Review: Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs (@Mercys_Garage, @AceRocBooks)

Storm Cursed

Author: Patricia Briggs

Release Date: May 7, 2019

Publisher: Ace

Mercy Thompson Book #11

ISBN:  0425281299

ISBN13: 9780425281291

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Publisher

In this new instalment in the No. 1 New York Times bestselling series, Mercy Thompson must face a deadly enemy to defend all she loves . . .

My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.

And a coyote shapeshifter . . . And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.

Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn't stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.

The reality is that nothing and no one is safe. As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.

But we are pack, and we have given our word. We will die to keep it.

Mercy's back!! SILENCE FALLEN had Mercy by herself for a really big portion of the book, but STORM CURSED brought a lot of Mercy's allies along for her ride and I loved every minute of it.

STORM CURSED had a great pace and a great storyline. Even after 11 books Briggs is still able to bring us new and exciting things in her Mercy Thompson world.

I really enjoyed the glimpses into Mercy and Adam's relationship. They are a really strong couple and continue to get stronger with each book. Mercy's connection to the pack also get stronger with each book. One thing I REALLY want to see in a future book—but hopefully sooner than later—is BABIES for Adam and Mercy. PLEASE bring us babies!!!

I really enjoyed STORM CURSED and look forward to reading more. I think I might actually go back to book one and re-read the whole series just so I can stay in Mercy's world a little longer.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

New Releases: 5/5-5/11

Tue. May 7th

 Blood Magic: Stranger Magics, Book Four by Ash Fitzsimmons

 Castle of Lies by Kiersi Burkhart
 Dark Shores (Dark Shores #1) by Danielle L. Jensen
 Light from Other Stars by Erika Swyler
 Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
 Nexus (The Androma Saga #2) by Sasha Alsberg, Lindsay Cummings
 Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson #11) by Patricia Briggs
 Theater of Spies (Tales from the Black Chamber #2) by S.M. Stirling

Happy Reading!!

Promo + Giveaway: Dawn of a Legend by R.K. Lander (@rklwrites, @XpressoTours)

Dawn of a Legend
The Silvan, #3

Goodreads / Amazon

Book three in The Silvan, a best-selling series by award-winning author R.K. Lander. “Page-turning epic fantasy you will not be able to put down.”

A past to claim

A power to wield

A destiny to fulfil

To the enemy, Fel’annár is just a half-blood bastard, but to the Silvan people, he is their crownless warrior prince. Returning from battle in the mountains, he grieves for one who was lost, a death that triggers a mystery Fel’annár and his company of chosen brothers must unravel. But why do the trees speak of a beautiful monster?

Fel’annár will learn the ways of the Kah Warrior from a legendary commander while facing the disdain of another who struggles to accept this ‘ignoble son’ for who he is, not for what he represents. Meanwhile, Fel’annár’s royal half-brother reveals a plan to restore the Great Forest to its past splendour of multi-cultural harmony. But the Forest is falling apart under the final onslaught of a ruthless traitor and the Silvan people are turning away from their ruler. Can Fel’annár come to understand what role he must play in this plan before it is too late? Can the brothers put aside their resentment towards each other for tearing their families apart and learn to trust one another? Can love prosper in the midst of battle and hardship as dark enemies converge on the Motherland?

Danger lies in wait for an elf who is slowly coming to terms with his heritage, learning to wield a natural ability and accepting the nature of his unfolding destiny.

The greatest warriors of their time will come together once more—in the name of justice. In the name of love.

Start your Silvan adventure today!

 EXCERPT:

