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What book have you been thankful to read in 2019?
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Promo + Giveaway: Rest in Pieces by Lucinda Dark (@Lucy_Smoke, @XpressoTours)
Rest in PiecesBarbie: The Vampire Hunter #1
Excerpt:Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust. If vampires kill your entire family, vengeance is a must.
I can’t say my parents never warned me about vampires. I just never believed them. Not—that is—until six months ago when vampires broke into my home and killed my family. Thanks to all the skills my parents taught me, I managed to escape but I couldn’t save them.
Two vampires down and the rest of the world to go.
My bid for revenge is going to have to wait, though, because until I turn 18, I’m being placed in the loving care of Elizabeth and Jonathan McKnight—godparents I didn’t even know existed. The clock is ticking until I can get back to my goal of eradicating the vampire race. But something is amiss at my new high school. According to my parents, vampires can’t walk in daylight. So, why then, does Torin Priest? If he’s not a vampire, then what is he? Because unlike the obnoxious asshole, Maverick McKnight, who sees me as some sort of bloodsucking leech on his wealthy family, Torin Priest is most certainly not human.
To stake or not to stake, that is the question.
Maverick pointed his finger right in my face. “I’m watching you, Barbie,”
he spat my name like a curse. “If you try to steal from them, you’ll be
out the door so goddamn fast, you’ll have burns on your ass from being
kicked to the curb.”
“For your information, Maverick,” I said, using the same tone he’d used with my name, “I’m not here to find a new fucking family. I’m here because the government put me here. Comprende, dumbass? As a minor, I don’t have much of a fucking choice.”
“Choice or not.” He shook his head and fixed me with an outright glare. “You will not fuck with me. You will not fuck with my parents. You will stay the hell out of my way and out of my fucking business. Do you comprende?”
“Duly noted,” I replied dryly. “And since we’re on the topic of discussion, let’s make a deal—you and I.” Before he could agree or not on any sort of deal, I continued. “You stay out of my fucking way and I won’t kick your ass. And trust me, pretty boy, I may look smaller than you, but I would have you begging in a matter of seconds. If you don’t like me now, wait until I unleash my inner bitch. Therefore, if you wish to remain breathing, I suggest you back off,” I growled. “And in case you can’t understand that, understand this”—I stopped and leaned forward, moving into his space until I could smell a hint of his spicy cologne—“thou shalt not try me. Do so at your own peril.” He eyed me with no small amount of cold-blooded hatred. I didn’t give much of a shit. I moved back once more and jerked the door handle. “Now unlock the fucking door, Deputy Maverick, or you’ll see just what my inner bitch can do.”
“For your information, Maverick,” I said, using the same tone he’d used with my name, “I’m not here to find a new fucking family. I’m here because the government put me here. Comprende, dumbass? As a minor, I don’t have much of a fucking choice.”
“Choice or not.” He shook his head and fixed me with an outright glare. “You will not fuck with me. You will not fuck with my parents. You will stay the hell out of my way and out of my fucking business. Do you comprende?”
“Duly noted,” I replied dryly. “And since we’re on the topic of discussion, let’s make a deal—you and I.” Before he could agree or not on any sort of deal, I continued. “You stay out of my fucking way and I won’t kick your ass. And trust me, pretty boy, I may look smaller than you, but I would have you begging in a matter of seconds. If you don’t like me now, wait until I unleash my inner bitch. Therefore, if you wish to remain breathing, I suggest you back off,” I growled. “And in case you can’t understand that, understand this”—I stopped and leaned forward, moving into his space until I could smell a hint of his spicy cologne—“thou shalt not try me. Do so at your own peril.” He eyed me with no small amount of cold-blooded hatred. I didn’t give much of a shit. I moved back once more and jerked the door handle. “Now unlock the fucking door, Deputy Maverick, or you’ll see just what my inner bitch can do.”
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A writer of various genres, Lucy is a young adventurer with a lust for good characterization and unique protagonists.
You can contact her or view her catalog via her website at www.Lucysmoke.com or join her newsletter to keep up to date on all the latest releases!
Find Lucinda and her books
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Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Monday, November 25, 2019
Review: Nevermore by J.C. McKenzie (@JC_McKenzie)
Nevermore
Author:J.C. McKenzie
Release Date: November 25, 2019
Publisher: Self-Published
Raven Crawford Book #2
ASIN: B07ZDGY88J
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author
Rundown waitress, part-time private investigator, and half-fae shifter, Raven Crawford, always gets the opposite of what she wants most. She works two jobs but can’t pay the bills. Her confrontation with Queen Lloth has unexpected and unfortunate consequences, and her love life is a hot mess.Raven's snarky dialog and couldn't care less attitude continue to shine in book two of the Raven Crawford series.
