Book Spotlight: Screaming Spires by Georgiana Derwent

Title: Screaming Spires

Series: The Cavaliers #2

Author: Georgiana Derwent

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, New Adult, Vampire

Publisher: self-published

Format: Ebook, Paperback

Length: approx 100 000 words

Publication Date: April 12th 2013

Book Description:

A Tale of the Posh, the Privileged and the Paranormal...

The Cavaliers are the most elite society at Oxford University - rich, powerful, and beautiful. No one realises that they are no ordinary students, but a group of aristocratic vampires from the English Civil War. For four hundred years they have groomed the most promising students to run the government, police, and finance in the way the vampires wish, granting them eternal life in return for absolute obedience.

In her first year at Oxford University, Harriet French became inextricably tied to the Cavaliers. Now Harriet’s back at Oxford for her second year. Armed with a vampire boyfriend, some great friends and the truth, she’s expecting an easier time.  She’s wrong.  Her best friend is now a vampire and the Cavalier who turned her to save her life is facing death for the one good deed he’s ever done. Just when it seems that things can’t get any worse, the Cavaliers’ ancient enemies decide to strike at the heart of the society and they’ve got Harriet in their sights.  

Screaming Spires continues the story of an ancient vampire conspiracy and the ordinary girl caught in its web begun in Oxford Blood.

Excerpt:

 “Dance with me,” someone said suddenly, taking hold of her hands in a way that left no room for argument.

With a sinking feeling, Harriet recognised George’s voice. She forced herself to stay calm as she looked up at him, pristine in his tailcoat and Cavalier bowtie.

“Dance with you? Are you insane? You killed my cousin. You kept my necklace hidden for weeks. You mesmerised me whilst they drained Caroline. If I had the strength, I’d kill you.”

George smiled and shook his head. “No you wouldn’t,” he said firmly, leading her onto the dance floor.

Before Harriet had a chance to take stock of the situation, they were in the middle of the marquee. She moved to the music as though she had no control over her body, allowing herself to be alternately spun around by George and pulled into him.

“So don’t I get a thank you then?” he whispered after a particularly vigorous twirl.

“I don’t know how you have the nerve even to speak to me, never mind to ask for my thanks.”

“I gave you what you wanted,” he said, pulling her closer. “I gave you your best friend back. If I’d asked you beforehand, what would you have said? Let her die or change her?”

Harriet was finding it difficult to concentrate on the conversation. The marquee was hot and full of people; the music was loud; the dancing was too vigorous. She needed to sit somewhere cool by herself and get her thoughts in order. Instead, George’s deep green eyes were boring into her, his cool hands were gripping hers, and it was becoming harder by the minute to remember all the terrible things he’d done. Harder still to push him away.

About the Author:

Georgiana Derwent read History at Oxford University. Aside from the vampires, The Cavaliers Series is an exaggerated but fairly accurate portrayal of her time there. She now works in London and lives with her fiancé. He’s been very supportive throughout the writing of her books, mainly because he likes to claim that all the most attractive characters are based on him.

Georgiana fell in love with vampire novels after reading The Vampire Diaries back in 2000. At the time it was a struggle to find any similar paranormal romances, a situation that it’s fair to say seems to have been rectified in the last few years. She now loves paranormal series, fantasy novels, and modern literary works in roughly equal measure.

Ever since her teens, she wanted to write a vampire series. Ever since going to Oxford she wanted to write a book about her experiences there. During a dull few months between finishing university and starting her graduate job, she had the idea of combining the two and The Cavaliers Series was born.

Website and Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter |

EXCERPT 2:

Harriet strode imperiously through the door and found herself in a large stone cell. It wasn’t as bad as her over-active imagination had feared. There were no rats or dripping water or manacles on the wall.

On the other hand, there were no creature comforts. The room seemed to have been hacked out of the hill. Walls, floor, and ceiling were all built out of the same rough, uncovered grey stone. It was windowless (hardly surprising this far underground). The only light came from an anaemic bulb dangling from the ceiling. Harriet felt claustrophobic, both from the small dimensions of the room and the thought of all the earth that was pushing down on them from above.

