Monday, October 24, 2016

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Black and Blue by JC Andrijeski

UFI welcomes Author JC Andrijeski. Thanks for Joining us!!

Bangkok Halloween
Guest Blog by JC Andrijeski

I’m an Amreican living in Bangkok, which means every year around this time, I experience Bangkok Halloween. Holidays are always kind of a trip when you live abroad, anyway. They were weird when I lived in India and while they might be somewhat less weird here, they still have a distinctly different flavor than they do in the States.

I’m lucky living here though, in terms of American holidays –– Bangkokians love a good party. They’re also wide open to celebrating any event deemed interesting by the locals, whether Thai or not. It doesn’t hurt that there are a ton of Americans living here. 

I learned this my first Halloween living here, when I decided to venture out and see if I could find some fellow ghouls and goblins for some (mostly) harmless Halloween fun. Even though there wasn’t the full range of kids trick-or-treating on the streets or decorations in all the stores... there were a TON of Halloween bashes. There was even a Halloween street fair for kids and families, along with haunted houses, a big horror film event, numerous costume parties and other themed events at bars and restaurants for the more “adult” take of Halloween.

Thailand has a big market for paranormal stuff in general, so I guess it shouldn’t be surprising. They have a yearly Comicon in Bangkok, and of course all the supernatural and romantic and action movies, as well as most of the television shows. My first Thai teacher was a HUGE Supernatural fan, (meaning the television show) and we’d often get totally sidetracked in lessons to talk about that, the Vampire Diaries and all else sexy and supernatural.

Maybe that’s why I don’t feel too out of place here, despite the culture gaps. Still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss Halloween in the States. It’s probably “the” holiday for a lot of my friends... and I really miss the kid side of things, and all the decorations and craziness.

Also, in a tropical climate, you just don’t get the colors from the leaves changing or the carved pumpkins or fireplaces... or the fall skies. The weather alone is a pretty stark reminder of being in a distant land.

Still, I have to say, I really love where I live. It works well for me as a writer too, so for now at least, I might just have to plan more visits to colder climes during the spooky time of the year...
Until then, Happy Halloween everyone!
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JC Andrijeski is a USA TODAY bestselling author who writes paranormal mysteries and apocalyptic fiction, often with a sexy, romantic and metaphysical bent. JC has a background in journalism, history and politics, and loves martial arts, yoga, meditation, hiking, swimming, horseback riding, painting… and of course reading and writing. She grew up in the Bay Area of California, but travels extensively and has lived abroad in Europe, Australia and Asia, and from coast to coast in the continental United States. She currently lives and writes full-time in Bangkok, Thailand.

Find JC and her books
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Black and Blue
Quentin Black Mystery #5
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"He'd be fresh meat here. And he didn't have his sight..."

Black takes a new consulting gig with the LAPD, helping them find a contract killer who left a dead body behind the Los Angeles Theater. Despite Miri's lingering fears after what happened to him during the last murder case he worked, he assures her it's routine, that he won't be doing fieldwork, that nothing could possibly go wrong.

Then, during his first night on the job at the Port of Los Angeles, all hell breaks loose and all bets are off.

Black wakes up in a nightmare he couldn't have foreseen, with no way out and no idea how he got there. Robbed of his psychic sight, he can't even call to Miriam for help, or use his abilities to figure out where he is, who took him, or what they want from him.

On the outside, Miri is frantic, working with the police and Black's team to find him. She has even less information than Black... until a confession from her Uncle Charles brings her face to face with a much older enemy, the same enemy that may have killed her entire family.

BLACK AND BLUE is book five in the paranormal mystery romance starring brilliant but dangerous psychic detective, Quentin Black, and his partner, forensic psychologist Miri Fox.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/OWlwoa8lOBY
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Sunday, October 23, 2016

Week in Review: 10/16-10/22



Books Received for Review

Dauntless by Shannon Mayer

Books I've Read

Bound by Magic by Jasmine Walt
Hunted by Magic by Jasmine Walt
Marked by Magic by Jasmine Walt
Betrayed by Magic by Jasmine Walt
Dragon Heartstring by Juliette Cross

Reviews Posted

 Nemesis by Anna Banks
Beast of All by J.C. McKenzie

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Interview + Giveaway for Blood Bound by Traci Douglass

* Tuesday- Release Day Blitz + Giveaway for Of Flame And Light by Cecy Robson

* Wednesday- Guest Blog + Giveaway for Rendezvous With Yesterday by Dianne Duvall

* Thursday- Promo + Giveaway for Soul Keeper Series by L.A. Starkey – Box Set Sale!

* Friday- Interview + Giveaway for Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Interview + Giveaway: Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter

UFI welcomes Author Faith Hunter. Thanks for Joining us!!

Faith answers questions from the Beast Claws, her Street Team.
 
