaming and hoping for the love she reads about. She has always held a tendre for her best friend, Lane Mason, seventh Earl of Devon, but she does not want to jeopardize their friendship by telling him about those indecent dreams of hers. Anna, therefore, makes a life-changing decision; she is going to accept the proposal of the next suitor to ask!

Lane Mason is an average aristocrat; absorbed in life in general, and content with his status in society. Amid a frequently occurring moment of self-loathing, Lane shockingly discovers his feelings for Anna. Now armed with the awareness of his love for Anna, Lane decides to perpetrate a devilishly clever scheme. He will pay actors to abduct the two of them in order to give Anna an adventure like the ones she reads in her treasured books.

Lane’s plans go awry, however, when they are kidnapped in truth.

Mother by Alistair Cross & Tamara Thorne, psychological thriller (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: A Girl’s Worst Nightmare is Her Mother …
Priscilla Martin. She’s the diva of Morning Glory Circle and a driving force in the quaint California town of Snapdragon. Overseer of garage sales and neighborhood Christmas decorations, she is widely admired. But few people know the real woman behind the perfectly coiffed hair and Opium perfume.

Family is Forever. And Ever and Ever …
No one escapes Prissy’s watchful eye. No one that is, except her son, who committed suicide many years ago, and her daughter, Claire, who left home more than a decade past and hasn’t spoken to her since. But now, Priscilla’s daughter and son-in-law have fallen on hard times. Expecting their first child, the couple is forced to move back … And Prissy is there to welcome them home with open arms … and to reclaim her broken family.

The Past Isn’t Always as Bad as You Remember.
Sometimes it’s Worse …
Claire has terrible memories of her mother, but now it seems Priscilla has mended her ways. When a cache of vile family secrets is uncovered, Claire struggles to determine fact from fiction, and her husband, Jason, begins to wonder who the monster really is. Lives are in danger – and Claire and Jason must face a horrifying truth … a truth that may destroy them … and will forever change their definition of “Mother.”

The Con Artist by Kitty Thomas, dark literacy erotica (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Art. Obsession. Twisted possession.

When starving artist Saskia Roth meets Lachlan Niche, a local art collector and tech tycoon, she has no idea how her life is about to change. One act of desperation, one con gone wrong, and she finds herself at the mercy of a powerful man she fears and despises–or so she thinks at first. As lines begin to blur, her life as his captive becomes something more… something that will both transform her and destroy her.

Demon (Kassidy Bell #3) by Lynda O’Rourke, paranormal horror, psychological thriller (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: After escaping the Bishop’s house with Ben Fletcher, Kassidy soon learns that there’s more to Ben than the eye can see.

Still running from the demons and police, her journey takes her north in a frantic pursuit to find Doctor Langstone, in the hope that Kassidy and her friends can remove the ever-spreading drug – VA20.

But will Kassidy get there before it takes over her mind and body, before she is snatched back to Cruor Pharma? Can she really make it, now that the demon, Doshia, seems to be travelling amongst her and her friends?

Vampires of Maze (Part 3) (Beautiful Immortals series 2) by Tim O’Rourke, paranormal mystery thriller (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: From Tim O’Rourke #1 bestselling author of ‘Werewolves of Shade’ (Beautiful Immortals Series One) comes ‘Vampires of Maze’ (Beautiful Immortals Series Two) a vampire and werewolf romance with a twist.

Witch, Julia Miller, has been sent by the Wicce to bring an end to the war that rages between the Beautiful Immortals. Joining a pack of werewolves, Julia must travel with them to a land unknown to her. Here she will learn the horrifying truth about the dark secrets hidden in the town of Maze.

To stay alive, Julia will not only have to figure out who to trust but also who to love. For Julia’s worst nightmares are about to get a whole lot more terrifying as she heads into the war raging between the vampires and werewolves where even her own magic abilities won’t be able to protect her.

A Labyrinth of Love and Roses (Touchstone #4) by Beth Barany, contemporary fantasy romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: From award-winning novelist, Beth Barany, comes another magical tale of romance and adventure — a sweet, Hallmark-like tale.

What if what you wanted got in the way of your destiny?

French MBA grad Lili Grenault needs to succeed at her last pitch meeting to fund her international green tech business. But her grandmother tells her to drop everything, find her one true love, and embrace her magical legacy by Beltane, in one week, or chaos and failure in her life will ensue.

San Francisco investor Brett Barnaby wants to find his great-grandfather’s gravesite in Amiens, France, one of the primary battle sites of World War I. Family legend says that purpose, greater mission, and perhaps even untold riches, will be unlocked when he finds that grave. But his search in Amiens brings up fear, anger, and dire warnings about some wild Green Man. He turns to local Lily Grenault for help.

Can these two independent freethinkers work together to prevent chaos from triumphing and find love in time in the labyrinth of roses?

Pieces Like Pottery by Dan Buri, contemporary fiction, drama (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: The first collection of short fiction from Dan Buri, Pieces Like Pottery is an exploration of heartbreak and redemption that announces the arrival of a new American author. In this distinct selection of stories marked by struggle and compassion, Pieces Like Pottery is a powerful examination of the sorrows of life, the strength of character, the steadfast of courage, and the resiliency of love requisite to find redemption.

Filled with graceful insight into the human condition, each linked story presents a tale of loss and love. In Expect Dragons, James Hinri learns that his old high school teacher is dying. Wanting to tell Mr. Smith one last time how much his teaching impacted him, James drives across the country revisiting past encounters with his father’s rejection and the pain of his youth. Disillusioned and losing hope, little did James know that Mr. Smith had one final lesson for him.

In The Gravesite, Lisa and Mike’s marriage hangs in the balance after the disappearance of their only son while backpacking in Thailand. Mike thinks the authorities are right—that Chris fell to his death in a hiking accident—but Lisa has her doubts. Her son was too strong to die this young, and no one can explain to her why new posts continue to appear on her son’s blog.

Twenty-Two looks in on the lives of a dock worker suffering from the guilt of a life not lived and a bartender making the best of each day, even though he can see clearly how his life should have been different. The two find their worlds collide when a past tragedy shockingly connects them.

A collection of nine stories, each exquisitely written and charged with merciful insight into the trials of life, Pieces Like Pottery reminds us of the sorrows we all encounter in life and the kindness we receive, oftentimes from the unlikeliest of places.

One Night in Budapest (novella) by Lucy Felthouse, erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Hermione’s in Budapest on a romantic weekend break. Or at least it should have been romantic—an unexpected break-up means she’s visiting the Hungarian capital alone. Determined to make the most of it, she goes on a night-time river cruise, the perfect opportunity to see some of the city’s beautiful sights after dark.

On the boat, cute Budapest native, Emil, serves her cocktails. They chat a little on the journey, engage in some banter, and when Emil asks Hermione out for dinner, she’s seriously tempted. But she’s a long way from home, by herself—is dinner with a complete stranger a good idea? Hermione decides to take a chance, and what follows is an unforgettable night which will transform her life forever.

Rebel Warrior (Medieval Warriors #3) by Regan Walker, historical medieval romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: When your destiny lies far from where you began …

Scotland 1072

The Norman Conqueror robbed Steinar of Talisand of his noble father and his lands, forcing him to flee to Scotland while still recovering from a devastating wound. At the royal court, Steinar becomes scribe to the unlettered King of Scots while secretly regaining his skill with a sword.

The first time Steinar glimpses the flame-haired maiden, Catrìona of the Vale of Leven, he is drawn to her spirited beauty. She does not fit among the ladies who serve the devout queen. Not pious, not obedient and not given to stitchery, the firebrand flies a falcon! Though Catrìona captures Steinar’s attention, he is only a scribe and she is promised to another.

Catrìona has come to Malcolm’s court wounded in spirit from the vicious attack on her home by Northmen who slayed her parents and her people. But that is not all she will suffer. The man she thought to wed will soon betray her.

When all is lost, what hope is there for love? Can a broken heart be mended? Can a damaged soul be healed?

His Prize (The Cleaners #1) by Doris O’Connor, dark erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: It’s the choice of her life—submit or die.