George was lounging on a hard wooden bench, maintaining an impressive degree of poise considering the discomfort of the room and the fact that his arms were fastened behind his back. He was still wearing the odd wooden handcuffs with swirling designs she’d seen Tristan use on him.

“You look terrible,” Harriet said. It wasn’t strictly true. It was probably physically impossible for George to look terrible in any situation, but he certainly looked much worse than usual. His skin was even paler than normal and had taken on a slight blue tinge. His eyes were dimmed and a deeper, dirtier green than Harriet was used to, and there were dark circles under them.

“Delighted to see you too Harriet,” he drawled, managing a faint, sarcastic smile. “So what are you doing here? Thought you’d take advantage of my incapacity to tell me again what a terrible person I am?”

In spite of George’s predicament, Harriet was scared to come any closer but made herself walk the few metres across the floor to his bench.

“Quite the opposite. It seems so unfair. You do so many awful things and then you get punished for saving Caroline, punished for stopping me from getting so hurt.”

“So she’s convinced you that being one of us isn’t so bad, has she?” he replied. “If only you could bring yourself to be so sweet towards me when I’m in a position to do something about it.”

 “I heard that Rupert has ordered that you shouldn’t be fed. It seems so cruel. Isn’t that dangerous?”

 “It’s standard procedure for a tribunal. It’s in everyone’s interests for the accused to be weak and pliable, not least their own. Attempts to fight back are never going to end well.”

“So would you prefer to be left like this, for your own protection? If I offered you my blood, would you take it?”

“Don’t taunt me, Harriet.” George’s voice had taken on a dangerous edge. Despite his bonds and despite the protection of her necklace, it made her shiver.

Harriet sat down on the bench beside him. “Let’s not make this complicated. You’re always after my blood, right now you need it more than ever and I’m offering it freely. I suggest you take advantage of the situation.”

The Unnaturals by Jessica Meigs: Cover Reveal

The Unnaturals by Jessica Meigs

Expected pub: October 1st 2012

Riley Walker is one of the world's best covert operatives, employed by a top-secret sector of the U.S. government known only as the Agency. Highly skilled and lethal in a fight, Riley is fiercely independent and adamant that she work alone after the mysterious death of her partner in an assignment gone wrong.

All that changes when she's thrust onto a new assignment investigating the deaths of twenty-seven Agency operatives. Forced to work with twelve-year Agency veteran Scott Hunter--a stickler for following orders and a loner by nature--Riley doesn’t get a chance to protest before she and her new partner are passed to a sector of the Agency that they never knew existed. As they investigate the murders, Riley and Scott learn that there’s more to the Agency than they ever suspected.

They discover the existence of monsters right out of their wildest dreams.

Goodreads Link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15837257-the-unnaturals

Author Bio:

Jessica Meigs is the author of The Becoming, a post-apocalyptic thriller series that follows a group of people trying to survive a massive viral outbreak in the southeastern United States. After gaining notoriety for having written the series on a variety of BlackBerry devices, she self-published two novellas that now make up the first book of the series. In April 2011, she accepted a three-book deal with Permuted Press to publish a trilogy of novels. The first of the trilogy, entitled The Becoming, was released in November 2011 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Audible in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats. It was also named one of Barnes & Noble's Best Zombie Fiction Releases of 2011 and Best Apocalyptic Fiction Releases of 2011 by reviewer Paul Goat Allen. In March 2012, she released a related novella entitled The Becoming: Brothers in Arms. The second novel in the series, The Becoming: Ground Zero, is coming in July 2012 from Permuted Press, with a third novel, The Becoming: Revelations, to follow. A fourth and fifth book are currently in the process of being written. 

Author Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaMeigs

FB: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaMeigs

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4524583.Jessica_Meigs

Website:  http://becomingzombies.com/

Spotlight on Author L.K. Below!

43 Days until the release of 

This Blackened Night, 

The Order: Book 3!

