Showing posts with label Urban Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Urban Fantasy. Show all posts

Friday, August 18, 2017

Review: How I Magically Messed Up My Life in 4 Freakin Days

How I Magically Messed Up My Life In 4 Freakin Days by Megan O'Russell
The Tale of Bryant Adams Book 1
Published August 15, 2017 by Curiosity Quills Press
Reviewed by Jenn
4 Magcial Stars

Synopsis:

Ever wanted to grow a five-story tall flower in central park? How about fight a deadly battle under the subway tunnels of Manhattan? 

Don't worry. I never wanted to either. But if you're ever being chased by ladies made of mist and you have to save the girl with the sparkly eyes you've never had the guts to say actual words to, there's an app for that.

I found a magic cell phone, opened an app I shouldn't have, burned down the set shop for my high school's theatre, and it was all downhill from there. A drag queen seer who lives under a bridge is my only hope for keeping my mom alive, and I think the cops might be after me for destroying my dad's penthouse.

But it gets better! Now I'm stuck being the sidekick to the guy who got me into this mess in the first place. It'll be a miracle if I survive until Monday. (Goodreads)


Review:

Ever have your phone fall out of your pocket? Ever find someone's cell phone? Ever try and check out what's on that phone? DON'T!

Cabs in New York are a luxury, so when a pale drunk guy stumbles out just as you are hailing one, you don't take the chance of someone snagging it while you return his cell phone to him. But, unlocking the phone and checking it out, not a good plan. And don't play with apps you don't understand either. Bryant learns this the hard way.

This was a cute romp through the Big Apple...lots of action...and a love story to boot. I really enjoyed this book. I am glad I took a chance on it!

Pre-Order Biltz: Blood Promise


Title: BLOOD PROMISE
Genre: NA Urban Fantasy
Publisher: OfTomes Publishing
Cover Art by Gwenn Danae
Cover Text by Eight Little Pages
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
Blurb:
The Blood Books trilogy is Underworld meets The Craft that fans of Harry Potter, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Twilight will enjoy! Readers are praising this "must read" trilogy as "unputdownable" and "purely addicting."

Careful what you witch for.

Avah Taylor never wanted to be a vampire, and now, her immortal life is at stake. When tragedy strikes, Avah is cast out of her vampire coven and embarks on a mission to expose the danger of the witchcraft that took her mortal life from her. Her journey takes her around the world, from Washington State to London to Russia, but Avah can't run from a past deadly mistake that has come seeking revenge.

In this epic conclusion to the Blood Books trilogy, Avah's questions will finally be answered, but only at a terrible price.



Danielle Rose holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine. Currently residing in the Midwest, where she spends her days dreaming of warmer temperatures, when she’s not writing, she enjoys pretending she lives in California, spending an embarrassing amount of time at Hobby Lobby, and binge-watching Netflix. Visit Danielle on the Web: www.Danielle-Rose.com.

Author Links:
Buy Links:
Blood Promise (Pre-Order): http://amzn.to/2vawGhb

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Review: Follow the Ashes

Follow the Ashes by Kindra Sowder
Executioner Trilogy Book 1
Published January 10, 2015 by Burning Willow Press
Reviewed by Terri
3 Fangs


Synopsis:

What does it mean to be the Executioner?
Is it the struggle between good and evil, and the fulfillment of a Gypsy legend?
For Robin, it’s simply another day in the park in downtown LA. It’s killing the undead as she attempts to juggle life and love the same as any other ordinary woman would. That is until she meets Gordon, a crazed demon with a conscience. Now she must battle an ancient evil far more powerful then she’s ever faced before, or risk losing the world to Lilith, the mother of all vampires.
Will she save mankind? Or will we all follow the ashes of destruction as we burn in Hell? (Goodreads)

Review:
The idea behind this book is a nice twist on the vampire hunter trope. I really liked the prologue because I feel like it set up the pace of the book and gave a cool hint as to what was going to happen next. I would have liked to give the author a higher rating, but it needs some more work to make it that perfect read. It does have potential for being an excellent series.

What I would like to see in the next book in this series is more character development, a lot more dialogue, and more detailed fight scenes. What can I say? I'm a woman of action, well, one that loves to read action scenes that make me feel as though the fight were taking place in front of my very own eyes.

