Thursday, October 22, 2020

Book Review - New Release! FACETS OF POWER (Book #3 Dragon Portal series) by Jamie A. Waters

 

Facets of Power
Jamie A. Waters
(The Dragon Portal, #3)
Publication date: October 22nd 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

The hardest stone protects the most precious gems…

Someone is killing dwarves.

Sabine is new to the city of Razadon, a mecca of stone and dwarven magic.

When several clan leaders are murdered in a strange ritual, suspicion falls on the most likely culprits and those newest to the city—Sabine and her companions.

The blood of the ancients can fracture even the strongest stone…

The seals of the Dragon Portal are growing weaker, and Sabine’s running out of time to acquire the remaining artifacts before their world is engulfed in flames.

It’s a race against the clock to find out who’s responsible for the murders and save her friend’s life. But deep within the heart of the mountain, there are some who will do anything to keep Sabine from learning the truth.

Even if it means sacrificing her in the process.

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EXCERPT:

Volack paused, glancing upward. His eyes widened, and he muttered a curse. “Double time, men! Make haste. That storm has a bad look about it. If it’s tied into whatever happened to Badac, we need to get to shelter now!”

They all increased their pace, heading faster up the path. Suddenly, the sun disappeared behind heavy cloud cover and the sky darkened to midnight. A cold wind filled the air, whipping Sabine’s hair away from her face and chilling her down to her bones. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and a low peal of thunder rumbled throughout the mountain.

Sabine looked over her shoulder and another flash of silvered lightning lit the sky. Dark hooded figures emerged from the dark clouds, riding atop creatures of nightmare. Silvery tentacles emerged from beneath the riders’ cloaks, while the eyes of their mounts glowed red with malice. It was the Wild Hunt, and she’d always believed the next time she saw them would be the last.

“Run!” Malek shouted. “They’re nearly upon us!”

The dwarves rushed up the mountain. Sabine grabbed Rika’s hand to keep her grounded while they ran. Malek pulled out his sword but kept pace with them while they raced ahead.

Rika stumbled in the darkness, pulling Sabine down with her. Sabine hit the ground, her palms biting into the sharp rocks and stones. Malek pulled both her and Rika to their feet.

“Sabine!” Bane roared, jerking against his captives to reach her. The dwarves shouted obscenities at him, pushing the demon onward.

“Go, Bane!” Sabine yelled, motioning for him to run. Rika was human and couldn’t hope to keep pace with them, but Sabine wasn’t about to abandon her charge.

“They’re here!” Blossom shrieked, clinging to Sabine’s neck. “You have to run, Sabine!”

“We won’t make it,” Rika said, choking on a sob. Sabine grabbed her hand again, but Malek scooped Rika up and threw her over his shoulder.

“Run, Sabine! Dammit, run! I’ve got her!”

Trusting Malek at his word, Sabine lowered her chin to her chest and ran for her life. Using the glowing crystals affixed to each of the archways as a beacon, she raced up the mountain path. Malek’s footsteps pounded on the stone behind her, while the rumble of thunder from the Hunt’s mounts became nearly deafening. The riders were nearly upon them, but Sabine couldn’t stop. The lightning strikes were coming faster, and Sabine’s markings began to flash in resonance.

My Review:

I absolutely LOVE this series! Jamie A. Waters has captured every emotion I could possibly have with this latest book in the Dragon Portal series. I laughed at the antics of Blossom the pixie, I smiled and chuckled at the way some of the dwarves were described and the way they talked, I got angry at what was happening to Bane, and I swooned... I mean REALLY SWOONED at the connection between Sabine and Malek! And I cried. Real tears streaming down my cheeks. So much emotion!!!

This series is written the way I love to see a series written. There is an end goal (which keeps me anxiously anticipating the next book in the series), but each book is written with a new adventure, a new location, and new allies to be made... without losing the main characters that stay clinging to my heart... and with each new adventure Sabine and Malek come closer to their end goal (or will they make it in time?) 

FACETS OF POWER takes us to the City of Razadon, a city hidden deep inside the crystal caves of a mountain, inhabited by dwarves and other magical creatures. The world building by this author is amazing, making the reader feel like they are right there. New characters are introduced including Dagmar, the talkative, energetic and tenacious young dwarf assigned to be Sabine's steward during her stay in Razadon. There is Astrid, the outspoken Councilwoman who was a former friend to Sabine's mother. And we meet Thetar, who is quite the character himself! We also see more of the young seer, Rika, in this book, who is accidently turned into part butterfly by Blossom due to the corrupted magic lurking in Razadon. And the best part of all, the part that sent chills up my spine, is that we learn a bit more about the Wild Hunt and the Huntsman himself. EEEEK!