Q – How did Occam get from spending 20 years in a cage with a carny show to being a PsyLed officer? 
Faith – That is the subject of a short story someday. Shhh. Spoilers.

Q – Is it Occam, as in Razor? And is the name some kind of hint?
Faith – Yes, except he pronounces it with a long O at the front. Because he’s Texan and was uneducated when he chose the name.

Q – How old is Occam?
Faith – Somewhere between 28 and 38. He hasn’t told me yet.

Q – Will we see more (ahem) of Occam with Nell?
Faith – This is a very delicate question. For Nell, sex is something you do because you have to. Pleasure and passion have never been part of it. Sex was a bargain she kept, nothing more. So to Nell, it is unromantic, and purely physical and probably uncomfortable. Occam would want more. He would want the thrill of the chase and the build of passion and fireworks. Nell would as soon shoot a potential lover who chased her. Been there, killed that. So the short answer is, I don’t know. I hope so. 

Q – What is the nature of the relationship of the weres with their inner animal? Is it different in weres born human, and weres born animal?
Faith – Last one first: yes the nature of the creatures are very different. The born animal is much more feral, untamable, a predator in the purest respect. As to the first question, that is something that I may need to reveal in the future so I have to keep that one close to the vest for now. 

Q – Will Rick ever be able to transform into his cat form?
Faith – I think if I gave that away, it would be a huge spoiler for the rest of the trilogy. So … You’ll have to wait and see!

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Faith Hunter, fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. She writes three Urban Fantasy series: the Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock, a Cherokee skinwalker who hunts rogue vampires. The Soulwood series, featuring earth magic user Nell Ingram. And the Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. (There is a role playing game based on the series, ROGUE MAGE.)

Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Faith and Gwen, she has 30+ books in print in 29 countries.

Hunter writes full-time, tries to keep house, and is a workaholic with a passion for travel, jewelry making, white-water kayaking, and writing. She and her husband love to RV, traveling with their rescued Pomeranians to whitewater rivers all over the Southeast.

Find Faith online at her website FaithHunter.net, her blog, on TwitterFacebook, and Goodreads.
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Curse on the Land
Soulwood #2
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Set in the same world as Faith Hunter’s New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, the second Soulwood novel tells the story of a woman whose power comes from deep within the earth...

Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly-formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded—even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals presents dangers of its own...
 
After training at the PsyLED academy, Nell returns home to her woods to find the land feeling sick and restless. And that sickness is spreading. With the help of her team, under the leadership of agent Rick LaFleur, Nell tries to determine the cause. But nothing can prepare them for the evil that awaits: an entity that feeds on death itself. And it wants more...

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Review: Nemesis by Anna Banks

Nemesis
Author: Anna Banks
Release Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Nemesis Book #1
ISBN:   1250070171
ISBN13: 9781250070173
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley


Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king’s servitude.

Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But Mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.

Sepora's gift may be able to save Tarik’s kingdom. But should she risk exposing herself and her growing feelings for her nemesis?

NEMESIS kept my attention from front to back and when it was over, I wanted to read more.

I have seen a few other reviews mention that they didn't like the cover from NEMESIS, I am the opposite. It intrigued me from the moment I saw it and was the reason I read the blurb. After reading NEMESIS it makes complete sense as it really represents Princess Sepora. Speaking of Sepora, I LOVED her. She's strong, opinionated, feisty, willing to do the hard things to get what she wants out of life and to help those that need it. She was the whole package in my book.

There is a romance in NEMESIS and thankfully no love triangle. Tarik and Sepora have a great connection. They are both frustrated by and highly attracted to the other throughout the book and their banter brings out a lot of laughs. It wasn't easy for either to trust the other, but I really enjoyed watching their connection grow.

The world was highly thought-out and built. There are a lot of differences between the 5 kingdoms that make up the world and I was able to get a feel for them with the descriptions that were given. I really enjoyed the moments when Sepora and Tarik where out exploring Theoria. I felt like I was walking—or flying—with them. 

I have no complaints with NEMESIS. I had no problem staying in the story and was really interested in reading more when the last line was read. Sadly NEMESIS is only part of a duology so hopefully ALLY, book two, will leave me feeling like I read enough.

I gave it 5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Review: Beast of All by J.C. McKenzie

Beast of All
Release Date: October 19, 2016
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Carus Book #5
ISBN13:  9781509210046
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author

“Two months ago my world collapsed and the beast reigned.
Seven weeks ago the SRD captured me.
Nine days ago, they injected me with something vile.
Today, I break free.
And tomorrow?
I’ll make them pay.”

Badass Shifter Andy McNeilly wakes up from a horrible nightmare, only to discover it wasn’t a dream, and she’s no longer quite so badass. Chemically curbed, Andy has lost touch with her feras and beast when she needs them most. Can she regain control of her supernatural abilities in time to reap retribution from her enemies, or will she fall as fodder in a power play for control of Vancouver’s seedy underworld?