With failure and disappointment honed to painful perfection, Raven’s life is riddled with complications, including her troublesome attraction to the lethal Lord of Shadows. When her latest case leads to a group hell-bent on destruction, she must decide who to trust. Will she choose wisely, or will she fail once again and become the next casualty in a war between the Mortal Realm and the Underworld?
One of my favorite things about this series has been the characters. Not only do I enjoy Raven and Cole, but her family shines through the pages too. I enjoy the relationship they share and the way they interact.
The relationship between Raven and Cole continues to grow in NEVERMORE. There is still a lot of back and forth between the two, but when they finally get on the same page great things happen. I also enjoyed seeing Raven's brother with Cole's sister. It kinda cracks me up, but they seem to work well together.
I didn't feel like NEVERMORE had as much going for it as book one. There was more storyline about everyday things than there was kicking butt. Of course, when it was time to kick butt, Raven didn't disappoint. I especially enjoyed seeing her ex get what he deserved.
Although I thought Raven was more hot-mess, than bad-ass in NEVERMORE, I still enjoyed it and look forward to reading more.
I gave it 3.5/5 stars
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Week in Review: 11/17-11/23
Books I've Read
Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin
Crush the Kings by Jennifer Estep
The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews (Re-Read)
Reviews Posted
None this week!
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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?
* Monday- Promo + Giveaway: Wolf Rebel by Paige Tyler (@PaigeTyler, @SourcebooksCasa)
* Wednesday- Promo + Giveaway: The Abyss Trilogy by A.C. Ward (@XpressoTours)
* Thursday- Trailer Reveal: Bursts of Fire by Susan Forest (@susanjforest, @laksamedia, @XpressoTours)
* Friday- Promo + Giveaway: Blood Rose by Rachael Vaughn (@XpressoTours)
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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?
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You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
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Friday, November 22, 2019
Promo + Giveaway: Blood Rose by Rachael Vaughn (@XpressoTours)
Blood Rose
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play
Fleeing her past and a dark tragedy that haunts her every waking moment, Rose settles for a crummy retail job in a crummy town in the middle of Indiana. Her one solace - the sprawling forest behind her apartment complex - leads her down a dizzying path into a topsy-turvy world where Rose escapes her painful memories…but finds herself at the center of a dangerous plot.
A mysterious (and frequently unconscious) stranger, a technicolor landscape, and a sinister but charismatic leader pull Rose deeper into an unexpected adventure…where nothing is as it seems.
Follow Rose on her journey through this perilous but beautiful land, as she wonders if she can save it…or herself.
Excerpt:
The stranger was back before long, and Rose didn’t miss the flash of
relief on his face when he saw her standing where he had left her. He
carried with him a bowl of water, steam rising in tendrils from the
surface, and an assortment of other supplies. When he reached her he
continued on past, beckoning her to follow, and Rose turned to see him
heading toward a small seating area near the door. A low, backless sofa
ran along the wall, each end lifting to curl in a tight spiral. An
equally low table stood in front of the sofa, and two matching chairs
framed either side.
After a moment of hesitation, Rose took a seat on the sofa, and the stranger placed the bowl and supplies on the table before lowering himself hesitantly to sit beside her. He gave her a questioning glance as if asking for permission, and Rose offered her wounded palm. She kept quiet, not wanting her barrage of questions to break the trance she felt from his calming influence. The man chose a soft cloth from the pile on the table, dipped it in the warm water and began to gently wash the blood from her hand. She winced when the water stung the cut, and the man grimaced in apology.
As he worked, the lace cuff fell back from his left hand and the sleeve of his jacket rode up slightly. Rose caught a glimpse of something thick and dark winding around his arm. It appeared to have the texture of an old scar, thick and ridged, but jet black and stark against his pale blue skin. It grew thinner the further down it reached, tapering out into thin tendrils at his wrist, leaving the skin of his hand smooth and untainted. Rose felt his hands falter in their movements against hers, and she looked up to see him following her gaze to his wrist. He self-consciously pulled the cuff back down into place, covering the black lines, and Rose hastily looked away.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. He didn’t respond, only retrieved the cloth and began wiping blood from her other hand. Once both were clean, he let the cloth fall into the now pink-tinged water, and took a bandage from the table. He paused for a moment, before setting the bandage back down unopened.
“You must have a lot of questions,” he said softly, not quite meeting her eyes.
A startled laugh escaped Rose’s throat. That was the understatement of the century. He gave a soft chuckle and she realized she had voiced the thought aloud.
“Yes, I imagine that must be true.” He turned to face her directly, and his eyes met hers. She was alarmed at the intensity in their purple depths, and his voice was urgent when he spoke again, the words coming fast.