I really think the author has a good backbone here, and would love to see it grow within the pages of the next book.

Monday, August 7, 2017

Review: The Vessel Trilogy

Purchase information, Excerpts, and more on this series can be found in the Spotlight below.

Book One: 3 Shimmering Stars
Who doesn't love a chick who can fight and a hot protector and if that doesn't sound great throw in an ancient prophecy between good and evil? That's a good start for a series and for an urban fantasy reader like me that is Nirvana. However, I would like to see a new twist on this trope. This series did not do that. The author even starts the story in a dance club, just like a lot of books. The author has a great idea for this book and the rest of the trilogy, but I just felt like the story lacked depth. Everything seemed to flow without too many hitches and the conflicts that did arise ended too fast. I would like to have seen a little more inner turmoil with Genevieve as she struggles with her new powers and destiny.  

I finished this book because I agreed to review it. The story and characters were ok and I liked it enough to read the next story. The author created enough groundwork for the rest of this trilogy that I am curious enough to see what happens next.

Book Two: 3 Shimmering Stars
I'm glad I continued reading this series because book two was better than book one and I would rate it a 3.5 if I could. In this book, the characters seem to have a little more depth and the plot is driven by the characters and not the need to just tell the story. It is easier to see the inner conflict that I did not see in book one, but the author still relies more on cliches instead of creating a new story. The prophecy still drives Genevieve to develop her powers as a vessel and Jude continues to protect her and oversee her development. The ultimate battle is coming soon and sides will be chosen by all. I do like the connections the author makes to mythology and literature through the names of her characters and settings. 

This one was easier to read than the first one and I think the author did an even better job with the cliffhanger at the end.   

Book Three: 4 Mystical Stars (one minor spoiler)
The biggest issue I have had with this series is the lack of character depth. I think because so much of the focus is on Genevieve in this book, it is easier to really see who she is and how she has developed throughout this series. This is my favorite of the three books. I also think because Gen and Jude were not so focused on sex they had the chance to develop a deeper relationship we saw a stronger connection between them. 

The biggest issue I've had with this series is the lack of elaboration is some of the scenes. Things just always seem to go in Gen's favor without much effort. The final battle is a good example. It just seemed to happen and yes, Gen was attacked but there wasn't much of a fight to win and I think the twist at the end would have been better if the author alluded to it before just throwing it out there. 

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

PreOrder Blitz: Blood Magic


Title: BLOOD MAGIC
Genre: NA Urban Fantasy
Publisher: OfTomes Publishing
Cover Art by Gwenn Danae
Cover Text by Eight Little Pages
Expected Release Date: Aug. 1st, 2017
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
Blurb:
Avah Taylor thought she had already faced the worst.

As her coven’s chosen one, destined to receive a power that could kill her, Avah was forced to make the ultimate sacrifice when she gave up her mortal life to become a vampire, the witches’ greatest enemy. But just when she begins to adjust to her new life, even as she falls in love with her sire, the high priestess of her new coven is seized by Rogue vampires.

Guided by Avah’s visions of the past, present, and future, Avah and the other vampires set out to rescue their priestess, but their journey leads Avah to the discovery that the conspiracy behind her power runs deeper than she ever imagined. As her visions grow increasingly terrifying, Avah begins to wonder if she may not have a future at all.



Release Party:

Danielle Rose holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine. Currently residing in the Midwest, where she spends her days dreaming of warmer temperatures, when she’s not writing, she enjoys pretending she lives in California, spending an embarrassing amount of time at Hobby Lobby, and binge-watching Netflix. Visit Danielle on the Web: www.Danielle-Rose.com.

Author Links:

Buy Links:
Blood Magic (Pre-Order): http://amzn.to/2tAkZzH


Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Review: Blood Shackles


Blood Shackles by Rosemary A Johns
Rebel Vampires Book 2
Published November 1, 2016 by Fantasy Rebel Limited

Synopsis:


Would you sacrifice your freedom to save your family? 

When vampires are the slaves and humans are the monsters, it's a dangerous game to love your Mistress. In a divided paranormal London, Light is the bad boy vampire of the Blood Lifer world, with a talent for remembering things. And a Triton motorbike. Since Victorian times he’s been forced to hide in the shadows. But not now. Not since someone hunted him down. When he’s bought by his Mistress, Light fights to escape. If he doesn’t, he’ll never solve the conspiracy behind the Blood Club.