When Susie Elliot stumbles into the middle of a clean-up, undertaken by none other than Ellis Reynolds, she expects her life to be over. No one disturbs this ruthlessly efficient killer and lives to tell the tale.

The man they call Ren has no time for tender feelings, but there is something about the curvaceous redhead that calls to him. Rather than killing her he claims her as his prize. One night should be more than enough time to get her out of his system. However, Susie’s submission means Ren has to confront emotions, completely alien to him. Killing is easy. This relationship thing is fraught with problems.

When his criminal activities catch up with him, loyalties are tested to the max, and Susie has another choice to make—walk away, or stay and accept the darkness within.

In His Corner by Vino Arno, contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb:

WORK OUT

No sex for almost a year could kill a guy, but when you’re the boxer known as the Juggernaut, it’s the price you pay for turning pro. Tommy’s fully dedicated to his craft, until he meets the incredibly gorgeous Dr. Siena Carr. Now he’s looking forward to taking on this prim and proper lady in a wet and wild work-out…

KNOCK OUT

Siena has seen many patients come through the ER, but none as sexy as Tommy Raines. With a nasty cut over his eye, she knows he needs stiches, but after he takes off his shirt, she needs some air. With rock-hard abs and taut biceps, it’s clear this man takes care of his body. And all Siena can think about is letting him take care of hers…

June 15, 2016 by Caroline Barker

Blog Tour & REVIEW Sex Hell: A Love Story by Joe Canzano

Title: Sex Hell

Author: Joe Canzano

Genre: Comic fantasy/paranormal, humour, romance

Date of release: April 1st 2016

Released by: Happy Joe Control

Length: 318 pages

Blurb: When Debbie de La Fontaine tries to spice up her love life by supernaturally tampering with her sex life, she is cursed to spend every future encounter in a magical place called “Sex Hell,” where the sex is ludicrous and amazing–but the romance is scarce.

Her only chance for escape is through the stingy clues supplied by a laughing demon, and the only way to obtain the clues is by returning to Sex Hell again and again to have outrageous sexcapades with the man she most wants to avoid–or does she?

Sex Hell is an absurd comic fantasy about the confusion of relationships. How is love related to sex, and how is sex related to love–and do love and sex need to be related at all?

*This book contains profanity and adult situations

Buy Links: Amazon US & Amazon UK

REVIEW **** (4 star rating)

Has Debbie found the one, the love of her life, in boyfriend Mike? Although they work well together outside the bedroom, if truth be told she’d much rather eat popcorn, and read and write her novel than get it on with him! Is there something wrong with her? Or, are they just not compatible?

Sex Hell begins as I would expect a contemporary romance to. However, the story takes a special turn when Velva turns up. After overhearing Debbie express her concerns to her colleague and best friend, Cynthia, in a diner Velva decides to offer Debbie a deal: in exchange for some years from Debbie’s life, Velva promises super, hot sex for Debbie. Not only is this a preposterous idea that Debbie initially turns down, it is also tempting after more time spent trying to avoid sex with Mike, and with a little negotiation.

“I’ve got a desire to be younger, okay? And you’ve got a desire to have better sex. And for a small price, I can fix your problem. All I want is a little bit of your youth. Gimme about ten or twenty years; lets call it fifteen. In exchange for that, I’ll fix your sex life. No more awkward fumbling around. No more faking orgasms – oh! oh! oh! And no more having to do anything you don’t want to do. Hell, you can just eat snack food all night and read a book, and he’ll be happy as a pig in a pie store. And you won’t have to die alone.” – Velva

With many enlightened moments, there is a great sense of fun in Sex Hell. The dialogue is brilliant, and the whole story is a fast-paced, exciting read. Debbie’s personal thoughts are often comical and full of humour, despite her sex life concerns.

A love triangle develops early on as the one Debbie finds herself with in Sex Hell is musician, Juan. Juan plays guitar in bars and has had relations with many women. Although, there doesn’t seem to have been anyone special in his recent past. That said, he is a hot lover, and boy does Debbie know it! With feelings of guilt after, and wanting to build on her relationship with Mike, she finds it increasingly more difficult returning to Sex Hell and having many sexcapades with Juan.

The laughing demon, in monkey Carl, who just happens to be watching her sexcapades does seem to offer advice on how to end Velva’s spell. However, the reader is never too sure on who’s side he is on, and whether he is sending Debbie and Juan on a wild goose chase. To make matters worse, Mike and Cynthia are on their tail, and there are moments when they look a little too cosy.

There’s just no telling if the spell will ever be lifted, and just who Debbie wants to be with. What will become of Velva and the demon? What will become of Debbie? This fantasy adventure ends with plenty of paranormal action and will leave the reader on a high with its comical undercurrent. Definitely a read to perk you up and put a smile on your face!

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Author Bio:

Joe Canzano is a writer and musician who lives in New Jersey, U.S.A. He likes loud guitars and food that screams. His wacky debut novel, “Magno Girl,” received a fair amount of love and hate—because that’s the kind of reaction his writing gets. For more information about Joe, please visit www.happyjoe.net.

Links

Website: http://www.happyjoe.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/happyjoecanzano/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/happyjoecanzano

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12965170.Joe_Canzano

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/joecanzano

June 13, 2016 by Tina Williams

Release Day Blitz ~ Knight of Pentacles by Nina Mason (includes #excerpts, super #sale and #giveaway)

Knights of the Tarot Series

Erotic Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance

Today we celebrate the release of Knight of Pentacles, book three in Nina Mason’s Knights of the Tarot series. Unlike the first two books in the series, which Nina revised and re-released on May 24, Knight of Pentacles has never been released before.

Knight of Pentacles, an erotic PNR/UF set primarily on Scotland’s Black Isle, tells of the romance between Sir Axel Lochlann, who guards the portal into Avalon, and Jenna Cameron, the daughter of a witch who hasn’t yet discovered her powers. Their love story is based on the old Scottish ballad of Tam Lin, which plays an important role in the book.

Here’s the blurb:

The future looks bleak for Jenna Cameron when, after a five-year engagement, her fiancé breaks it off the night before the wedding. Hoping to regroup, Jenna decides to drive alone to the cottage on Scotland’s mysterious Black Isle where they were supposed to spend their honeymoon. When her car breaks down, Jenna wonders if her troubles can get any worse. Then, while cutting through a secluded glen, she sees a handsome man bathing in a waterfall. The next day, she learns the man she saw is the faery knight who guards the portal into Avalon, the otherworld island ruled by Morgan Le Fay. Jenna, ready to be rid of the virginity she’s saved in vain, offers herself to Sir Axel Lochlann, the shaman knight of Faery Glen. From that moment on, she finds herself inside a faery tale complete with druids, goblins, runic magic, and vampire owls. She also discovers powers she didn’t know she had—powers she can use to break Sir Axel’s bonds to Queen Morgan. First, however, she must persuade Axel to put his desire to be free ahead of his duty to the queen he’s sworn to serve and obey.

Here’s a little more about the Knights of the Tarot series:

Knights of the Tarot, a four-part series, was born of a relatively simple concept. Nina wanted to write a paranormal/fantasy series incorporating different forms of divination. Tarot cards, astrology, runes, numerology, and the like. From that kernel grew the overarching storyline. The heroes of this contemporary paranormal series are Scottish noblemen of times past who were taken by the faeries into Avalon to serve as breeding drones to the queen, the legendary Morgan le Fay. Each of the books tells the story of a particular knight and the heroine whose love saves him from his unhappy existence.

Each hero grapples with a different relationship with their cruel and selfish queen. Callum Lyon, the knight of book one (Knight of Wands), is free of Morgan’s influence, having escaped Avalon after faking his death. Leith MacQuill, the knight of book two (Knight of Cups), was expelled from Avalon after the queen discovered his affair with one of the ladies of her court. To punish Leith, Morgan cursed him so any women he should fall in love with in the future would die.

In Knight of Pentacles, Axel Lochlann is still enslaved to the queen, who he serves as a guardian of the portal between the mortal and immortal realms.

The Knight of Swords (book four) is Finn MacKnight does not yet know he is destined to fulfill an ancient prophecy telling of the queen’s overthrow by a natural-born drone.