Every author has a set of characters more dear to their hearts than any others. In most cases, this stems from these characters being among the first ever created. I won't claim Lori and Terrence were my very first, but they did come close. Their first book, Stalking Shade, which released in 2011, was originally written in 2007. And rewritten. And rewritten.

And now it feels like a dear friend is moving away. With the release of This Blackened Night on September 24th, 2012, the trilogy will come to an end. Lori might be a prickly character, not easy for anyone but Terrence to love, but I had a lot of fun with her. When I wrote this third book late last year, I dragged my feet to see it finished for the same reason. I didn't want to let the pair of them go. A not-so-secret part of me is hoping for an overwhelming response from readers asking me to continue so I have an excuse to revisit my favorite characters.

For now, I'm counting down the days until the third book releases. Maybe you'll fall in love with Lori and Terrence every bit as fiercely as I have. Lori might be stubborn in pushing people away, but Terrence is the most persistent character I've ever written. Good thing, too.

Join me in celebrating the release of the third book a bit early with this short, sweet teaser excerpt:


This Blackened Night by L.K. Below

With murders cropping up all around, who should she trust?

After months of searching, Lori finally scrounges up a clue as to the whereabouts of the missing leader of her secret organization. But her vision isn't encouraging--it points to her vampire companion Terrence as the culprit.

Terrence is adamant that he isn't at fault. Even though she knows she might be walking into a trap, she follows his lead to a shabby island port. When her informants start turning up dead with puncture wounds in their necks, Lori wonders just how well she knows Terrence. And why does he act different during the search than in their hotel room?

Lori doesn't know who to trust anymore. She only hopes that she won't be the next victim.


Six Sweet Sentences from the book:

Eventually, Terrence tapped her on the shoulder. “Only an hour or two ’til dawn,” the vampire murmured.

So? I won’t burst into flames.

Lori stomped down the uncharitable thought. She was getting tired, and her thoughts had led her in dizzying circles.





Learn more about the series as a whole on the Lyrical Press, Inc. website: http://bit.ly/TheOrderSeries.

Read a longer excerpt from This Blackened Night at http://bit.ly/ThisBlackenedNight.


Bio: If L.K. Below gets far too attached to her characters, well, that's because they're interesting people. Read two of her favorites in her urban fantasy series, The Order. Join her online at www.lbelow.net to learn more. Want to keep up to date with her tour stops? Follow her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/LBelowtheauthor) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/LK-BelowLindsay-Below/355586159614)

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop - Win Sloane Wolf

Welcome to the

Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway Hop

July 27th to August 1st

Hosted by Colorimety & I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

My Giveaway:

An electronic copy of my paranormal romance, Sloane Wolf. For a chance to win, please leave a comment with a way to contact you, answering this question: What sort of paranormal character would you like to spend a Lazy Day in Summer with? Or just say hi and tell me that you'd like to win! Extra entries for following the blog, twitter, etc. - be sure to leave a separate comment for each. Good luck, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the hop!

About the Book:

For more than a hundred and fifty years, the gray wolf has failed to roam the hills of Massachusetts, leading to the belief that they are extinct. But with a spattering of sightings across the Berkshires, the legend of the gray wolf comes to fruition. The product of that legend, Micah Sloane will go to great lengths to protect his kind from the threat of outsiders, who seek to exploit the legend for their own interests. One thing he didn’t count on, however, was finding his soul mate in the company of such men.

From the first time she predicted a stranger’s imminent death when she was little more than a child, Shiloh Beck knew she was different. Wishing to cultivate her gift, her parents made the fateful decision to enroll her in a private school for paranormally gifted children. Unbeknownst to them, the school was just a front for a research facility simply called the Institute, whose secret board members weaned gifted children from their families to exploit their gifts. Shiloh has spent the better part of her life trying to escape the Institute and reunite with the family she was told had abandoned her.

From their first meeting, Micah and Shiloh share a connection that goes beyond the normal to bond them in a way that love alone cannot. But before they can build a life together, they must deal with the fall-out when the legend of the wolves collides with the men behind the Institute.

Angels vs. Demons - Where Do YOU Stand?

Do You Believe in Angels?