WELCOME TO THE BLOOD CLUB

Who are these ruthless humans? And who betrayed the secret of the Blood Lifer world?



WHERE THE PREDATORS



London, Primrose Hill. Grayse is the slaver’s daughter. She buys Light, like he’s a pair of designer shoes. So why does Light feel so drawn to her? Especially when his family is still in chains. Will he risk everything – even his new love – to save them?



BECOME THE PREY



Does a chilling conspiracy lie behind it all? A stunning revelation leads Light to an inconceivable truth. To the dark heart of the Blood Club. If he can face his worst terrors, he can save his family and whole species from slavery.



Maybe he can even save himself.



Blood Shackles is the compelling second instalment in the bestselling fantasy series Rebel Vampires from the critically acclaimed author Rosemary A Johns. Experience a thrilling new suspense with vampires, Rockers and dark romance.


For fans of Night Huntress, Immortals After Dark, Anita Blake, Fever and Blood Dagger Brotherhood take a deep breath and dive into the spellbinding secret world of Blood Life. (Goodreads)


Review:

Still grieving over the lost of his Moon Girl, Light finds himself in an even more horrible predicament than ever before. 

Torture, suffering, deprivation, starvation, and extreme thirst are only a few of the things that Light must endure during his captivity. What's worst, is that it is only the beginning. Light and other's of his kind have been betrayed, captured and sold into slavery. Some being trained as sex slaves, others as workers, neither with free will. 

When Light is bought and sold he may have actually found his salvation. In the hands of the daughter of the man running the entire shindig. But will she truly betray her family to set him free? And even if she does, will he leave his family behind to live a life as a free man in love without chains?

Keep a box of Kleenex on standby while reading this heartrending installment of Rebel Vampires. There is nothing light about the story that is told. Johns paints such a vivid picture the reader will want to step into the pages, ready to run to the rescue but not knowing who they want to save first. 

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Spotlight: A Campfire Nightmare


A Campfire Nightmare
Nightmare Series
Book One
Jeffrey Stagg

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Stagg Literature, LLC

Date of Publication:  March 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1517744441
ASIN: B01CRQKFZO

Number of pages: 344
Word Count: 117,824

Book Description:

IN AGES PAST, the Flathead Native Americans fought a war against a monstrous force that stalks the woods surrounding Flathead Lake. So says William Rox, legendary musician and director of the prestigious Colman’s Amateur Music Program, known as CAMP.

Jimmy Downs is thrilled to be attending CAMP—or he would be, if he weren’t being bullied by campers who seem to think wealth can buy talent. Jimmy doesn’t have money, but he can drum like no one else. As for the bullies, at least his best friend, Michael Munday, is with him. The two have had each other’s backs all of their lives.

But bullies are about to become the least of Jimmy’s worries. Dark, hulking figures begin surrounding the woods around camp…figures that bear more than a passing resemblance to Rox’s campfire stories.

Jimmy and Michael are about to become players in a very old war—assuming they survive.

