Guest Post & Giveaway: The Demon's Desire by Kendra Leigh Castle

UFI welcomes Kendra Leigh Castle Author of The Hearts of the Fallen series. Thanks for Joining us!!

The Demon’s Desire: A Soundtrack

By Kendra Leigh Castle

Every book I write has a soundtrack.  Some are short, some are really long (you should see how stuffed my iPod is), but all have at least a few songs that really speak to parts of the story I’m telling.  With that in mind, I thought I’d share my soundtrack for my new release, The Demon’s Desire, with you today!  There were only a few songs I played out for this one, but they’ll always make me think of Meresin and Dru. Enjoy!

1. Love You in the Dark by Sombear (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SJtSsC2kUI)

2. Angel with a Shotgun by The Cab (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua830TJ1jxA)

3. Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ArpRWcGe0)

4. Follow Me by Muse (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO49PZwTPco)

5. Lamplight by A Silent Film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OViuPLc-0PE)

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Kendra Leigh Castle was born and raised in the far and frozen reaches of Northern New York, where there was plenty of time to cultivate her love of reading thanks to the six-month-long winters.  Sneaking off with selections from her mother’s vast collection of romance novels came naturally and fairly early, and a lifelong love of the Happily Ever After was born.  After graduating from SUNY Oswego (where it also snowed a lot) with a teaching degree, Kendra ran off with a handsome young Navy fighter pilot and has somehow accumulated three children, three dogs, and one enormous cat during their many moves.

While stationed in a remote corner of the Nevada desert, Kendra penned her first romance, and a career often spent working in fuzzy slippers and pajamas was born.  Her work has garnered both critical praise and award nominations, but the best part has been connecting with readers who share her love of dark romance (not to mention heroes with sharp, pointed teeth).  Kendra currently lives in Maryland, and can usually be found curled up with her laptop and yet another cup of coffee working on her next book.  She loves to hear from her readers, and can be contacted via email or her Facebook page.

Find Kendra and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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 The Demon's Desire
Hearts of the Fallen #2

He’s as dark and dangerous as the storms he once commanded…and she can’t get him out of her heart.Dru has spent two thousand years fighting to keep the people of Terra Noctem safe. In all that time, she's only opened her heart to one man, with disastrous results. But when her city takes in a group of renegade Fallen, she finds herself drawn to the brooding and tormented Meresin, despite the fact that he seems to be the least redeemable of them all. When his instability hits a breaking point, Meresin’s only chance at survival is a perilous journey into a place from which few ever return. What he never expected was that confronting his demons would mean risking not only his future, but Dru's as well...and that one stubborn vampire might give him back not just hope…but his heart.

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Review: Heart of Venom by Jennifer Estep

Heart of Venom

Author:Jennifer Estep

Release Date: August 27, 2013

Publisher: Pocket

Elemental Assassin Book #9

ISBN:  1451689004

ISBN13: 9781451689006

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

The hotly anticipated ninth novel in the hugely popular Elemental Assassin series finds Gin Blanco on a dangerous mission to rescue a friend.

When a terror from the past threatens Gin’s friend and body-disposer, Sophia, Gin will stop at nothing to protect her, even if it means walking straight into a killer’s trap. Meanwhile, the rocky romance between Gin and Owen reaches a turning point—can they reunite and rekindle their love? Or will the things Gin has been forced to do in her line of work as the deadly assassin the Spider keep them apart forever? Assuming, that is, she survives long enough to find out…

There is not much more about the Elemental Assassin series as a whole that I can say. You all know that Jennifer Estep is one of my favorite authors and this series is one of my favorite series. I have went on and on about how much I love Gin, how she never stops amazing me. How she is kick-ass and her friends and allies are just as awesome. The world building grows and grows with each book. I love that the storyline for each book is different and that it is resolved by the end yet connected to every other book. So I will leave this short and simple so that I do not bore you with my fan-girl babble.

HEART OF VENOM is tough. We learn about Sophia's past, it is not pretty in the least and if you didn't love her before you will fall in love with her character now and understand her so much better. Her friendship and love for Gin has always shown through and Gin stops at nothing to show Sophia that she means just as much to her. All of our favorite characters are in HEART OF VENOM and none of them disappoint. Fletcher continues to be present through his files of information and secrets.  I am always amazed when something else is revealed. Owen just might have retrieved his head from his ass. I know that is harsh but he deserves it. I don't want to spoil anything so lets just say Owen is present and accounted for and trying to redeem himself. Gin is being smart and I am proud of the way she handles everything concerning him. 

It seems like no matter who is involved or what the situation is that I end up in tears multiple times in each book. Estep knows how to pull you in and wring you dry where emotions are concerned. As always there is plenty of action, character growth and plot advancement to be had. I am excited to read book 10, it should be interesting to see Gin in the beginning as the spider! Wow, this ended up longer than expected. That is all. Go read. 

I gave it 5/5 stars

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Promo & Giveaway: The Devil You Know by J.M. Gregoire

EXCERPT:

            The time seemed to pass quickly. Deziree had taken a second to pan around the room and felt the mild pangs of disappointed when she didn't see Vegas anywhere. She took a look over the main bar and realized that some of the bottles were getting a low.