The knights are blood-drinking shape-shifters who can assume the form of any creature, real or mythical, but generally take the form of their alter ego. Callum’s preferred form is a lion, Leith’s is a Kellas Cat, Axel’s is a gyrfalcon, and Finn’s is a jaguar.

* * * *

Haven’t read the first two books in the Knights of the Tarot series?

No worries. Both are on sale this week for only 99 cents!

Knight of Wands

Knight of Cups

* * * *

Axel Lochlann, the hero of Knight of Pentacles is a Highlander of Viking descent who uses runes for divination and magic. For those who don’t know what runes are, they’re the letters of an alphabet called the Futhark, the first system of writing developed and used by the Germanic peoples.

More than just letters to make words, each rune is an ideographic or pictographic symbol of some cosmological principle or power. When written together in various sequences, the powers can be invoked to cast protective spells. Individual runes carved into stones, bone, or wood are used to seek the guidance and wisdom of the Old Norse gods, especially Odin, who discovered the runes after hanging upside down for nine days from Yggdrasil, the Old Norse tree of life .

* * * *

GIVEAWAY!

Order Knight of Pentacles today for a chance to win the beautiful blue-onyx runes pictured above. To enter, simply email your proof of purchase to NinaMasonAuthor@gmail.com.

* * * *

Here’s an excerpt from Knight of Pentacles:

As the sputtering engine gasped its last, Jenna Cameron set her forehead against the steering wheel and groaned. Could this day get any worse? As if it weren’t enough her world had turned upside down, now her car decided to quit in the dead of night on a desolate stretch of road with no bloody cellular signal.

If not for the dream she’d had last night, she’d be Mrs. William Comstock right now, on her way to the honeymoon cottage she’d rented with the man she’d waited five long and frustrating years to marry.

The thought of William sent a chill through Jenna. In the dream, she’d seen herself driving off the edge of a cliff. She was married to William and utterly miserable. As her car soared over the edge of the precipice, she heard her mother’s voice. “The right man is out there, waiting for you to find him. But it will never be if you bind yourself to a man you don’t love.”

As soon as she awoke, she rang William. When she told him about the dream, he said, as she’d secretly hoped he would, “I was willing to overlook that your mother was a witch because I believed your father had safely guided you away from the path of darkness, but now I see that, like her, you have been led astray. I pray someday you will embrace the Light of God, Jenna. I truly do. But, for now, I cannot risk my own immortal soul by marrying someone so susceptible to the darkness.”

William, a Presbyterian pastor like her father, blamed everything he did not understand on the devil.

As relieved as Jenna was to have escaped, the sudden change of course had thrown her life into chaos. Expecting to be married, she’d given up her job and flat in Edinburgh and, consequently, was left with no source of income and nowhere to live.

So, she was on her way to the rented cottage in Rosemarkie, a small seaside town on Scotland’s Black Isle. Since she couldn’t get her deposit back, it seemed like a good idea to use the cottage to reflect and regroup.

Coming all this way alone had suddenly lost its appeal, but here she was—and wallowing in self-pity was not going to solve anything. According to the Google map she’d printed out, she wasn’t far from her destination. She might as well suck it up and walk the rest of the way. When she got there, she could ring a garage about her car.

Grabbing her purse, her forest-green wool cloak, and the battery-powered torch she kept in the glove box, she climbed out of the car and set off along the rural tree-lined road, which was dark and a little spooky. No cars passed her in either direction. Crickets chirped all around and small rustlings from the surrounding woods startled her sporadically. Senses alert, she stopped repeatedly to check her mobile for a signal.

Her heart pounded and, despite the chill in the air, she was sweating under her cloak and sweater. The only good thing she could say about her present predicament was that her fear of being torn to pieces by wild animals had temporarily eclipsed her other worries.

She didn’t know how long she’d been walking when she came to an old stone bridge. Just beyond was a sign. She shone the beam of her torch at the words carved into the wooden plaque.

Faery Glen.

Jenna took heart. She’d read something about the glen on the website for the cottage, so she shouldn’t have much farther to go. Unfortunately, she needed to pee rather urgently. Might there be somewhere to go in the glen?

Venturing into a forest in the middle of the night might not be the smartest thing she’d ever done, but her bladder was bursting and she wasn’t about to tinkle by the side of the road. Just because no cars had gone by since she’d started walking, didn’t mean one wouldn’t appear the moment she dropped her knickers. Besides, there was a carpark abutting the glen, so there might be a public lavatory there as well.

Up above, the sky was an indigo canvas splattered with specks of white, some larger than others. She crossed the small asphalt lot. Finding no bathroom, she squatted in the bushes. When she’d finished her business, she shone the torch into the glen. Everything outside the beam was pitch black. Water ran somewhere nearby. Thirst drew her down the footpath. All that crying had made her as parched as a dry sponge.

I’ll only go a little ways, find the stream, and take a wee sip.

The hollow clomp of her footsteps disturbed the silence as she crossed a wooden bridge. On the other side, the path curved sharply. In a clearing just beyond the turn were the falls. In the silver light of the full moon, the cascading water reminded her of the bridal veil she might never get a chance to wear.

Then, she saw him. A man in the pool below the falls. He was stark naked, soaking wet, and had his back to her.

Alarm electrifying every nerve ending, she stepped back into the shadows. Her first thought was that he might be a homeless man who’d taken refuge in the woods. He had a beard and long hair, so it seemed the most logical explanation. Her next thought was that he might be performing some sort of ritual. She was on the Black Isle, after all, in a place called Faery Glen on the night of a full moon, so his being a New Age warlock or druid didn’t seem all that infeasible. A long shot, perhaps, but not meters outside the realm of possibility.

When curiosity overrode her apprehension, she stepped closer to get a better look at him. The moonlight bathing his glistening physique revealed a tall, slender frame with broad shoulders, narrow hips, and a shapely bum. Wetness and poor lighting made telling the color of his hair impossible. Light brown, maybe, or dark blond. She started a little when he bent over and shook his head like a dog. As he threw it back, he raised his muscular white arms to push the clinging wet hair off his face.

Despite her long engagement and having achieved the ripe age of twenty-five, she’d never seen a naked man before. Not in the flesh, anyway, and watching this one bathing in the wild was making her feel things she shouldn’t. The prospect of being caught spying on him was even more unsettling.

Ducking behind the thick trunk of the nearest tree, she watched as he continued his bath. Drunk on a tart cocktail of shame and lust, she took in the graceful slope of his shoulders, the long muscles supporting his serrated spine, and the alluring dimples just below the small of his back. His beautiful form and the way the moonlight sparkled on the droplets clinging to his skin made her pulse race and her knees weaken.

A strong urge to touch him welled up inside her. How badly she wanted to run her hands over every glistening curve and indentation of his manly form—both for prurient reasons and to absorb some of his confidence the way plants absorbed sunlight. As exposed as he was to the elements, he seemed admirably comfortable in his skin.

She’d never felt that at ease with herself, even when alone. All her life, she’d been made to feel inferior. As much as she didn’t want to believe that she was, part of her did.

Mesmerized by the man in the pool, she went on watching. Something told her he was like her mother. Esoteric rather than religious. Open-minded instead of rigid. Accepting, not judging. She couldn’t say how or why she sensed this about him. She only knew she felt it deep down in some instinctive part of her psyche.

Hope fluttered in her heart. Could he be the one her mother spoke of in the dream? Scoffing at her romantic delusions, she smashed the thought with the rock of reason and headed back to the footpath.

About the author:

Nina Mason is an incurable romantic who strives to write the same kind of books she loves to read: those that entertain, edify, educate, and enlighten. In addition to the Knights of the Tarot series, she is the author of Royal Pains, an erotic historical series following a Scottish duke and duchess through the hedonism and intrigues of the Restoration period, and Sins Against the Sea, a paranormal romance steeped in the myth and magic of the Scottish Isles.

Born and raised in Southern California, Ms. Mason currently lives with her family in Woodstock, Georgia. When she isn’t writing, she makes art dolls and works as a consultant for Pure Romance, a line of relationship-enhancement products.