What an ending! I'm glad J.C. reached out to me a few years ago to review SHIFT HAPPENS and continued to reach out to me with each release after that.

I was EXTREMELY confused when I started reading BEAST OF ALL. I felt like I missed a lot and had to go back to SHIFT WORK and make sure it ended like I thought it did. It did, but the author skipped over a major event when starting BEAST OF ALL and it takes a while to grasp the emotions that Andy is feeling because we are kinda just dumped into them. Having said that, BEAST OF ALL was pretty emotional. There is heartache, happy endings and every emotion in-between and not only on Andy's side. Even with a lot of the emotions being heavy, Andy was able to work through what she needed to to get things done and never gives up.

BEAST OF ALL had a lot of action and was heavy on the drama. There is a lot of things going on in BEAST OF ALL, but the flow is great and there wasn't one moment where I didn't want to keep reading instead of doing laundry or maybe feed my kids lol.  Another great thing about BEAST OF ALL is that it wrapped up everything. We get a lot of final answers and I can honestly say that I don't have any questions left over.

I would love to say that I wasn't surprised at how things ended for the Carus series, but in its own way, it all makes perfect sense. I'm glad I was able to follow Andy's journey and I look forward to seeing what J.C. McKenzie comes up with next!

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Promo + Giveaway: Soul Keeper Series by L.A. Starkey – Box Set Sale!


Soul Keeper Series Box Set
L.A. Starkey
Original Price $6.99
On Sale from Oct 17 – 23 for only $0.99
The box set contains all three novels in the Soul Keeper Series (Deceived, Destroyed and Descent) 812 Pages. 
Barnes & Nobles - http://bit.ly/2bOPvuP
Google Play - http://bit.ly/2dtqp52


Synopsis:
Readers had a hard time putting this series down... you will to. Now you don't have to wait - the full story is yours for a discounted price.

This boxed set includes all three full-length novels from Starkey's beloved Soul Keeper Series. That's over 800 pages of intense twists and emotional turns, heart-breaking romance and soul-shattering deception - all in one series.

In a battle of wills,
of the gods of old.
For each his revenge,
will he forfeit his soul.

On the chessboard of blood,
will their narrative play.
Aged, innocent lives,
revenge claims her way.

Out of hate will come love,
and love will come hate.
For immortal and man,
have entwined their damned fate.

The battle between the Titans and the gods of old did not end with them. The demand for revenge has dripped down into the next generation.

Twins, Marcus and Nicolas, heirs to the throne of the gods and sons of the last remaining Titan, learn that the purpose of their existence is to fulfill a prophecy born of hate and despair. They must battle for Pandora's daughter's heart, a girl lost to the human world and unaware of her hidden heritage. For four hundred years Marcus and Nicolas have only been allowed to touch the edge of their soul mate's dreams, but the time of the prophecy has come.

For Samantha, life has been nothing more than a series of misfortunes and heartbreaks. For years, she has kept her heart locked away, but change is rolling in like a tidal wave. She is now forced to discern the thin line between love and lie, myth and reality, and it would seem that time is running out...

 "You have to read this book!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!! It's the best book I have read in a while. I love the characters, ALL of them even Hades." ~ Amazon Reader

"I was caught up with the story and characters from the beginning. Very action packed. Very descriptive..." ~ Amazon Reader

"I absolutely loved this series. It's fast paced with characters that you fall in love with." ~ Amazon Reader

"The first two books end in major emotionally charged cliffhangers so having the full box set is incredibly convenient." ~ Amazon Reader


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L.A. Starkey is the author of the Soul Keeper Series, a supernatural young adult series, and The Liarus Detective Series, a supernatural middle grade series.

She is a fulltime writer, and loves spending time with her family and reading a good book. With more ideas than one person should be allowed, she is blessed to have a muse that doesn't seem to take a vacation and more energy that one might consider healthy.

She writes under the following pen name:
Kate Thomas - NA/Adult Paranormal (http://amzn.to/1SKV9ey)


Find L.A. Starkey and her books
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Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Rendezvous With Yesterday by Dianne Duvall


Hello!  Thank you for joining me.  Today I’m celebrating the release of my time travel romance RENDEZVOUS WITH YESTERDAY, The Gifted Ones Book 2.  It’s always a pleasure to be here at Urban Fantasy Investigations, where today I have been asked the fun question:

What are the Top Five items that you wish you would have saved from your childhood?