Dante

I never set out to write about angels. I didn’t sit down one day and think to myself, “Angels, now there’s a good basis for a book.” In fact, it was the furthest thing from my mind – before I had the dream. Back then, I had visions of Regency heroes and quirky modern heroines, but angels? Not so much.

Until the dream.

Of course I didn’t realize at the time that I was writing about angels. They weren’t very forthcoming in the beginning. I actually thought that I was writing about a woman who was at a crossroad in her life where the ultimate choice she made could literally have life or death consequences. I know what you’re thinking. All this from a dream? Well, no, not exactly. The dream itself centered around a woman at a nightclub dancing the night away with a sinfully attractive man. Simple enough but for the fact that, when she turned away from him, his eyes began to glow red, giving him a devilish look. Still rather unremarkable, right? Until the woman showed up in my next dream. Only this time, she was dressed in a rather proper manner and moving into a garage apartment, preparing to take care of the twins of a widower.

Kyle

That’s how Nora’s Soul came to fruition. Two dreams, interconnected, that wouldn’t leave me alone. They were all I thought about. Who was this woman and why was she out dancing with a devil one night and preparing to care for children the next? The questions fueled my imagination, demanding answers. The first answer came in the identity of the woman, Nora, who began to give me clues to her background. The angels came in later. You see, in the beginning, I thought I was dealing with a clear-cut depiction of good versus evil, devil versus angel, but as the story progressed, I realized that not everything is so black and white. There are beautiful shades of gray.

Dante is a shade of gray. When he first came to me in my dream, Dante portrayed himself as something of a devil. So that’s how I described him. He was a devil, his only purpose was to steal Nora’s Soul, and that was the end of the story. Or so I thought. But Dante had other ideas. Just when I thought I was done with him, he wouldn’t let me go. He kept invading my dreams, telling a different story. I soon learned that Dante was an angel who, not unlike Nora, was led down the wrong path by his desires. And Dante also finds himself having to make some decisions that could have severe ramifications not only for himself but also for others connected to him.

At its core, Nora’s Soul is about a woman’s crisis of faith – in herself as well as the heavenly beings who are trying to set her on the right path. But it’s also about what happens when one of those heavenly beings has been led astray, his own faith – in himself, in his kind – tested. Even Dante will have to answer the question: Do you believe in angels?

Peter

Here’s a blurb:


When angels of light and dark collide on earth…

Once he held a favored position in the heavens. But one moment of weakness casts Dante out and now he is cursed to walk the earth, collecting the souls of vulnerable women to buy his way into hell.

All hell breaks loose…

But standing in his way is Peter, an angel of light. Peter is everything Dante is not. Pure, above reproach. And determined to prevent Dante from achieving his goals. Peter will stop at nothing to protect the souls in his charge, even if it means achieving the impossible – leading Dante back onto the right path.
And no one is safe from the fall-out.

Nora Kendall believed in angels. Once. But then she lost her brother to cancer despite all of her prayers – and she lost her faith in all things angelic. Now, she is a lost soul who wanders through life like a sleepwalker, playing it safe and leaving the risk-taking to others.

Kyle Cameron is one of those risks. Burned by a bad marriage, his only concern now is providing a stable life for his children, who are left motherless by the unexpected death of his wife. This means working overtime to grow his architectural firm into a viable business – and leaving the care of his children to the care of someone he trusts. Despite his past connection with Nora, Kyle isn’t certain that she’s the right person for the job. He also doesn’t want to reconnect with her and repeat history.
But fate – and the machinations of two angels – has other ideas.

And an excerpt:

“I don’t want there to be any misconceptions or hurt feelings between us, Nora.”

The sound of his harsh voice snapped her attention back to him. “Misconceptions?” she repeated, confused. “About what?”

“About what you and my sister expect is going to happen here.”

“I don’t – “ Her protest died on her lips when he placed a fingertip over them, silencing her. She nearly choked on a shallow breath at the fireball of sensation that roared down to the pit of her stomach at that minute touch. Thankfully, he withdrew the finger before she could do anything really damaging to her pride – like suck it into her mouth – but the fiery sensation lingered in her stomach, quietly banking a fire of old sensations into full life.