Visit Nina’s website: http://ninamasonauthor.com

Follow Nina on Facebook: http://facebook.com/ninamasonromance

Follow Nina on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ninamasonauthor

Subscribe to Nina’s newsletter: https://vr2.verticalresponse.com/s/authorninamasonsnewsletter

June 3, 2016 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Angelis Vampire Series, by Shane North

Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Adult content

If you are after a romantic paranormal/fantasy read which has plenty of action with a kick-ass heroine or two, out -of-this-world lovemaking scenes, magic and mayhem, then you will want to consider Shane North’s Angelis Vampire series. Aside from the vamps there are werewolves and a host of other immortal beings who are striving to co-exist alongside the world of mortals. And, talking of worlds, we also have the key role played by Angelis, a world in another time dimension but which plays a pivotal role in the series.

If you want to read an interview with Shane, posted previously on our blog, which includes an extract from Shannon, the first book in the series click here. You can currently download Shannon for FREE:

Amazon US Amazon UK

Blurb

Shannon’s life is happy except for her nightmares, but when she watches her mom and dad being murdered by the monsters in her dreams, her life falls apart. Her best friend turns out to be a werewolf, the man she thinks of as her other father is the alpha male, and her long lost uncle is a vampire lord from Angelis. Angelis is in another time dimension, a world ruled by Royals, a pureblooded line of vampires with powers never seen in this time dimension. Angelis is a medieval world of castles, and ancient magic that her mother and uncle were forced to leave to save their lives.

Shannon’s journey leads her to follow her destiny and meet the love of her life. Destiny and her uncle lead her to find out what she really is, where she came from, and to become the strongest immortal to live. Shannon learns to kill quickly, and to love like there’s no tomorrow when she meets her mate from her dreams. Simon, an eight-hundred year old Viking has searched the world for his true love when he meets Shannon. What will Shannon’s uncle, Simon’s maker, have to say about this? A young woman from South beach, destined to overthrow the vampire council and rule the immortal race with the help of the ancient Shaman Neeb.

My Review

Paranormal/Fantasy Romance with a powerful heroine ~ 4 stars

Shannon, book #1 in the Angelis Vampire series is a sweet, but at the same time erotic paranormal/fantasy romance, with an original storyline. It contains a powerful heroine, magic, vampires, werewolves, fated mates and a battle between good and evil.

For me the read also has the feel of a New Adult/coming of age novel and this fits the storyline as the kick-ass heroine Shannon is trying to come to terms with her legacy after being thrust into the world of immortals. Her life is now far more complicated than that of a young woman from South Beach! She finds out that she is descended from a union between Callidora, a royal from Angelis, a world in another time dimension, and Connor an alpha werewolf.

Instead of going clubbing and shopping she needs to concentrate on using her growing powers – which due to her lineage are considerable, to destroy the evil Vampire Assembly, who murdered he parents and seize power. To the Assembly Shannon, the offspring of a forbidden union of werewolf and vampire, is an abomination to be destroyed.

Shannon’s task is not easy – she has to come to terms with the vast changes that are taking place in her life and the physical and mental challenges of being an immortal. It is fortunate that she has found the vampire Simon, her life-mate.

There are a numerous battle scenes, where Shannon and others show their combat prowess and also some scorching lovemaking scenes. The novel contains a number of engaging characters: her powerful uncle Damon, also from Angelis, who exudes charm, strength and humour; her best friend Cait, a werewolf and Cait’s father Keegan and of course her very own Simon, who is a girl’s dream.

I enjoyed the read and the author and the series has a lot of promise.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, a copy of the novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Blurb

My name is Shannon O’Callaghan and I’m immortal. I live in an amazing world of time travel and magic, where vampires and werewolves are normal and I call them family A family some would say are monsters, but they love me unconditionally and it’s the life I was meant to live. My father was Connor O’Callaghan, a visionary that led the wolves to peace and prosperity. My mother was Callidora Angelis, a Royal vampire from another time dimension. Their love and life together are what made my life possible, but, it is also what caused their death. And, it’s their death that fuels my journey of revenge on those who stole my life.
This immortal word is controlled by The Vampire Assembly. The Assembly is an evil group of twelve who decides the fate of its followers. They are devils dressed like mortal men who kill with pleasure and live off of blood slaves they keep in their dungeons. They are evil, they are responsible for my parents’ death, and I will see them dead. My day for revenge is finally coming and The Assembly is mine to kill. Then and only then will I rule this land as their queen.

My Review

Sexy and Fast-Paced! ~ 4 stars

The pace and the action hot up in Shannon’s Revenge, book #2 in the Angelis Vampire series. Shannon is now coming to terms with her considerable powers and, despite a few minor hiccups, she is starting to show great promise as a warrior and future ruler. Uncle Damon and Shaman Neeb, not to mention Cait her best friend and life-mate Simon are all on hand to support her through the process.

It is only a matter of time before Shannon, supported by an alliance of vampires, werewolves and the Elvin race, goes head to head with the Vampire Assembly and its leader x. Before this happens Shannon needs to bide her time, hone her growing powers and magic strike when the time is right. Yet the council leader Antonious is no fool and Shannon and her supporters will need all their wits about them.

I enjoyed the Shannon’s growth and character development in this novel and also how the author developed the other characters, especially Uncle Damon, with whom she has many verbal sparring matches. I loved the sexy scenes between Shannon and Simon, the humour and also the many action scene. Shannon is a powerful role model and heroine for although she has a soft heart she is a powerful immortal and is no one’s fool. She does not hesitate to do what is necessary and is dedicated to her goal of annihilating the Vampire Assembly. The ending is a worthy one.

Recommended for lovers of paranormal/fantasy romance who like an erotic read and a strong heroine.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Blurb

Death has arrived in earth’s time dimension. A foul stench filled Shannon’s nose, a smell of sulfur and death. This might have been a vision, but her power spiked as she sensed the source and moved towards it. Her life force surrounded her as her swords appeared in her hands. She gripped them tightly and stepped through a massive oak door. Before her stood a giant of a man.

His essence was black as coal, and his soul had long been lost to his dark side. His ancient leather armor looked old and battled; it smelled musty from the dried blood and looked dry and brittle. This had to be Kyran. Evil always had a dirty, unkempt appearance, and his aura was encircled with death. She could sense his blood was similar to Damon’s, and she knew she would take great pleasure in killing him someday. But what happens when Kyran is taken to earth’s time dimension by Neeb’s evil brother, seeking to kill the remaining royal Angelian family and end their bloodline forever.

In this riveting spin off from Shane North’s Angelis Vampire Series, an unknown Angelian is faced with death, her new life and the destiny the fates have planned for her.

My Review

High Octane and Entertaining! ~ 4 stars

Reagan’s Destiny is both a spin off and a continuation of the story arc contained in the previous novels in the series, Shannon and Shannon’s Revenge. The Vampire Council having been dealt with, the threat in this novel comes from Angelis no less, the medieval and magical world where Shannon’s mother and uncle were compelled to leave. Evil in the form of Kyran stalks Shannon and her uncle Damon, intent on destroying what remains of the royal Angelian family.

Reagan, a young woman with Angelian blood plays a key role in this battle and I enjoyed how this novel focused on her story, whilst including the characters I have grown to love from earlier novels. Shannon and Cait are destined to forge a strong relationship with this headstrong individual, but the path to their burgeoning friendship is not plain sailing. We know from Shannon’s trials that adapting to a life of an immortal and facing up to one’s destiny is not always easy and the author does a god job of exploring these issues, whilst maintaining a high octane and entertaining read.

Reagan is fortunate in that she manages to find unexpected love in the form of the vampire Lucius who she finds is her life mate. There are plenty of hot, sweet and romantic interludes amongst the bloody battle scenes and magic and I enjoyed the contrasting scenes. Kyran, as a powerful Angelian, is a well drawn and formidable enemy. Aided by the brother of Shaman Neeb, it will take everything Reagan, Shannon and Damon have in their arsenal to bring about his downfall.