"Hey Danni,” she called to the bartender, “I’m going to take a break on the roof.  When I get back, I will run out back and grab some refills."  

As she stepped out of the roof-access door onto the flat expanse of building, Deziree opened her pack of cigarettes, took one out, put it to her lips and lit it. She could feel his presence as she took her first drag.  She exhaled and smiled when she heard his voice behind her.

"Those are bad for you, you know."

When she spun around, he was standing a few paces away. 

"Hey you." As Deziree gazed at Vegas, her smile didn't attenuate. Besides the fact that he was her best friend, she loved to look at him. He was by far the most beautiful creature she'd laid eyes on in her extraordinarily long life.  He was stereotypically hot guy.  Tall, dark and every bit of him was dangerous.  He was six-two or three, the top of his smooth, bald head towering above her.  She couldn’t imagine the number of razors he’d gone through over the centuries to keep that look.  He had the perfectly chiseled appearance of a deadly hunter.  Most people would have to spend hours in the gym every day for a body like that, but his undead status meant he didn't even have to try.  He would look like that forever.  His eyes were the only tell-tale sign that he was a vampire.  Those irises – each a pure gleaming gold with a dark-brown ring bordering the edge - were the only giveaway to the general public of what he was.  She, on the other hand, could feel it.  She could feel the electricity crackle in the air whenever her was around.  In more than four hundred years, she had never met someone as exciting as Vegas, and she wanted him from the moment they first met.  Why did we fight it?          

"Can I bum one off you?"  He nodded his head toward the cigarettes.

"You would make a terrible spokesperson for anti-smoking public service announcements," she replied with a snarky tone. As she fumbled with the pack of cigarettes, he stepped closer to her. Her nerves hummed. 

With a predatory smile that revealed his intentions, he closed what little remaining space there was between them.  Reaching his hand around the back of her neck and tilting her head, he brought his lips down to meet hers.  Her head spun with euphoria.  His scent washed away every negative thought she'd had about him in the last two weeks.  When the kiss finally broke, it was not her doing.  Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes to see that he had that his smile had grown wicked. 

"You didn't answer me on the phone," he purred. "Did you miss me?"

"Well, with the harem of men I have at my disposal, I couldn't find the time to miss someone I only had a little fling with."  She stepped back and with a smirk, she added, "I mean, I didn't even get breakfast."

Vegas dropped his gaze. "I honestly am sorry about that. I don't want you to get the wrong idea.  I had a fantastic time and I didn't want to leave, but I was contracted at the last minute and it was time-sensitive."

Deziree smiled. "I'm just fucking with you, Michael.  I'm not mad.  I mean, I was initially.  But I figured something must have happened.  A call or a text would have been nice, but shit happens, right?"

"Well," he said, his wicked grin firmly in place and his eyebrow cocked, "let me make it up to you."

"We'll see about that," she replied as her heart pounded in her chest.

“I can hear your heart racing.”  Stepping forward, he leaned down and kissed her again.  When he broke away again, she found herself wishing that she didn't have to go back to work.  He leaned his forehead on hers and whispered, "My place when you get out?"

"Sure," was her quick breathy reply. 

"I have a few things to take care of," he said quietly, "and then I will meet you here around the time you guys usually lock up."

She nodded in response, and he turned, walked to the edge of the roof and dropped off the side.  After standing there for a few moments in a daze, she finished her cigarette and headed back through the roof-access door to finish her shift. 

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J.M. Gregoire was born and raised in New Hampshire, USA and despite her abhorrence for any season that dares to drop to a temperature below seventy degrees, she still currently resides there with her two children and her two cats. Always a passionate reader, her love of urban fantasy books eventually morphed into a love of writing them. She is currently working on the Demon Legacy series and has an urban fantasy thriller project coming up that will be co-written with one of her best friends and favorite authors, Ginny Lurcock

Find J.M. and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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The Devil You Know
Demon Legacy Series Book One
By J.M. Gregoire
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance
Publisher: J.M. Gregoire Books
Release Date: July 30, 2013
Click here to add The Devil You Know to your Goodreads shelf!

Deziree Davanzatti is a thief by trade and to keep herself occupied between jobs, she owns and operates Onyx, a trendy nightclub for the supernatural citizens of New York City.

What else would a 400-something year old demon-human hybrid do with her spare time?

Following a drunken night of questionable decisions, the vampire Michael “Vegas” Tremayne leaves town with no explanation. Dez is left wondering if they made a mistake and if it cost her a price she wasn’t willing to pay – her best friend and confidant.

When he returns after two weeks of no contact, he comes bearing grave news that could potentially change the world forever….or end it all together. To make matters worse, they suspect that someone they know may be behind it all.

An extremely dangerous chain of events has been set in motion and it is up to Dez and Vegas, with the help of his brother Lucas, to find a way to stop it.

From the author of Burning, the short story prequel, comes The Devil You Know, the first full length novel in the Demon Legacy series by J.M. Gregoire.

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