“I don’t need a social secretary,” he said, seemingly unaware of her reaction to him. “If I did need a secretary, I’d find one through a headhunter, not my sister.”

“Okay.”

“And I certainly wouldn’t take one whose background is in social services.”

“Well, then, it’s a good thing I’m not here to be your secretary.”

“Good. Now that we’ve got that established, let’s move on.”

“Please do.”

Kyle ignored that last comment as he launched into his speech. As he spoke, he made a leisurely circle about Nora, pausing to lean toward her in punctuation of each sentence.

“I’m not looking for a wife or a new mother for my children – “

“I’m not – "

“ – so if that’s the little scheme you’ve got going with my sister, you can just forget about it now.”
“I don’t have any ‘little scheme’ going with Joelle - or anyone else, for that matter!”

“Glad to hear it,” Kyle said, his tone belying his words. “Let’s move on, shall we?”

“Oh, please do.”

“I live alone. I like that.”

His breath skimmed her right ear as he leaned in close to her, front to front. She tried not to shudder at the pleasurable sensation it sent shimmering down her neck and into her stomach, where it joined the fire still banked there. She feared that she failed miserably. She almost didn’t hear his next words in the aftermath of the sensations he aroused in her.

“I throw my clothes on the floor when I undress.” He slipped around her right shoulder, but circled close to it – too close. “I leave the toilet seat up. I squeeze toothpaste from the middle. I sleep in the nude.” He leaned over her shoulder. His lips pressed to her ear, his breath searing a path down the left side of her neck now that, oddly enough, brought chills to her spine. “I like that.”

As the chills rippled through her, Nora swayed, slightly off-balance. Kyle righted her equilibrium with a quick, painless jab of his knees to the backs of hers. Then he pulled back, abruptly, completed his circle as he drilled home his point. “I don’t want anyone picking up my clothes. I don’t want anyone putting down the toilet seat or telling me where to squeeze my toothpaste.” He paused to quirk his lips in what could almost pass for a smile at the suggestive statement. “And I don’t want anyone buying me silk pajamas. I don’t want to be reformed.” He leaned his face so close to Nora’s then that his features filled her entire realm of vision. “Got that?”

Well, of all the arrogant, insufferable – !  Nora was trembling with rage by the conclusion of Kyle’s little speech. Just who the hell did he think he was, anyway, making demands like that?

“That’s what I missed about you all these years, Kyle,” she said with hard-won calm. “That charming personality.”

Kyle smiled then, but it was just a flexing of the muscles; there was no warmth to it. He leaned nearer to Nora, the tip of his nose in a position to touch hers should either of them make the slightest movement. It was an oddly intimate pose; a slight twist to the left, or a slight twist to the right, and their lips would be touching, even if no other parts of their bodies were. But the heat of his body – emanating from his skin in a wonderfully male scent that reminded her of warm summer days at the beach – did touch her; like a brand, searing another impression of him on her heart. The urge to melt into him wasn’t as hard as the urge to pull away; it took all of her strength to resist it. Oh, no, she wouldn’t give him that.

“Oh, I can be very charming.” He dropped the smile. “Or not.” Withdrawing, he stared down his nose at her, pointed a finger toward her collarbone. “Your choice. Just remember this – I don’t want to be seduced.”

“Oh, I don’t think there’s any chance of that,” Nora said, her voice so thick with sarcasm she nearly choked on it. She thought she detected a flicker of something – admiration, perhaps – in his eyes when she stated, “I’m here to take care of your children’s needs, not yours.” But whatever she thought she saw in his eyes was gone before she could name it. Must be my imagination, she decided.

“See that you remember that.”

“Oh, I will.”

They faced off for an eternal moment, two battle-scarred warriors at an emotional impasse. Each waiting for the other to flinch first. When that didn’t happen, they simultaneously relaxed their stances, as if by some silent agreement.

Kyle took a wary step backward. His eyes never left her face. “Good. Then there’s nothing left to discuss. Is there?”