Amazon       BN       Createspace


PROLOGUE
The black-cloaked figure knelt by the lake, examining the muddy soil. A great northern storm had rolled through hours ago, but the air was still frigid. Waves crashed against the stony shore, waterdrops splashing up against his waterproof black covering.
His fingers traced along the print clearly pressed into the mud. It was a large paw print, something like the shape of a wolf’s but the size of a bear’s. He examined the mark on the ground and then moved to where he should have found the creature’s front paws, but not surprisingly, he instead found what appeared to be humanlike handprints, with long, triangular fingernails jutting out from the tip of each finger. The cloaked man placed his own right hand within the print, knowing that the muddy outline was easily twice the size of his own pale hand.
His left hand tightened around the shaft of his bow as he stood up.
Even though it was nearing one in the morning, his eyes clearly made out the many prints that had been made throughout this particular clearing.
He had warned the other guardian that something was going on.
“Why so many?” the man asked aloud as he pulled down the hood of his cloak. “There shouldn’t be this many here anymore.”
“What’s that?” a British man’s voice called from the darkness.
A flashlight’s beam bobbed through the trees, weaving back and forth until it fell upon the pale man’s form. The man lifted one of his hands to block his sensitive eyes from the somewhat dim beam. He indicated the soil in front of him that marked the passing of their quarries.
“A pack,” the pale man told his companion, moving the tip of his weapon to indicate how many individual creatures had passed through there. “You should keep the camp closed this year.”
“No,” the huge British man answered, snapping his response a little more testily than he had wanted. “It needs to be open. You know just as well as I do that we need to stay open.”
“Even at the risk of the lives of hundreds of people?”
His companion stepped forward and jammed a double-edged longsword into the ground as he examined the pathway. The flashlight was a head lamp, mounted with a pair of bands that wrapped around his head. As his head shifted from one set of prints to another, a feeling of anger began flooding into his soul.
“I need you to thin out this pack. You can shoot the sods from afar, and with that horse of yours, you’ll be able to stay ahead of them.”
“I can do that,” the pale man agreed, pulling his hood back up, still watching the back of the big man.
“There’s something going on this year that we don’t understand quite yet,” the British man told his friend, standing up and pulling the sword from the moistened ground. “Something feels different. It feels wrong…and right at the same time.”
“Maybe the legends are true, and the natives’ stories are coming to pass,” the archer suggested, beginning to stroll into a particularly dark portion of the forest, his fingers tightening on the dark wood of his bow as he disappeared into the night.
Finding himself alone, the swordsman stood and peered up into the sky at the bright round moon hanging in the air, twinkling stars engulfing the night. This was Big Sky Country, and it was true to its name. His eyes searched the heavens, hoping that an answer would reveal itself.
He let out a huff of hot breath, and the air clouded before his flashlight dimming the light slightly.
Shaking his head and turning to stare at the spot where his companion had disappeared, he whispered to himself, “I hope not. We’re not ready for them yet.”
As his words disappeared into the night like his breath, a clear rumbling sound thundered through the night on his left. Reaching down slowly, he drew his sword once more, its silver blade sparkling with the light of the moon.
“God above, keep me safe that I might be able to open the camp.”
The rocky growl turned into a mix of a scream and a roar as the furry eight-foot monstrosity leaped at the man, humanlike hands reaching out with razor claws. Swinging the sword out wide, the man pivoted to meet the demon in the darkness.

About the Author:

Jeffrey was born in Ogden, Utah in 1989.

Born to a podiatrist from Utah and a rancher's daughter from Montana. Stagg was able travel throughout his childhood finding solace and inspiration in the wild.
His interest in nature has made Stagg realize that the melding of natural world with magic was where he could excel. To keep ideas alive, Stagg is an avid nature photographer, imagining book scenes wherever he travels.

While attending Weber State University, Stagg was able to work as an artisan cheese maker for the award winning Beehive Cheese Co. in Ogden, Utah. It was there that the details of A Campfire Nightmare came together. During the 5 years he was employed at Beehive, Stagg has created story lines for many series he is in the process of writing.

Now, Stagg works as an educator and works with students in reading and writing. Encouraging those around him to spend more time in books.






Tour giveaway

5 - $10 Amazon gift certificates 

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Interview With The Villain: Trial By Charm


Title: Trial By Charm
Author: Jolene Buchheit
Genre: Young Adult Greek-Inspired Urban Fantasy
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb: 

Seventeen-year-old Julia Wright doesn’t understand her friends’ obsession with boys. She proudly maintains her composure no matter who is in her presence – though some annoying and rude boys still manage to grate her last nerve. Then she is blackmailed into being the manager of the men’s swim team, and finds herself face to face with the worst of them all. Team Captain Vander Thelxinoe is the typical self-assured jock. He has the ability to change people’s minds at will, only his charms don’t work on Julia. Now he’s anxious to figure out why, and the closer he tries to get, the more desperate she is to stay away – especially when he somehow awakens a side of her she never knew existed. Their unexpected friendship puts Julia in the middle of a quest she doesn’t quite understand. As her familiar world begins to unravel around her, Julia must partner with the one person who knows how to push her buttons – and, in doing so, discovers the unbelievable truth about who she really is. Can Julia and Vander survive the trial set before them, or will they face the extreme consequences of failure?