Recommended to fans of paranormal/fantasy romance.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, a copy of the novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

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June 2, 2016 by Tina Williams

Blog Tour ~ Knights of the Tarot, by Nina Mason (includes excerpts)

Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Adult/18+ read

Nina Mason has just re-released significantly revised editions of the books previously published as Starry Knight and Dark and Stormy Knight. If you’ve read them in the original version, you might want to do so again because they’re very different now. If you haven’t yet checked out Nina’s excellent books, you don’t know what you’re missing!

Each hero grapples with a different relationship with their cruel and selfish queen. Callum Lyon, the knight of book one (Knight of Wands), is free of Morgan’s influence, having escaped Avalon after faking his death. Leith MacQuill, the knight of book two (Knight of Cups), was expelled from Avalon after the queen discovered his affair with one of the ladies of her court. To punish Leith, Morgan cursed him so any women he should fall in love with in the future would die.

In book three (Knight of Pentacles, which releases on June 13), Axel Lochlann, a rune-casting Highlander of Viking descent, is still enslaved to the queen, who he serves as a guardian of the portal between the mortal and immortal realms.

The Knight of Swords (book four) is Finn MacKnight does not yet know he is destined to fulfill an ancient prophecy telling of the queen’s overthrow by a natural-born drone.

* * * *

Title: Knight of Wands
Author: Nina Mason
Series: Knights of the Tarot (book one)
Genre: PNR/UF
Heat Level: Erotic
Formats: Kindle, Paperback, Kindle Unlimited
Release Date: May 24

Here’s the blurb for Knight of Wands:

Paranormal Investigator Vanessa Meadows believes in every kind of magic except love. When her new boss sends her on an assignment to remote Caithness, Scotland, she’s determined to do whatever it takes to prove the Vampire of Barrogill is more than a legend. First, however, she must get inside the castle where the entity is believed to dwell.

Castle Barrogill belongs to Callum Lyon, a handsome baron and reclusive political astrologer. Their strong mutual attraction proves a boon to Vanessa’s plans, but, once inside his castle, she encounters more paranormal activity than she bargained for. There’s no vampire, but there is a blood-drinking faery knight—and a ghost who will stop at nothing to keep her there. Will freedom-loving Vanessa’s feelings for Callum, coupled with nudges from the other side, be enough to persuade her to give him a chance? Or will the dark secrets of Castle Barrogill only reinforce her unwillingness to put her faith in the power of love?

Here’s an excerpt from Knight of Wands:

“Have a look at your adoring fan over there,” Duncan said, leaning in. “I do believe she’s visually undressing you.”

Callum looked up from the book he’d been signing Political Astrology through the Ages, his latest in a series on the subject. The fan in question stood by the refreshment table, clutching the book to her chest. Was she undressing him with her gaze? A smile stole across his mouth as interest deepened its hook. Judging by the heat of her stare, he was already naked in her mind.

While delivering his lecture on the same topic, he’d seen her in the third row, giving him equally heated looks. All through his talk, her presence, not to mention her seductive stare, had made it difficult to concentrate on his notes. Luckily, he knew the topic well enough to wing it.

Licking his lips, he traced the long, smooth contours of flesh and muscle beneath the posh black pantsuit she wore. She was tall and slender—willowy—with an angular face and a wide, full mouth that stretched into an inviting smile as his gaze met hers with an electrical charge he felt in his groin. Her eyes were as blue and deep as a loch. Mesmerized, he returned the smile. How easily he could get lost in those eyes, forget how to swim, and realize too late he was drowning.

He lowered his gaze to her breasts, which were large, firm, and unharnessed. Did she have an aversion to undergarments? He hoped not, given his penchant for naughty lingerie. He dressed her in a lacy black corset and thigh-high stockings. Oh, aye. She definitely had the figure to indulge his weakness. Swallowing his rising lust, he shifted in his chair to ease the tightening in his trousers.

Turning to Duncan, he asked, “Who is she? Do you know?”

“I’m afraid I don’t,” his friend replied.

Swallowing, Callum shifted his focus to the woman directly in front of him. She was fiftyish, plump, and squat with curly dishwater hair. “What was the name again?”

“Sorcha.”

“That’s lovely.” He grinned through the qualm inflicted by the name. “I once had a wife called Sorcha.”

His statement clearly aroused her interest. “Would you be looking for a new wife by any chance, your lordship? Because, if you are, I ken a bonny lass who’d be just perfect for you.”

“Oh, aye?” Still smiling falsely, he arched an eyebrow. “What sign would she be then?”

“She’s a Gemini.” The woman beamed at him in a manner suggesting the lady in question was probably her daughter.

“Ah. I see.” He cleared his throat. “Well, Sorcha, that’s too bad. Because, you see, I make it a strict policy never to get tangled up with anyone born under the sign of the twins. They’re far too changeable for me, I’m afraid.”

He signed her book and handed it back. He made more or less the same claim whatever the answer. Well-meaning women were forever trying to set him up—usually with themselves. He sought out the dark-haired lass again, wondering what sign she might be. Not that it mattered, since what he had in
mind would be brief and involve very little talking.

Buy Knight of Wands now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Wands-Knights-Tarot-Book-ebook/dp/B01CYH38IC

Read more of Knight of Wands for free on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/story/68103579-knight-of-wands

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Title: Knight of Cups
Author: Nina Mason
Series: Knights of the Tarot (book two)
Genre: PNR/UF
Heat Level: Erotic
Formats: Kindle, Paperback, Kindle Unlimited
Release Date: May 24

Here’s the blurb for Knight of Cups:

When Gwyndolen Darling, a sexual abuse survivor who lives in a fantasy world, travels to Scotland to meet her obsession, she soon finds herself in a dark faery tale of epic proportions. Sir Leith MacQuill, the object of her quest, isn’t just a reclusive author who’s into BDSM, he also is a shapeshifting faery knight who carries a curse that will kill any woman who captures his heart.When his usual methods fail to protect Gwyn, a dead ringer for the wife he tragically lost back in 1746, Sir Leith must find a way to break the curse or lose his One True Love a second time. Unfortunately, the article he needs to reverse the hex is in the otherworld land he was banished from by the ruthless faery queen who cursed him.Gwyn must, therefore, undertake the dangerous mission alone. Will she find the courage to fight for herself and her knight? Or will she choose to stay inside the imaginary tower she’s built to keep herself safe from the world?

Here’s an excerpt from Knight of Cups:

Leith slipped into the garden shed, stripped off his clothes, and contemplated what lay ahead. Shifting was a self-abandoning experience much the way orgasm was. La petite mort, the French called it. The little death. Orgasm, not shifting. The absolute dissolution of mind and body brought about by shifting was closer to a near-death experience.

Peace followed the quieting of conscious thought, especially the grief and regret that seemed always to be squirming inside his heart like worms boring their way through an apple.

The hush of animal instinct was heavenly—or would be if his human self didn’t squat in the background making a nuisance of itself. Conversely, the cat was always there, too, living inside him like a restless embryo, constantly striving to make more room for itself inside his subconscious womb.

Sometimes it was a wildcat, big and blood-hungry. Other times it was a kitten, docile and contented. Often, it woke him in the night, needing to stretch its restricted limbs. Occasionally, its swiping claws would tear at his insides, drawing blood.

The change was nothing to him now (the whole process only took a minute), but it wasn’t always so. Like sex or roleplaying, like everything, really, shifting got easier with practice.

In the early days, the transformation took place from the inside out. He would sit for a spell meditating upon the picture of himself as the cat before speaking the incantation. He would imagine himself growing fur, a snout, and a tail; envision his hands and feet becoming paws and his ears rising to the top of his head to form points. It took a considerable amount of effort and concentration back then.

Now, he simply called the sleeping cat forth.

Here, kitty, kitty.

Well, no, it wasn’t quite that simple. He still had to recite the ancient spell Belphoebe taught him before he turned her over to the druids and imagine himself covered in black fur with a long tail and slanted green eyes.

Taking a deep breath, he got down on all fours on the shed’s dirty floor. Grit dug into his knees and palms as he called the image of a Kellas Cat into his mind and spoke the magic words.