“Just one thing,” she said when he would’ve turned away. She ignored the annoyed look he cast over his shoulder as he paused on his flight up the stairs. She started down the hall toward the sounds of merriment emanating from the kitchen, but paused when she came abreast of Kyle on the stairs. “I take my responsibilities very seriously.” She hesitated, for effect, then drove the statement home with, “All of them.” And then she was gone, leaving Kyle to stare after her in wonder.



I hope you enjoyed this little teaser. Watch this spot for details on a new and improved version of Nora's Soul.

Thank you for spending some time with me. Until we meet again, watch out for the angels…especially when they invade your dreams.

Contest Time!

Please comment below for your chance to win an e-copy of my current book, Sloane Wolf, OR a print copy of the original Nora's Soul. Extra entries for following my blog, facebook and/or Twitter. Please leave a separate comment for each.

We want to know: Angels or Demons...who do you want? From June 28th - July 1st, you can HOP around the blogs, comment on each and follow their rules, and be entered to win over 100 giveaways. Yep. I said 100 GIVEAWAYS. Each blog will have it's own giveaway, PLUS we have TWO grand prizes. ONE Commenter from the blogs will win a KINDLE TOUCH another Commenter will win a $60 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card! Yep! We're doing THAT MUCH. You can comment on 1 or all 103 and be entered up to 103 times for the grand prizes. So come around those days and do your best to win! Good luck y'all! Enjoy the rest of the hop!

Angel Eyes Contest - Win a Nook Color!

Celebrate with Shannon by entering her "Angel Eyes" Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 6/26!

Find out what readers are saying here.

One "angelic" winner will receive:

• A Brand New Nook Color
• A copy of Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on June 25th. Winner will be announced at the "Angel Eyes" Author Chat Facebook Party on 6/26. Shannon will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills and giving away some great prizes!

So grab your copy of Angel Eyes and join Shannon on the evening of the June 26th for a chance to meet Shannon and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 26th!

I Could Handle This Renegade Passion!

I have a love/hate relationship with novellas. On the love side, they are quick bites from an interesting course at a literary buffet. On the hate side, quick bites are just that - quick. One bite and they're done. Usually leaving me wanting more. Such is the case with Renegade Passion by Lisa Renee Jones. It's a quick look into the world of the Zodius that left me wanting more!

I always wonder why authors choose certain characters to star in novellas as opposed to full length novels because I usually end up wishing that the story was more fleshed out, longer. Once I enter the lives of characters I like, I want to spend a lot of time with them. Such is the case with Kel and Sonia. They are wonderful characters who could easily carry a longer story and I would have loved to learn more about them. Kel is one of those amazing super hunk heroes that you secretly (or maybe not so secretly) wish would come rescue you in your time of need - and stay for a little something special afterwards. He is strong, loyal, and vulnerable where his heart is concerned - what more could you want in a hero? And Sonia is the perfect foil for him. Loyal, supportive and forgiving. Together, they make an amazing couple and I really would have liked to spend a lot more time with them and read more about their story.

If I had one complaint about this book, it would be its brevity. Although I gobbled it up in one bite, I was left wishing there were more to it. I would have liked to get more into the action, back story and love affair between the characters, although I understand that is not the purpose of novellas (which is why I prefer novels). Despite that one minor flaw, I really did enjoy Renegade Passion and meeting all of the characters from previous books in the series. I just might have to check them out. And if the author ever decides to delve more into the story of Kel and Sonia, I'm there, too. All in all, an enjoyable read!

Not Sure I CRAVE More of This Story

Description:

Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.

For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back…different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences….

This sounds like a great premise, doesn't it? That's what I thought, too, when I first read it. Paranormal elements in a star-crossed romance, a war between vamps and witches - it all sounded so good, I just had to read this story. But now that I have, I have mixed feelings about it.

For one thing, I never really connected with the characters. For some reason, Savannah just turned me off. She had kind of a poor-me attitude toward the other students who suddenly stopped being her friend and ostrascized her. I know this was probably a traumatic thing for her, but there was just something about the way she moped about it that didn't sit right with me. And her relationship with her father was kind of strange; it was a series of I-hate-you-for-ruining-my-life-and-dashing-my-dreams and okay-I'll-blindly-do-whatever-you-say. I really feel like Savannah didn't have enough backbone.