The first things that came to mind when I saw this are items that are currently either on display in my home or tucked safely away in my closet.  ☺  I’ve actually managed to save quite a few treasures from my childhood.  Photographs.  Home movies.  A clay bust my dad, who—among other things—was a very talented artist, made of me when I was five years old.  When I pondered what I had not managed to save, though, I was surprised by the things that came to mind, most (if not all) of which I suspect will give off a nerdy vibe.  ☺

  1. Books.  One of my earliest memories from elementary school was of waiting for the Book Bus to arrive on Friday.  I can’t remember how often it came.  I only remember that my teacher would pass out thin catalogues for us to take home.  I’d tell my parents which books I wanted.  They’d fill out the form and give me a check to include when I turned it in to my teacher.  Then two weeks later the Book Bus would return and a cellophane wrapped collection of books would be waiting on my desk when I got to school.  I was always so excited.  And many of those books are now sadly out of print.

  1. My globe.  Almost every child I knew had a globe in his/her bedroom, and I was no different.  I wish I would’ve saved mine.  It always feels odd to me when I think this, but the world map has changed since I was a child.  And it continues to change as wars are fought, borders shift, and new countries form.  I would love to have that globe from my childhood so I could show it to future grandchildren and note the differences.

  1. Rocks, rusty nails, and fool’s gold.  Weird, right?  Well, every summer when the excruciating heat would kick in, my parents would load up the car and we’d head out of the city for a vacation up in the mountains.  Once there, we’d pile into our sturdy four-wheel-drive jeep, head up pretty much any barely discernible trail we could find and explore whatever we found at the end of it.  Sometimes it was just wilderness.  Other times it was abandoned 19th century mines and ghost towns.  Not the kind that give visitors tours and have gift shops.  The kind that are way off the beaten path and are only populated by mice or other critters.  And sometimes I would find rocks, large rusty railway nails, and other gems there.  I wish I would’ve saved those.  They had such a history.  

  1. A Papier-mâché Viking boat.  I had actually forgotten about this until I watched Game of Thrones.  ☺  But I remember making a papier-mâché Viking boat when I was in elementary school that turned out really well.  It had a dragon head on it and everything.  My dad helped me with it, so—in addition to looking cool—it had great sentimental value.  
  2. The earliest stories I wrote.  I actually wrote my first novel when I was twelve or thirteen years old.  That’s one of the treasures I have tucked away in my closet.  But that was not my first foray into fiction writing.  I remember writing short stories before that.  Alas, I didn’t keep them, so most are now forgotten.

What about you?  Are there any items from your childhood you wish you would’ve saved?



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We're so excited to share with you the much-anticipated sequel to Dianne Duvall's A Sorceress of His Own! Rendezvous with Yesterday is newest Gifted Ones novel (a prequel to the best-selling Immortal Guardians series) and is available October 17th, 2016 at all major e-retailers! Find out more about this fall must-read below! 


rwy_book_coverRENDEZVOUS WITH YESTERDAY
The Gifted Ones Book 2
By Dianne Duvall
Publishing Date: October 17, 2016
Special Pre-Order Discounted Price—$4.99
Modern-day bounty hunter Bethany Bennett helps her brother track two fugitives to a forest outside of Houston, Texas. But what should have been a routine apprehension of two bail skippers spirals out of control and ends in violence. After Beth and her brother are both seriously injured, a mysterious figure suddenly looms over her. And, when the smoke clears, Beth finds herself not only in another place, but in another time.   As Lord Robert, Earl of Fosterly, attempts to identify and track down the nameless enemy who has been plaguing his lands and people with violence, the most peculiar woman stumbles into his path. Small, vulnerable, yet possessed of a bold, fiery spirit and wicked sense of humor, she persists in dubbing Robert and his men members of something called a medieval reenactment group . . . until she sees his castle and labels herself mad. It seems bounty hunter Bethany Bennett has come to him from the future, bringing with her laughter and chaos, swiftly winning the hearts of his people and inspiring within him a love he thought he would never experience again. But when Robert discovers a way for her to return to her time, will the love they share be enough to keep them together?
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Order your copy today!
Kindle Kobo Nook | iBooks | Amazon UK Amazon Canada | Audiobook on Amazon



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And don’t miss the book that started it all!
A Sorceress of His Own (The Gifted Ones, #1) - http://amzn.to/2azImN6



    792d5-about2bthe2bauthor
6ade4-authorpic_dianneduvall 
Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne's books "utterly addictive" (RT Book Reviews), "fast-paced and humorous" (Publishers Weekly), "extraordinary" (Long and Short Reviews), and "wonderfully imaginative" (The Romance Reviews).   Dianne loves all things creative. When she isn't writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she has created in her books.   For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit www.DianneDuvall.com.  You can also find Dianne online . . . 


 Blog | Facebook | Twitter | TsÅ« YouTube Pinterest | Goodreads | Google Plus

Giveaway Details:
1st Prize— $50 Amazon Gift Card
2nd Prize— $20 Amazon Gift Card
3rd Prize— Signed copies of A Sorceress of His Own and Shadows Strike + swag

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