Fee-faw
Fee-faw

Fee-faw

His hands and feet changed first. The feeling was like the chills one gets with a fever. His toes and fingers retracted as their nailbeds sprouted claws. He dug their sharp points into the rough wood of the floor as a symphony of smells waltzed up his elongating snout. The sharply pungent steer manure behind him led the way, followed by the garden’s roses, lavender, and honeysuckle. The sea come next with his bracing primordial pong. Then, the woods joined in with the soft notes of soil, grass, pine, and decaying leaves. Finally, he caught the scent of that earthy perfume Mother Nature dabbed on after the first few drops of rain.

Inside him, the cat purred like a lawnmower.

His shoulders, back, and haunches changed next. The hands of an invisible sculptor pushed, pulled, and reshaped the cellular clay of his form. Flesh, blood, and bone magically and painlessly reconfigured in a matter of moments.

Buy Knight of Cups now on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Cups-Knights-Tarot-Book-ebook/dp/B01CYV21BS

Read more of Knight of Cups for free on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/69275123-knight-of-cups-knights-of-the-tarot-2

Knight of Pentacles Coming Soon!

Title: Knight of Pentacles
Author: Nina Mason
Series: Knights of the Tarot (book three)
Genre: PNR/UF
Heat Level: Erotic
Formats: Kindle, paperback, Kindle Unlimited
Release Date: June 13

Pre-order now! https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Pentacles-Knights-Tarot-Book-ebook/dp/B01CYT94R4

* * * *

About the author:

Nina Mason is an incurable romantic who strives to write the same kind of books she loves to read: those that entertain, edify, educate, and enlighten. She has one other series out at present, Royal Pains, which follows a Scottish duke and duchess through the events of the Restoration period.

Born and raised in Southern California, Ms. Mason currently lives with her family in Woodstock, Georgia. When she isn’t writing, she works as a consultant for Pure Romance, a line of relationship-enhancement products. Nina combines author readings with in-home Pure Romance parties.

For more information, email her at ninamasonauthor@gmail.com.

Visit Nina’s website: http://ninamasonauthor.com

Follow Nina on Facebook: http://facebook.com/ninamasonromance

Follow Nina on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ninamasonauthor

Subscribe to Nina’s newsletter: https://vr2.verticalresponse.com/s/authorninamasonsnewsletter

May 20, 2016 by Tina Williams

Author Interviews ~ Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross

Regular readers of this blog know that Caroline, my BFF and co-blogger, and I love to read a variety of genres. Both of us have a penchant for dark and psychological reads. Since reading The Ghosts of Ravencrest (an erotic Gothic horror par excellence), by Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross I have become a HUGE fan of their work.

Either writing alone or in partnership their work includes the paranormal, horror and dark, psychological thrillers such as their current collaboration Mother. Their writing, which can be downright S-C-A-R-Y, is often shocking and infused with dark humour, but is always a rollicking good read and I love the devilish plot twists these authors inflict on their readers!

I was delighted at the chance of interviewing this writing duo and I hope that you find their candid responses to my questions as fascinating as I did. Tina ❤

1. Can you share with our readers a little about yourselves and your writing careers?

Tamara and Alistair both began writing around age eight – both loved ghost stories most of all – and both wanted to be writers when they grew up. Tamara has been in print since 1991 and Alistair since 2012.

2. I understand that you have been collaborating since 2012, and have written, amongst other works, The Cliffhouse Haunting and The Ghosts of Ravencrest, the first book in The Ravenscrest Saga. How did you begin working together and what special elements do you each think the other brings to the partnership that distinguishes the works of Thorne and Cross?

Alistair became a fan of Tamara’s work in the 90s, and when social media sites like Facebook came along and made it easy to connect to others, he looked her up. Having just been published for the first time, Alistair was doing author interviews on his blog as a way of meeting other writers. Tamara was one of the first people he asked. We became fast friends and were brainstorming ideas for new books before we’d even conceived of the idea to officially write together. It flowed very naturally – it was simply meant to be. We soon found that our writing style – as well as our personal and professional ethics – was so remarkably similar that continuing on the path together was simply the instinctual thing to do. Alistair brings an intense work ethic to our virtual office while Tamara brings jolly good fun. We need each other for balance. And hard work. And fun

3. Why do you think there is such an appetite for horror and psychological thrillers amongst readers? What is it within the human psyche that craves such stories?

People crave (safe) danger. Danger fascinates us, but things like scary movies, horror novels, and roller coasters are a way of facing our fears without risking our lives. These things force us to explore those uncharted parts of ourselves which can teach us proper response in the face of real danger. It’s a survival mechanism. Avoidance of fear is fatal, and the human psyche understands this. Thus, it draws us toward the things that frighten us. Plus, scary books are just awesome.

4. The flipside of this – why do you both enjoy writing in these genres?

Horror is a release from the everyday. Neither of us watches the news – real horror is too depressing. But fictional horror and suspense provides a rush akin to amusement park thrill rides. Fiction, by its very nature is escapist and, to us, there’s nothing better than a toe-curler to escape reality for a little while. We are especially partial to suspense and supernatural horror because ghosts, vampires, and assorted elementals are literary equivalents to a carnival where we can find lots of thrills and chills. In Mother, our heroine, Claire, starts with a turn on the merry-go-round, then soon ends up on a scary roller coaster and finally enters the dark ride, which is too frightening to be fun for her.

5. You must have both been asked this question in many forms before – but do you base any elements of your characters on anyone you know or are they purely fuelled by your imaginations?

Every character is imaginary; it would be no fun for us to plunk down living people in our books! That said, we are the products of our lives and experiences. Everything around us, from sights, sounds, and tastes, to hoarders, psychopaths and ghosts are inspired by lifetimes of observation and experience.

6. Would you both like to tell us something about your latest release, Mother?

Mother is a psychological thriller in the vein of Psycho and Misery, with a pinch of Peyton Place and a dash of Gaslight. It concerns a young, expectant couple, Claire and Jason Holbrook, who’ve fallen on hard times, forcing them to move in with Claire’s estranged mother. Claire vowed to have no contact with the overbearing woman ever again, but Mother is thrilled at the prospect of a grandchild. At Mother’s, Claire and Jason begin experiencing things that make them determined to leave immediately … but when a cruel twist of fate makes leaving impossible, Claire becomes obsessed with her mother’s motives. Fantasy and fact blur together as her compulsion consumes her, and Jason wonders who the villain really is. When a cache of macabre family secrets is uncovered, Claire and Jason find the answers they’re looking for – answers that will change them forever … assuming anyone can get out of Mother’s house alive.

7. Did you have to carry out any research into the issues explored in Mother, before writing the novel?

All books require research. Mother’s research was relatively easy compared to other books. It consisted primarily of a brush-up on sociopathic and narcissistic behaviors. We also researched topics like hoarding, epilepsy, flight schools, Catholic funerals, and ugly furniture from the 1970s and 80s. When we write books that include science or a good deal real history that must be woven into our fictional characters’ lives, as in our Ravencrest novels, the research is far more intensive. All fiction must have its roots in reality to keep it believable.

8. I am delighted to learn that you host a horror themed internet radio show, Thorne and Cross Haunted Nights LIVE! What have been some of your favourite moments on the show to date?

There have been many great moments. We loved hearing The Walking Dead author Jay Bonansinga tell us his thoughts on why zombies are so popular, and Charlaine Harris’ stories about about being recognized in public were hilarious. We were laughing out loud when Christopher Rice told us what it was like for him to read his mom’s (Anne Rice) Sleeping Beauty series. Chet Williamson’s reading from his novel Psycho: Sanitarium gave us chills. Chatting about twisted family dynamics with Andrew Neiderman, who also authors the V.C. Andrews book series, was fascinating, and talking with Laurell K. Hamilton about vampires was a lot of fun. Those are just a few of our favorite moments.

9. Are there any collaborative projects in the pipeline that you are able to share?

As always, we’re working on the continuing Ravencrest Saga and have just released the second serialized installment titled, Dead of the Night. We are also working on a sequel to Tamara’s vampire novel, Candle Bay, which also serves as a continuation of Alistair’s The Crimson Corset. The Darling family of Candle Bay made appearances in Corset and that set the course for Candle Bay II – we decided we had to get our vamps together in a serious way. As soon as Candle Bay’s sequel is complete, we will begin work on the second book in our Trilogy of Terror. Mother was the first. The second is unrelated to Mother as far as characters are concerned, though we wouldn’t be surprised to see Father Andy show up, assuming we set the next book in Snapdragon, where Mother takes place. The Trilogy of Terror is made up of three psychological suspense novels that are more about human monsters than supernatural ones. On the side, we’re also both knee-deep in a pair of solo novels.