I am so anxious to read the next book in this series and I see that Ms. Waters is already working on it. Please hurry! I need it now!


Author Bio:

Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning writer of science fiction and fantasy romance. Her first novel was a winner of the Readers' Favorite Award in Science Fiction/Fantasy Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science Fiction.

Jamie currently resides in Florida with two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks. When she's not pursuing her passion of writing, she's usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading on her Kindle, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub


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Monday, October 19, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - SOUL'S DAY BOXSET: Horror and Paranormal Halloween Theme

Soul’s Day Boxset: Horror and Paranormal Halloween Theme
Published by: Fire Quill Publishing
Publication date: October 20th 2020
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Old Hallows Eve, when things go bump in the night,
Children come to play, and the witches provide the fright.
For 19 authors, USA Today and international bestselling,
The Halloween tales become more than this foretelling.
In the Soul’s Day Boxset, a mansion feeds on souls,
A gargoyle captures them, and a demon dungeon master makes the calls,
Campers gets picked off one by one,
The Karnaval’s corn dogs are less than fun,
Ghosts lurking around every bend,
‘I do’ at the wedding is the very end.
A boxset of chills and thrills to keep you up at night,
One-click pre-order to snap your copy filled with fright.
On old Hallow’s eve when creatures come to play,
With this spine chilling pages, it’s where you’ll want to stay.

AUTHOR LINE UP:

Erin Lee – USA TODAY BESTSELLING
Kristin Ping w/a Judith Holstrom – USA TODAY BESTSELLING
Amber Garr – AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Ashlee Sinn – AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
L.L. Hunter – AWARD AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Monique Singleton – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Majanka Verstraete – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Aubrey Wynne – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Stephanie Ayers – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
DM Wolfenden – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Maggie Tideswell – INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING
Sian B. Claven – AWARD WINNING AUTHOR
Kayla Krantz
Yvette Bostic
Brandy Nacole
Jennifer Fish-Ferguson
Lea Cherry
Scarlet Le Clair

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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - THE MAGIC INGREDIENT by Lindy Miller

The Magic Ingredient
Lindy Miller
(A Bar Harbor Holiday Novel)
Published by: Rosewind Books
Publication date: October 13th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The end of summer is approaching, but even at the height of Bar Harbor’s tourist season, Eve Silver is having a hard time keeping enough money in the bank to sustain the family business. Her only hope of paying past due bills is to win the catering bid for the town’s upcoming Harvest Happening Festival. Otherwise, it’ll be lights out for Mount Desserts & Tea by Christmas.

Widower Jeff Parish is moving with his twelve-year-old daughter, Candy, from Manhattan to Maine with one goal: starting over. When sparks fly between Jeff and Eve as the town readies for the annual harvest festival, Candy wishes she had a love potion to help her dad fall in love again.

Will Eve be able to save Mount Desserts & Tea—and open her heart to Jeff—by the most bewitching night of the year? It’ll take a lot of love, a little bit of luck … and just a pinch of magic.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Part of eating a cupcake was the experience, and in Eve’s opinion, a little extra frosting on your face made it all the more gratifying. Her mouth filled with the taste of vanilla, chocolate, and marshmallow, all of the flavors intermingling just as she’d planned. Still, something seemed off. It wasn’t enough to toss the batch out, but in Eve’s opinion, the recipe hadn’t quite reached perfection.

Eve swallowed, wiping away the frosting from her nose. “It’s not perfect.”

“It’s incredible,” Jeff countered before he shoved the rest of the cupcake into his mouth.

He had a dollop of frosting on his nose, which made Eve smile despite her frustration at the recipe. “I don’t know if I believe your verdict, but at least you didn’t call it glitzy.”

Jeff mumbled something that sounded like idtellinguidperfek around the mouthful of pastry.

“Something is missing. Something small, a flavor that isn’t quite there. It’s not major, but enough that I notice.” Eve wiped her hands on a dishcloth and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest in frustration. “I don’t know why I can’t get it right. Maybe I’m not as great a baker as I think I am. It shouldn’t take so many tries to get a recipe correct. Not if you know what you’re doing.”

Jeff wiped his face and leveled his gaze at Eve as he stepped closer. “I don’t think that’s true at all. You’re a fantastic baker. You’re a fantastic lot of things.”