Then there's Tristan. At first, he seems okay with the idea of treating Savannah like an outcast and then, inexplicably, he's got a major crush on her. The change was just too quick. One moment, he's the perfect son and friend, and the next, he's willing to risk the wrath of everyone in the Clann for her. 

Still, I tried to suspend disbelief for the purpose of the story and continued to read it, curious as to how the situation would be resolved. I have to say I was dissatisfied with the ending. It felt kind of abrupt, like it was finished too soon so it could provide a cliffhanger for the next book. Now I know how difficult it is to write a book and to tie together all of the elements to create a full-bodied story. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For me, this just didn't. Sure, there's going to be another book (or two, I'm not sure) that will no doubt delve deeper into the worlds of the vamps and witches, but the truth is, I'm not sure I care enough about what happens to the characters to read it.

My conclusion: Though this is not the book for me, I'm sure readers who are hardcore fans of the vampire genre will enjoy it.

(Note: This was an e-ARC provided by NetGalley.com)

This sounds like a great premise, doesn't it? That's what I thought, too, when I first read it. Paranormal elements in a star-crossed romance, a war between vamps and witches - it all sounded so good, I just had to read this story. But now that I have, I have mixed feelings about it.

For one thing, I never really connected with the characters. For some reason, Savannah just turned me off. She had kind of a poor-me attitude toward the other students who suddenly stopped being her friend and ostrascized her. I know this was probably a traumatic thing for her, but there was just something about the way she moped about it that didn't sit right with me. And her relationship with her father was kind of strange; it was a series of I-hate-you-for-ruining-my-life-and-dashing-my-dreams and okay-I'll-blindly-do-whatever-you-say. I really feel like Savannah didn't have enough backbone.

Then there's Tristan. At first, he seems okay with the idea of treating Savannah like an outcast and then, inexplicably, he's got a major crush on her. The change was just too quick. One moment, he's the perfect son and friend, and the next, he's willing to risk the wrath of everyone in the Clann for her. 

Still, I tried to suspend disbelief for the purpose of the story and continued to read it, curious as to how the situation would be resolved. I have to say I was dissatisfied with the ending. It felt kind of abrupt, like it was finished too soon so it could provide a cliffhanger for the next book. Now I know how difficult it is to write a book and to tie together all of the elements to create a full-bodied story. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For me, this just didn't. Sure, there's going to be another book (or two, I'm not sure) that will no doubt delve deeper into the worlds of the vamps and witches, but the truth is, I'm not sure I care enough about what happens to the characters to read it.

My conclusion: Though this is not the book for me, I'm sure readers who are hardcore fans of the vampire genre will enjoy it.

(Note: This was an e-ARC provided by NetGalley.com)

 

Welcome to the World, Sloane Wolf!

Today's the day! I am so happy to announce that today is the official birthday of my new book, Sloane Wolf. Published by an incredible new small publisher called MuseItUp Publishing, Sloane Wolf tells the story of Shiloh Beck, an empath being stalked by a mysterious organization known only as "the Institute," and Micah Sloane, a shapeshifter with secrets of his own, and the legend that binds them together.

Here's an excerpt:

"No hiking trails where you live?"

Another odd expression crossed her face then, and once again, quickly masked. She favored him with an ironic little smile that zinged straight to his heart like Cupid's proverbial arrow. Damn, he was treading on dangerous ground here. If he were smart, he'd put an end to this nonsense and some distance between them. If he were smart.

"No," she murmured, looking ahead once more, "no trails where I live."

"City?"

"Not exactly."

Not exactly? How could you "not exactly" live in the city? Micah shook the question away as he directed his attention, and the conversation, toward her friend, several feet in front of them now. "You know, I've got to wonder why you needed us," he said. "Your friend seems to know where he's going."

"I don't see how," she disagreed, her breath coming in little pants as she negotiated the rugged terrain that steadily rose into the azure sky. "I've never known him to go for the hiking thing, either. This is a first for us both."