10. Have you a message to readers, or to writers who are thinking of branching out into penning horror/psychological thrillers?

We always say that the most important thing is to write what you love. If you love what you’ve written, others will too. Also, writing requires dedication and discipline. It’s easy to tell yourself you don’t have time to write, but if you want to be a serious writer, you have to create time.

May 18, 2016 by Tina Williams

Tamworth Literary Festival ~ Romancing The Word

Saturday 11th June, Tamworth, 2016, Staffordshire

Both Caroline and I will be attending Tamworth LitFest’s Romancing The Word event on Saturday 11th June and we are SO excited! Tamworth will be playing host to a bevy of Romance authors from around the West Midlands and further afield! The Tamworth Literary Festival has organised a whole day dedicated to the wonderful world of romance. There will be author talks, readings and a workshop in St Editha’s Church, with tickets priced at £3 per author session (or £8 for the whole day) and a free Meet the Authors/Book Signings in the adjacent library.

If you live in the area or want to visit it would be lovely to see you there. ❤

Tickets available to purchase in person from Tamworth Information (TIC) or to reserve telephone the TIC on 01827 709581/709618. Alternatively reserve via email at tamlitfest@gmail.com

Scroll down to find out about more about the participating authors and details about the full programme for the day.

Authors appearing in St George’s Chapel, St Editha’s Church:

Helena Fairfax will be delivering a Workshop – How to Write a Great Romance: The role of conflict in fiction, and at how to create that vital romantic tension in a romance novel to keep the reader glued to the page.

Helena is a contemporary romance author. Her first novel, The Silk Romance, was published after passing through the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme, where her reader taught her the importance of romantic conflict – a lesson she’s never forgotten. Helena’s latest romance, A Way from Heart to Heart, is set on the Yorkshire moors. Helena walks the moors every day with her rescue dog, finding this romantic landscape – and strangely, even the rain and mud – the perfect place to dream up her heroes and heroines. You can find Helena on Facebook (where she’s the only Helena Fairfax), on Twitter @helenafairfax, or on her blog at www.helenafairfax.com.

There will also be a Meet the Author talk and signing with Julia Ibbotson, author of the Drumbeats trilogy and A Shape on the Air (a Dark Ages time slip romance).

Julia lives in the heart of England in a renovated Victorian rectory. She read English and Sociology at Keele University after a gap year in Ghana. She was a school teacher, before gaining her PhD and becoming a university lecturer. Apart from academic research texts, Julia has written a memoir, The Old Rectory: escape to a Country Kitchen (with recipes), a children’s book S.C.A.R.S, and her Drumbeats trilogy. She is currently completing a new novel, A Shape on the Air, a historical/romance time-slip story. Apart from reading, she loves travel, singing, swimming, yoga, Pilates, and walking. http://juliaibbotsonauthor.com/

Bestselling author Rosie Goodwin will also be delivering a Meet the Author talk and signing.

Before becoming a writer Rosie was a Placement Support Worker and foster carer, and worked in the social services department after completing a teacher training course. Rosie lives in Nuneaton, where many of her books are set, with her husband, Trevor, and their beloved dogs. Rosie is one of the Top 100 most borrowed authors from UK libraries and loves meeting and hearing from her readers. http://www.rosiegoodwin.co.uk/

The sessions will close with an author reading and signing by Gareth J Wood, ‘The cold side of the pillow: Romance’s ugly face.‘

Gareth J Wood was born in Birmingham and, barring spells in Wales and the Far East, he’s lived there ever since. He went to university in Birmingham and Lampeter, completing a degree in literature, after which he went over to Taipei with his partner, Claire, and tried teaching. Sadly it didn’t work out. He and Claire now share their home with two angry terriers. Gareth used to perform live, forming a collective called The Blue City Project. He has written many short stories and completed two full-length novels, The Malignant Man and The Master’s Marionettes. He writes all the while and can often be seen riding on late-night buses grumbling into torn notepads. http://www.kensingtongorepublishing.com/gj-wood/4590419807

FREE Meet the Author/Signing Event at Tamworth Library 11.00 am – 3.00 pm

Lucy Felthouse (Erotic Romance): Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk’s 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You’ve Never Heard Of, and an Amazon bestseller) and Eyes Wide Open (winner of the Love Romances Café’s Best Ménage Book 2015 award, and an Amazon bestseller). Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 140 publications to her name. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more about her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk, or on Twitter and Facebook. You can also subscribe to her monthly newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

S.J Warner lives in the north of England with her husband and three children. An avid reader from an early age she knew she always wanted to write but life got in the way and she put all thoughts of writing to one side until one day in 2012 she was challenged to write a short story. That story led her on a journey into poetry, more short stories and finally to producing three collections of her poetry and her first full length novel. She enjoys reading many different genres her favourites being erotica and horror. http://www.amazon.co.uk/S-J-Warner/e/B00J4NPDXS/

http://m.facebook.com/sjpoetica/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7824986.S_J_Warner

L A Cotton (Contemporary Romance), L.A is author of contemporary romance novels ranging from sweet with just a hint of steam, to suspenseful reads full of angst, tension, twists and turns. Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time mum to two little people with writing. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find L. A immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life. www.lacotton.com www.facebook.com/authorlacotton www.twitter.com/authorlacotton

Pat Spence (Contemporary, Young Adult and Paranormal Romance), Pat Spence is a freelance writer and ex- magazine editor. She has worked as a copywriter in advertising agencies, a freelance trainer teaching personal development and a massage therapist/aromatherapist. She is married with a daughter, has a degree in English Literature, and spends her spare time practicing yoga, learning banjo, reading and gardening.Books:

‘Abigail’s Affair’ is a quirky love story about a woman coming to terms with having an affair. Set against a colourful Australian backdrop, with flashbacks to the UK, and a host of emotionally dysfunctional characters, the story reveals how the experience of travel becomes a voyage of self-discovery, with surprising results, for 30-year old Abigail Aske.

‘The Blue Crystal Trilogy’, (comprising ‘Blue Moon’, ‘True Blue’ and ‘Into The Blue’) a supernatural love story about a strange family, with an ancient secret, that arrives in a Midlands village to renovate an old manor house. When local girl, 17-year old Emily Morgan, falls for glamorous and mysterious 19-year old Theo de Lucis, she must change every perception she has had about live, love, ageing and death.

J A Heron (Romance, Erotic Romance, Thriller) in her own words: I live in a small town called Burton on Trent, Staffordshire in the middle of England. This lovely little town is famous for making beer, and I have called it home since I was born. I have a daughter called Shelby and although I was a young mother, I couldn’t be more proud of the beautiful young lady I have raised, I was eighteen years old when she came into my life, and I love her more than anything in the world. I am quite a positive person, and with some of the hardships I have encountered over the years has made me a stronger person. I lost my mum to cancer over ten years ago, and although I lost my best friend that day I believe in my heart that she would be proud of me.

I started writing because of my love for books, but also, because of my disability. I was a bit of a medical miracle you see, I survived, when I really shouldn’t have. And whilst my illness left me with some lasting effects, it also left me with a new outlook, determination and confidence that I could do it, so I did! I have loved reading for a number of years now, and my only regret is that I wish I had read more as a youngster. I believe it is very important to teach children the love of books from an early age, the earlier the better in my opinion. I am in a relationship with a wonderful man called Ian. He is very supportive of my writing and calls me ‘his clever girl’, for some reason this always makes me blush. Ian and my daughter know when to give me some space to write, they know that I can become quite tetchy when in the zone. But they also know that I need an endless supply of coffee, and maybe some chocolate thrown into the mix. I believe in my work, I believe in my stories, and I hope you do too…trust me, there’s a lot more to come!

http://janeheron1.wix.com/jaheronauthor

https://www.facebook.com/JAHeronAuthor

Katharine Swartz is the USA Today-bestselling author of 35 romances with Harlequin Presents, hundreds of short stories, and several historical novels and anthologies now available on Kindle. Her first women’s fiction with Penguin/NAL, Rainy Day Sisters, will be out in August 2015. She likes to read romance, mystery, the occasional straight historical and angsty women’s fiction; she particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots. Having lived in New York City, she now makes her home in a tiny village on the windswept northwest coast of England, with her husband, five children, and an overly affectionate Golden Retriever. You can read about her life at http://www.acumbrianlife.blogspot.co.uk.