He was so close now Eve could smell his scent—musky and warm, with notes of pine and sandalwood. An inviting smell. Eve wondered how she’d never noticed it before. Then again, the more she felt drawn to Jeff the more she’d tried to keep her distance, kind of like reaching her goal—one step forward, two back.

“Really?” she asked, hoping she sounded interested and not incredulous. She didn’t want to offend someone offering her a compliment, even if she didn’t believe it. “I try so hard and I feel like I come up short.”

“Doing everything on your own isn’t easy, and I can see how you might think that you’re failing, but you’re looking at the situation the wrong way.”

Eve shook her head and kept her eyes downcast, even when Jeff’s hand found her shoulder, sliding down to cup her upper arm. His touch sent a tingle down her flesh and she resisted the urge to look up.

“Is there another way?”

“Instead of focusing on what you’re not doing well, think of all the things you are amazing at. Try to see yourself as …”

He paused.

Eve wondered if he’d changed his mind about whatever it was he was going to say.

Jeff cleared his throat and started over. “Try to see yourself the way I see you. Like Candy does, and Doris and Annie. And Bapo, for what it’s worth.”

Eve snickered, despite herself. “You’re never going to get tired of ribbing him, are you?”

“Never.” Jeff’s hand slid further down her arm to rest on her elbow. “My point remains.”

The place where Jeff’s hand rested on her arm pulsed. “How do you all see me?”

“We see someone who works hard every single day, around the clock, never taking any time for herself. Who gives her all to everything she does, even when it seems impossible, and who makes everyone feel needed and wanted when she’s around simply by being there.” Jeff stepped in closer. His heat brushed up against her chest. “It isn’t about finding the perfect recipe for a new confection or keeping the family business around for another generation, Eve. It’s about you. You make Mount Desserts worth saving. And I believe in you. We all do, even if you don’t believe in yourself.”

When Eve finally looked up, she found herself staring into Jeff’s eyes. They were warmer and sweeter than any chocolate ganache she’d ever made.

His free hand found its way to her other elbow and she allowed herself to be drawn from the counter. Jeff pulled her into his embrace, his hands releasing her elbows to slide around the small of her back, holding her close.

There was no denying the butterflies now.


Author Bio:

Lindy Miller is an author of feel-good love stories that are full of sweet moments and happy endings. She believes the best time to fall in love is during the holidays, preferably over a cup of warm tea or a delicious vegan pastry - two things she can't get enough of.

A free spirit, Lindy loves to travel and has a soft spot for Bar Harbor, Maine though she grew up at home in the South. She is married to her childhood sweetheart and bakes as often as she can for her husband, son, and pets - especially her golden retriever, Finn, who has a tendency to show up in her stories (and her Instagram!)

Lindy is represented by Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management and supported by Smith Publicity.

Member Romantic Novelist Association (RNA).

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Monday, October 5, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - FROZEN CRIMES (Disaster Crimes, #5) by Chrys Fey

Frozen Crimes
Chrys Fey
(Disaster Crimes, #5)
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: September 30th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Beth and Donovan are expecting their first child. Life couldn’t get any better…until a stalker makes his presence known. This person sends disturbing messages and unsettling items, but it isn’t long before his menacing goes too far.

Hoping for a peaceful Christmas, Donovan takes Beth to Michigan. Days into their trip, a winter storm named Nemesis moves in with the goal of burying the state. Snowdrifts surround their house, and the temperature drops below freezing.

Except, the storm isn’t the only nemesis they must face. Everyone’s lives are at stake—especially that of their unborn child. Will they survive, or will they become a frozen crime?


My Review

This is a book blitz, but I'm adding in my personal review of FROZEN CRIMES as well!

I have read each and every one of Chrys Fey's Disaster Crimes novels and I have to say that this was an AWESOME conclusion to an amazing series. Beth and Donovan are extremely likeable characters and the chemistry between them will melt your heart... although that's the only thing melting in FROZEN CRIMES. 

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I had a really hard time putting it down. I hate to see the series end, but I think these characters have run out of bad luck and ready for some good luck to start. The entire series gets 5 stars (or wine glasses) from me!

My Rating



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EXCERPT:

The crunch of the shovel pounding into the snow and ice filled his ears. It was all he could hear. The rest of the street was silent beneath its wintry blanket. Breathing was difficult with the icy air clogging his lungs. His nose burned. His throat was dry and on fire. But he ignored it, focusing on his task.

Crack, crack, crack.