“Listen, I’ll explain everything, I promise. But you’re not safe here, and I need you to trust me.”
Rose opened her mouth, but he continued before she could respond.
“I know we’ve only just met, but I promise I won’t let any harm come to you. There’s so much you need to know, and so little time, and I—” he paused, seeming to exert quite a bit of effort to gather himself. He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to hers. “Will you trust me?”
His gaze bored into her, and without the slightest idea why, Rose found herself nodding. Anything to get that look of desperation off his face.
He seemed to wilt, relief coloring his features, and he held out his hand for hers again. She placed her wounded hand in his, and he flipped it over, palm up. Lifting his other hand, he gently placed his index finger against the gash in her palm, and without warning, a burst of light emanated out of his fingertip where it met her skin.
Rose felt strangely detached, as if she were watching this happen instead of actually experiencing it. She felt no pain, only a bright, comforting warmth that grew to encompass her whole hand. He traced his finger slowly down the length of the wound, the bright light following the path of his finger, and Rose watched in surprise as the line of her blood began to glow bright, the same iridescent glimmer she had noticed when she’d touched the handle of the door what seemed like ages ago.
Rose watched in wonder as the stranger lifted his hand, the light fading. The shimmer faded from her palm as well, the wound sealing in its wake.
“There,” he said, releasing her hand. His voice sounded faint, its resonance muted. Rose looked up, sensing something was off, and found his face pale, nearly white, the silver lines practically nonexistent.
“Are you okay?” she asked, suddenly worried for this man—creature—she didn’t know, but he simply nodded and waved off her concern. She looked down at her palm again in amazement, a thin faded line all that remained of the red gash.
“What was that?” she asked, “How did you—” But her attention was caught quite suddenly by his hands, which were clutched tightly in his lap. He held his right hand wrapped protectively around the left, but past his grip Rose could see the black lines moving on his skin, creeping slowly beyond the edge of his cuff and onto the back of his hand, tendrils snaking across the pale flesh there.
After a moment of hesitation, Rose took a seat on the sofa, and the stranger placed the bowl and supplies on the table before lowering himself hesitantly to sit beside her. He gave her a questioning glance as if asking for permission, and Rose offered her wounded palm. She kept quiet, not wanting her barrage of questions to break the trance she felt from his calming influence. The man chose a soft cloth from the pile on the table, dipped it in the warm water and began to gently wash the blood from her hand. She winced when the water stung the cut, and the man grimaced in apology.
As he worked, the lace cuff fell back from his left hand and the sleeve of his jacket rode up slightly. Rose caught a glimpse of something thick and dark winding around his arm. It appeared to have the texture of an old scar, thick and ridged, but jet black and stark against his pale blue skin. It grew thinner the further down it reached, tapering out into thin tendrils at his wrist, leaving the skin of his hand smooth and untainted. Rose felt his hands falter in their movements against hers, and she looked up to see him following her gaze to his wrist. He self-consciously pulled the cuff back down into place, covering the black lines, and Rose hastily looked away.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. He didn’t respond, only retrieved the cloth and began wiping blood from her other hand. Once both were clean, he let the cloth fall into the now pink-tinged water, and took a bandage from the table. He paused for a moment, before setting the bandage back down unopened.
“You must have a lot of questions,” he said softly, not quite meeting her eyes.
A startled laugh escaped Rose’s throat. That was the understatement of the century. He gave a soft chuckle and she realized she had voiced the thought aloud.
“Yes, I imagine that must be true.” He turned to face her directly, and his eyes met hers. She was alarmed at the intensity in their purple depths, and his voice was urgent when he spoke again, the words coming fast.
“Listen, I’ll explain everything, I promise. But you’re not safe here, and I need you to trust me.”
Rose opened her mouth, but he continued before she could respond.
“I know we’ve only just met, but I promise I won’t let any harm come to you. There’s so much you need to know, and so little time, and I—” he paused, seeming to exert quite a bit of effort to gather himself. He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to hers. “Will you trust me?”
His gaze bored into her, and without the slightest idea why, Rose found herself nodding. Anything to get that look of desperation off his face.
He seemed to wilt, relief coloring his features, and he held out his hand for hers again. She placed her wounded hand in his, and he flipped it over, palm up. Lifting his other hand, he gently placed his index finger against the gash in her palm, and without warning, a burst of light emanated out of his fingertip where it met her skin.
Rose felt strangely detached, as if she were watching this happen instead of actually experiencing it. She felt no pain, only a bright, comforting warmth that grew to encompass her whole hand. He traced his finger slowly down the length of the wound, the bright light following the path of his finger, and Rose watched in surprise as the line of her blood began to glow bright, the same iridescent glimmer she had noticed when she’d touched the handle of the door what seemed like ages ago.