AA Abbott is an English writer. “Mostly, I write thrillers set in the world of big business,” Abbott says. “Men enjoy my books just as much as women do, and I guess that’s why I chose a gender-neutral pen name. After all, if JK Rowling can pretend to be a guy – twice – then why shouldn’t I?” Abbott is better known in her day job as Helen Blenkinsop. “I work in interim roles in large companies, and then take time off to write,” she says. “I’ve always loved entertaining others with a story, and my work gives me loads of inspiration. Demanding bosses, frauds, affairs – I’ve seen it all!”

Helen has lived and worked in several English cities. “I aim to convey a strong sense of place in my writing,” she says. “Three cities I know particularly well are London, Bristol and Birmingham. London is awash with foreign money and frenzied work patterns. It’s hectic and exciting. By contrast, you can lose a lot of time in Bristol sipping cider and watching the world go by. Birmingham is where my heart lies – it’s busy, friendly and simply fun to be there. Often, I write about the tensions between different places and people. My characters explore themes of change, darkness and redemption, just as we all do in our journeys through life.” Any last words? “Yes,” Helen says. “I write great short stories too. There are loads free on my website, and when you sign up for my newsletter, I’ll send you a free e-book packed with terrific tales. What are you waiting for?”

http://aaabbott.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/AAAbbottStories https://www.facebook.com/AAAbbottStories

Laura Morgan (Dark Paranormal Romance), describes herself as “a hopeless romantic with a dark side.

I have worked in many administrative roles over the years thanks to a life on the move, and am a self-confessed computer and gadget geek. I’ve always had a wild imagination and a sense of creativity that often runs away with me, engrossing me for days in many a story that haunts my thoughts until it eventually makes it to the page. An avid rock music fan, I spend much of my free time listening to music at home or going to concerts with my friends, and this love of music often makes its way into my creative writing. I love edgy, gritty books that strip your heart and soul bare, and leave you with an epic book hangover at the end. That’s what I aimed to do with mine, and I think my readers agree! At times they’re dark and controversial, but that’s also what makes them unique.

Like many authors, my dream of writing was pushed aside for a long time. I was too busy, too tired, enough—so I kept my stories to myself. Then, one day in the summer of 2013 I began thinking up a new story. It haunted me, and eventually I felt compelled to write it down. I’m so glad I did, because that story quickly turned into my first novel, Embracing the Darkness. Since then I’ve written seven more full-length novels, numerous short stories, and I have a handful of works in progress on the go. I love edgy, gritty books that strip your heart and soul bare, and leave you with an epic book hangover at the end. That’s what I aimed to do with mine, and I think my readers agree! At times they’re dark and controversial, but that’s also what makes them unique.

I also have a YA science fiction series written under my pen name L.C Morgan, of which the first novel is out with a second to follow in June 2016. It’s a story set a thousand years in the future, in which humans have used and abused the planet beyond repair to both the earth itself and to society. Close to cataclysm, an alien race called the Thrakorian’s step in to save our planet, and us, but at a price. The human race is enslaved to their new masters, albeit willingly, and this is the story of a young girl and her journey into adulthood beneath their reign.

www.facebook.com/lauramorganauthor/ www.twitter.com/lauram241

http://author.to/LauraMorgan http://author.to/LCMorgan

Christina Smee (Historical): Originally from Birmingham, I have lived in Tamworth for 35 years. I am a self- employed historical interpreter working mainly at Bosworth Battlefield Centre. I also give talks on Medieval Herbal Medicine to local groups. My son, Dominic was involved in a Channel Four Documentary, Richard 111: The New Evidence in 2013/2014. Dominic has the same medical condition as King Richard and participated in scientific and historical research for the program.

The Rose of Middleham is my first published novel about life at Middleham castle in Yorkshire where Richard 111 lived, as a child and as owner upon his marriage to Anne Neville, daughter of The Earl of Warwick. I have planned to write a sequel when time permits. Both Dominic and I are members of a Living History group based at Bosworth Battlefield Centre where I have the role of Wise Woman. Since the documentary we have travelled the country with the armour commissioned by Channel Four where Dominic gives a presentation on his experience making the program.

Carol E Wyer (Humour, Romantic Comedy): Carol is an ex-teacher and linguist who lives in rural Staffordshire. Having written a series of educational yet amusing books for children, she turned her attention to the adult market in 2010 when her son flew from the nest.

Her first two novels attracted much attention from the media. Since then, she has appeared on over fifty BBC radio stations, several international radio stations, NBC television and BBC Breakfast discussing age-related subjects such as ‘Irritable Male Syndrome’. Her writing style has been described frequently by the media as ‘witty’ or ‘humorous’ and has even been compared to the acerbic wit of Jeremy Clarkson and the humour of Robin Williams.

Last year she won the People’s Book Prize Award for Grumpy Old Menopause which also was featured on BBC Breakfast television

Carol has written articles for and featured in several national women’s magazines including Take A Break, Choice, Woman’s Weekly and Woman’s Own who also wrote about her journey to becoming a best-selling author.

Recently, she signed a two-book deal with publishing house Bookouture. Currently writing a series of novels and articles aimed at the ‘older’ woman, Carol is also engaged in writing by-line articles and posts for magazines and websites including the Huffington Post and is a regular Loud Mouth on BBC Radio Derby. When not writing, you might find her performing her stand-up routine “Smile While You Still Have Teeth”.

Winner of the People’s Book Prize Award for non-fiction

www.carolewyer.co.uk www.facing50withhumour.com www.grumpyoldmenopause.com

PLUS Tamworth Writers Group and more…

The Full Programme

Facebook Events Page or Tamworth LitFest Webpage or Tamworth LitFest Facebook Page

May 6, 2016 by Caroline Barker

Book Blitz & Giveaway The Blue Ridge Project by Neil Rochford

Title: The Blue Ridge Project

Author: Neil Rochford

Genre: Dark Suspense/Paranormal

Date released: May 5th 2016

Blurb: Conspiracy. Murder. Secret experiments. Mind control. A detective, a journalist and a rich deviant struggle with their pasts as their actions set them on a collision course with each other and The Project.

Detective Andrea Nox has been asked to quietly investigate a bizarre and violent murder-suicide that could have consequences for Beacon City and the people in charge. Dead ends and odd clues are hindering her efforts, and when another similar murder occurs, she has to juggle the investigation and her own troubled past with the Beacon City Police Department.

Journalist Robert Duncan is visiting home after a personal crisis when the unthinkable happens, and secrets are unearthed about his family and his place in it. His involvement in a dangerous and far-reaching conspiracy grows as he uncovers information that implicates powerful people in horrible crimes.

Frank Mortimer, a disturbed son of a wealthy and influential family, is taking part in an experimental program that has promised to make him better. However, with the shadowy and powerful group known only as The Project behind the program, what he is getting better at could prove disastrous for everyone else, as a dangerous power is unlocked inside him…

Their paths will converge in a shocking story of murder, conspiracy and clandestine experiments taking place that could change the world.

Buy Links: Amazon US and Amazon UK

Author bio

Neil Rochford is a freelance writer who loves fiction where bad things happen. He has spent the last six years abroad, working his way through Europe and South America while learning the business behind writing and self-publishing in between teaching and bartending. Originally from Ireland, he speaks three languages and has lived in Estonia, Brazil, France and Spain. He maintains his own website, dabble in webpage creation, has written a number of short stories and is also a writer and regular contributor for popular Irish podcast Those Conspiracy Guys. Currently residing in Spain, he plans to return to his native Ireland this summer. You can find out more at neiltr.com.