Interview with Demeter
1.    What is your greatest fear? When my daughter was taken from me and married off to that loser Hades who sits on the throne in the Underworld, my life ceased to have any meaning. Cold, dead winter was born as babe of my affair with grief. My greatest fear is losing her again, who knows what my second bout with sadness would create.


2.    What is the trait you most deplore in others? Uselessness. When someone has only one task to tend to and they fail to achieve their goal, it makes me want to tear my own hair out. What good is anyone who can't find what they have been assigned to find. That's why those waste of skin hoodlums who used to call Persephone their friend, find themselves cursed to live on an island. They will never know the happiness or joy of having their own children because no man can stand to be near them. Useless!

3.    On what occasion do you lie? *shrugs* Whenever it serves me.

4.    Which living person do you most despise? Obviously, I abhor Hades. He stole my daughter and her innocence and now I have to share her with him for half of every year. It's a torture no mother should have to endure giving up my daughter to her husband over and over again as time rages on.

5.    What do you most value in your friends? My associates or what you would call friends are faithful to fulfill their obligations and commitments. My life is a series of scratching backs and having my back scratched in return. Nothing I do is done without return payment.

6.    What is it that you most dislike? Winter. Creating Spring and enjoying the bounty of blessings in the Summer brings me so much joy, especially with Persephone at my side.

7.    What is your greatest wish? *sigh* I don't waste my time on wishes and dreams. I either do what I want or cash in my favors and make things happen.

8.    What is your motto? The darkness of Winter only lasts for a season, how long that season lasts is up to me. *evil laugh*




As a substitute teacher, Jolene spends her days in high school classrooms harvesting material for her Young Adult novels. She also uses it as an outlet for fangirling by showing upcoming book-to-movie trailers at the end of class, or discussing vital issues like whether Katniss should have picked Gale or Peeta. She is committed to helping Special Education teenagers become independent adults and helping them find a way to focus on the positive especially when life gets hard. At home, Jolene loves to cuddle with her husband, two kids, and three cats—sometimes all at once—while reading Young Adult books or repeatedly watching movies based on them.

Author Links:

Buy Links: Amazon US http://amzn.to/2346KdK

I study his profile. His chiseled jaw and dark, floppy hair are like something out of a magazine advertisement. His eyes, too—they aren’t dark to match his hair, like mine—they are parts of green and blue, much like the painting of the sea in the other room. “Who painted that piece above the couch in there?” He shrugs, not answering me in any concrete way. Then he shifts his weight from one foot to the other and his awkwardness makes it clear to me. “You did it, didn’t you? You’re a painter.” He shrugs again. I hop down from my stool to go take another look at the painting. The artist must have signed it, and I will get my answer that way. I go down the hall, past the bathroom, the stairs, and the front door until I’m standing in the parlor, looking at Vander, who is blocking the painting from my view. He must have gone through the dining room next to the kitchen to end up in here before me. He’s staring at me and chewing on his lip while flexing and balling his hands. He’s more nervous than I have ever seen him—not before a swim meet, not in class when he didn’t know an answer, not when he told me how he felt in the bathroom a little bit ago. This is where his heart lies, in this painting of this island. I try to look around him, and he leans over. “Don’t.” He is stern, but gentle. He clears his throat. “Please don’t touch it. You will want to, but don’t.” He’s right. I do want to touch it; I want to climb inside of it. I’m seeing it, and somehow it’s seeing me, and it’s making me feel pulled apart. I want to dive into the waters, to swim to that far-off land, and I also want to turn the boat around and sail as far and as quickly as I can in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, the light from the sun is dimming, laughing at me for thinking I can have any control here. I want in! Vander grabs both of my arms, which are currently outstretched toward the painting. My knees are on the seat of the couch, and I don’t even remember moving forward. His voice startles me. “You can’t.” I blink hard and turn to look him fully in the face. “I can’t what?” “You can’t go there, and you can’t go away from there. It’s just a painting.” Was I talking out loud, or can he read my mind? How does he know what I was thinking? I let him lead me through the dining room, back into the kitchen, where the timer is going off. I shake my head to let loose the feelings that painting stirred in me. “It’s more than that, and you know it. How?” I don’t even have to finish the sentence. He knows exactly what I’m asking.



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...