Rose watched in wonder as the stranger lifted his hand, the light fading. The shimmer faded from her palm as well, the wound sealing in its wake.
“There,” he said, releasing her hand. His voice sounded faint, its resonance muted. Rose looked up, sensing something was off, and found his face pale, nearly white, the silver lines practically nonexistent.
“Are you okay?” she asked, suddenly worried for this man—creature—she didn’t know, but he simply nodded and waved off her concern. She looked down at her palm again in amazement, a thin faded line all that remained of the red gash.
“What was that?” she asked, “How did you—” But her attention was caught quite suddenly by his hands, which were clutched tightly in his lap. He held his right hand wrapped protectively around the left, but past his grip Rose could see the black lines moving on his skin, creeping slowly beyond the edge of his cuff and onto the back of his hand, tendrils snaking across the pale flesh there.
__________________________________
Rachael Vaughn is the creative brainchild of husband-and-wife writing duo, Laura Rachael Black and Trenton Vaughn Hockersmith.
Laura is the wordsmith of the pair, and a bona fide dabbler. With interests in everything from mosaics to wood carving and playing the hammered dulcimer, there isn't much that doesn't appeal to her insatiable need to create. When she isn't writing, Laura stays busy as the co-owner of Firefly Tattoo--one of Indianapolis's premier tattoo studios--where she is also a full-time artist. You can check out her professional tattoo gallery at https://www.fireflytattoo.com/f88479627.
Trent acts as the bookends of the writing process. He serves as the team's world-builder and plot developer on the front end, and acts as an editor and proofreader (plus the ultimate voice of reason) on the backside. His educational background in English and psychology help him craft vibrant worldscapes and compelling, authentic characters. When not mired in the trenches of world-building, Trent enjoys reading, playing video games, and practicing jiu-jitsu and tai-chi.
The team shares more than a pen name. Their home outside Indianapolis is also inhabited by their daughter, Seva, and Helena, the world's fluffiest cat.
Find Rachael and her books
Laura is the wordsmith of the pair, and a bona fide dabbler. With interests in everything from mosaics to wood carving and playing the hammered dulcimer, there isn't much that doesn't appeal to her insatiable need to create. When she isn't writing, Laura stays busy as the co-owner of Firefly Tattoo--one of Indianapolis's premier tattoo studios--where she is also a full-time artist. You can check out her professional tattoo gallery at https://www.fireflytattoo.com/f88479627.
Trent acts as the bookends of the writing process. He serves as the team's world-builder and plot developer on the front end, and acts as an editor and proofreader (plus the ultimate voice of reason) on the backside. His educational background in English and psychology help him craft vibrant worldscapes and compelling, authentic characters. When not mired in the trenches of world-building, Trent enjoys reading, playing video games, and practicing jiu-jitsu and tai-chi.
The team shares more than a pen name. Their home outside Indianapolis is also inhabited by their daughter, Seva, and Helena, the world's fluffiest cat.
Find Rachael and her books
__________________________________
Tour Wide
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Trailer Reveal: Bursts of Fire by Susan Forest (@susanjforest, @laksamedia, @XpressoTours)
Bursts of FireAddicted to Heaven #1
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes Noble / iBooks / Kobo
Publishers Lunch Buzz Books 2019 selection. Recommended by Publishers Weekly, Booklist (American Library Association), and Library Journal.
Bursts of Fire begins an epic political fantasy of revenge, addictions, and redemption for three magiel sisters in an empire where magic has become suspect and where love and loyalty—for one’s lover, one’s family, one’s country—are tested. If Heaven desires the very earth be burned, what place can those below hope for, when the flames come for them?
The Falkyn sisters bear a burden and a legacy. Their mother, the imperial magiel of the kingdom of Orumon, protects her people from the horrors of the afterlife by calling upon the Gods with a precious Prayer Stone. But war among the kingdoms has brought fire and destruction to their sheltered world. When a mad king’s desire to destroy the Prayer Stones shatters their family, the three girls are scattered to the wilderness, relying on their wits and powers they don’t yet master.
Assassin. Battle tactician. Magic wielder. Driven by different ambitions, Meg, Janat, and Rennika are destined to become all these and more. To reclaim their birth right, they must overcome doubtful loyalties within a rising rebellion; more, they must challenge a dogma-driven chancellor’s influence on the prince raised to inherit his father’s war: a prince struggling to unravel the mystery of his brother’s addiction to Heaven.
To Survive. To Fight. To Restore Balance.
BOOK TRAILER:
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