"And how long have you known him?"

A telling pause, then, "Most of my life."

"Family friend?"

The question brought her up short. Literally. Stopping in the middle of their makeshift path, she turned to face him, a defiant expression on her face. Fascinating, he thought as he mimicked her actions. His brothers, he absently noted, didn't miss a beat as they strode along in a semi-circle behind Jon, their attention focused upon him and nothing else. And then it was just him—and her, standing beneath the hickories and oaks.

* * * *

Shiloh waited for the others to put some distance between them, watching as they did so, before she turned her attention back to Micah. She was nearly undone by the headiness of standing so close to him. Did the man have any idea of his potency or was she the only one he affected this way?

"Okay, you want to tell me what this is all about?" she demanded, wrapping her arms about her waist in a defensive gesture and to control her wayward longings, a vain attempt.

"What?"

"This." She waved a hand between them in indication of the topic. "The interrogation."

"It wasn't exactly an interrogation," he tried to deny.

The nerve of him!

"Oh?" she challenged. "You want me to count the questions? Let's see—"

"Just making conversation. Something wrong with that?"

The fight whooshing out of her, Shiloh glanced toward the disappearing trio before responding. "No," she said and, grudgingly, "Sorry."

"Yeah." He kicked the ground between them with the toe of his hiking boot, his frustration evident in the gesture. "You sound it."

"I'm not used to people—well, strangers—asking a lot of questions."

"If I'd known asking you a couple of questions would upset you—"

"More than a couple."

"I wouldn't have asked them," he continued as if uninterrupted. "What's your problem? Are you this skittish with all people?"

"No, just you," she answered before she could think better of it. She wanted to kick herself. What was wrong with her? Might as well confess how he affected her, at this rate. But at least he looked as surprised by her candor as she felt.

"Lucky me," he said after a moment in which neither one of them seemed able to talk. He looked away from her, toward the slope of the wooded mountain. "We should probably catch up with the others. Who knows where your friend is headed."

"Not me." She fell into step beside him, grateful for the less taxing pace he set. "He kept the map to himself. He wouldn't let me see it. Like it was a treasure map or something. Only thing I know is it’s hand-drawn. Well, hand drawn on the computer."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Jon is a total computer geek," Shiloh revealed, glancing his way. "Why draw with a pen what you can do with a mouse?" She looked forward again, gave a little shrug. "That's his motto, anyhow."

"And what's your motto?"

She didn't answer right away. No one had ever asked it of her before. At length, she shrugged and told him the truth. "I don't have one."

"No? I thought everyone had one.”

To diffuse her unease, Shiloh turned the topic on him. “So what’s yours, then?” She even managed a smile as she warmed to the subject. “What is the Sloane family motto? Live by the sword, die by the plague?”

With a chuckle, Micah said, “Not quite. Try again.”

“The acorn doesn’t fall far from the oak?”

“Not even close!”

“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

“What does that even mean?”

For the first time since they met, Shiloh shared a laugh with Micah. “I don’t know! I always wondered that myself.” She paused for a moment before she dared to ask, “So what is the Sloane family motto?”

“It changes depending on the situation, but the prevailing one is ‘Family isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.’”

“That’s nice.” Before she could stop the thought from reaching her mouth, she said, “I wish I had a motto like that.”

“So why don’t you?”

And they were right back to where they started.

Unease trickled down her spine at the question. She flinched before she could check her response. Relax, Shiloh, she cautioned herself, covering her reaction by feigning interest in a moss-blanketed rock they passed. She inhaled a few breaths before speaking again. “I don’t know—not something we talk about.”

* * * *

Why was she being so cryptic? Micah saw the way she flinched at the mere mention of her family. He knew his question, which seemed harmless to him, wasn't to her. People didn't usually react like that, unless they had a good reason. And although he hadn't known her for long, Shiloh didn't strike him as the type of person who overreacted to things. Well, at least not something like this. The mystery of Shiloh Beck deepened.

Interested? Check it out here. 

Soon to be available on Amazon, too!