He jabbed the shovel into a hunk of snow. On the third hit, it shattered into several pieces. He scooped them up and flung them to the side. He surveyed what remained. There was one big ball in the middle of the path that needed to be dealt with next. He moved over to it and struck it. That one impact had it severing in two. He was about to hit it again when something crashed into the back of his head.

Explosions of white light danced over his vision. Pain enveloped his skull. The shovel slipped from his fingers. Blackness cloaked his mind, coaxing him into its depths.

Beth. Her name was a whisper in his head, as if his thoughts were being sucked into a wormhole.

His legs collapsed under his weight.

Cold. It seeped into him, consuming him. And then his consciousness fled down that same void that ate his thoughts.

Author Bio:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

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Saturday, October 3, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway - SNOWBALL'S CHRISTMAS by Kristen McKanagh

Snowball’s Christmas
Kristen McKanagh
Published by: Kensington
Publication date: September 29th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Purrfect holiday awaits…

Snowball–an aptly named bundle of feline fluff–is thankful to be spending her first Christmas in the comfort of Weber Haus, the Victorian B&B run by Miss Tilly. Emily Diemer, who cooks for the guests, dotes on Snowball, but she’s not thrilled about another new arrival at the B&B: Miss Tilly’s nephew, Lukas. Which is odd, because Snowball’s animal instincts tell her that Lukas and Emily should definitely be friends.

Everything Emily needs is in this quaint community–including, she hopes, the chance to open her own bakery one day. She doesn’t think much of Lukas for leaving his aging aunt to struggle while he jets around the world taking photographs. But now that he’s here, helping to spruce up the property and getting mixed up in Snowball’s antics, she begins to soften a little. Until she learns what he has planned…

Lukas is going to sell Weber Haus so that Miss Tilly can retire. But Snowball is certain that this B&B, and these people, are supposed to be her forever home. Somehow she has to get these stubborn humans to see things through the wisdom of a cat’s eye and a kitten’s loyal, loving heart…

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EXCERPT:

At her car, her good mood took a back seat to frustration. The fob on her key chain was dying, which meant it didn’t always let her in right away. After four or five clicks, she finally gave a grr of annoyance and opened the door with the key.

“Wait.”

No mistaking the deep voice of the man from the parking lot. No way could he be talking to her, though, so she went to get in.

“Emily.”

He is talking to me.

Surprise tinged with more delight than she’d let herself acknowledge had her pausing to look over her shoulder. “How did you know my name?” she called as he jogged down the last few steps.

He waved back up at the slope. “That man called your name earlier.”

And he’d paid attention? Wow. A blush warmed the skin of her cheeks, making the sting of the cold air against her bite more. “Listen, I’m flattered and everything, but I’m running late.”

He paused on a word, mouth open, then his eyes crinkled as he grinned. “I’m not asking you out.”

Oh. Disappointment dropped over her like snow falling off branches on her head. Kerfloop. Followed swiftly by embarrassment. The heat crept back up her cheeks, but for a much less fun reason. “Okay . . . What can I help you with?”

“Actually, I’m here to help you.”

Help her? With what? She raised her eyebrows in question.

“I believe you’ve picked up a small passenger in your purse.”

“My—” Realization rushed in with all the subtlety of a blizzard, and she closed her eyes in resigned horror. “There’s a kitten in my purse. Isn’t there?”

She opened her eyes in time to catch the full impact of her stranger’s full-bodied laugh, his eyes alight with humor. “Does this happen to you often?” he asked.

“Only since this one arrived on our doorstep.” More gently than she’d been handling it until now, she swung her purse around and opened it wide. Sure enough, two blue eyes stared back at her with all the innocence of angels.

“Snowball. You’ve got to stop this,” she admonished as she lifted the small kitten out. Cuddling the ball of fluff against her chest, she lifted her gaze to her helpful stranger. Right in time to see him with a camera up to his eye. A soft click sounded as he snapped a picture.

“Uh— No, thanks.” She lifted a hand to block any more.

“I’m only getting the cat in the shot. I promise.”

Zero for two. First, he wasn’t chasing her down because he was interested, and now he only wanted pictures of the cat. My ego is going to need some chocolate therapy if this keeps up.

Author Bio:

Sweet contemporary and Amish romance author Kristen McKanagh grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) and an MBA. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Kristen also writes award-winning steamy contemporary romance as Kadie Scott, and award-winning paranormal and YA fantasy romance as Abigail Owen. No matter the genre, she loves to write happily-ever-afters that shine with home, heart, and humor. Kristen currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero husband and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.

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