The thud of an arrow piercing flesh, a cry of pain from an elven warrior who was thrown to the floor with the force of the bolt.
A roar of anger, a plea for aid, the scream of a defeated soldier, the desperate sounds of elves and Deviants locked in combat, fighting and dying in the frigid cold. But Fel’annár did not flinch, even though he stood in the midst of the chaos. He couldn’t; he was the only master archer left, the only one who could eliminate the Deviant snipers that were picking off their warriors.
He sighted his next target, stance perfect; it had to be. His arm did not waver, it could not, and his heart did not feel; it must not. He would not allow that, and when the last sniper was down, he whipped out his long and short swords with a morbid sense of satisfaction and moved closer to Captain Comon and The Company’s position, where the fighting was at its worst.
The shriek of polished metal upon rusted iron grated on their ears, but it did not deter the Alpine warriors of Tar’eastór, even though they had been fighting almost constantly for the last weeks. They bore down upon the rotting mass of Deviants that had thought to surprise them, their elven faces twisted into snarls of hatred for an enemy that was relentless, ruthless.
“Behind you,” warned Fel’annár as he moved closer to his captain to engage another Deviant, whose massive scimitar swung unnervingly close over his head. Shocked, he flipped backwards to gain space and time and then moved to the side and scored a blow to the Deviant’s shoulder. But that only served to enrage it. Roaring in unbridled wrath, the beast bore down on Fel’annár with such strength it sent him stumbling backwards. What was wrong with him? Yet even as he asked himself he knew the answer: he was tired, his concentration slipping, and this opponent was not going down easily.
Swivelling his right sword to the left, he whirled around and sliced into its other side, garnering another unearthly shriek that vibrated painfully in his ears.
He moved in from the front this time, but the beast’s counter blow was so strong it was all Fel’annár could do to keep his sword from flying out of his sticky hand; he was off balance once more, and the nascent tingle of dread began to take hold of him.
Fel’annár raised both blades and brought them down upon his enemy, but they were blocked, and for one strange moment, bright green eyes locked with the cloudy but challenging gaze of the Deviant. There was hatred and cruelty there, as there always was; he had expected that, but Fel’annár hesitated, for there was something more, something he could not place. His brow twitched in confusion, but before he could ponder it any longer, the handle of the Deviant’s blade caught him in the side of the head with a heavy thud, sending him stumbling backwards and then, to his utter horror, to his knees. He was down, and he desperately blinked to clear his reeling mind, not fast enough to avoid the boot that crashed into his mid-section, sending him gasping to the floor. It was all he could do to roll out of the way as the scimitar came down upon him, missing him by mere inches, a blessing in disguise, for the beast had placed so much weight behind the blow that it overcompensated. Fel’annár had just enough time to plunge both swords into its mid-section.

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I write epic fantasy for adults. I love battles, warriors, great adventures - elves, monsters and generally weird things, but above all, I love a good story with compelling characters.
My first project is The Silvan Series, with book three, Dawn of a Legend ready to launch April 2019. I hope you'll enjoy my stories and perhaps click the 'follow' button. And I would love to see you over at rklander.com. You'll find some story extras there and freebie if you're interested.

Find R.K. and her books

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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GIVEAWAY!
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Week in Review: 4/28-5/4

Books Received for Review

Heart of Stone by Lisa Edmonds
Rage by Cora Carmack
The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy

Books I've Read

Pursuit by Carrie Whitethorne
Stillbringer by Zile Elliven
The Beyond by Chloe Neill

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: The Trouble With Vampires by Lynsay Sands (@puretextuality, @avonbooks, @LynsaySands)

* Wednesday- Promo + Giveaway: Unspoken by Amber Lynn Natusch (@puretextuality, @AmberLNatusch)

* Thursday- Promo + Giveaway: Eye of the Hurricane by Ophelia Bell (@OpheliaDragons, @XpressoTours)

* Friday- Promo + Givewaway: More Time Kissed Moments by Tracy Cooper-Posey (@TracyCP, @XpressoTours)

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

BlogLovin

Networked Blogs

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

Promo + Givewaway: More Time Kissed Moments by Tracy Cooper-Posey (@TracyCP, @XpressoTours)

 

More Time Kissed Moments
Kiss Across Time #8.1

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Where is Rafael?

Rafael is missing, with not a trace of him to be found, not even on the Timescape.

In a volume of interconnected short stories, snippets and conversations, Veris’ extended family of vampires and time jumpers comes together in unexpected ways, united by their need to find Rafael and get him back.

Reader Advisory: This time travel ménage romance collection features at least two super-hot alpha vampire heroes, multiple sex scenes, including anal sex and MM sexual play. Do not read this book if frank sexual language and sex scenes offend you. The time-space continuum was restored to order at the end of this book. Promise.

This book is part of the Kiss Across Time paranormal time travel series:
1.0: Kiss Across Time
2.0: Kiss Across Swords
2.5: Time Kissed Moments*
3.0: Kiss Across Chains
4.0: Kiss Across Deserts
5.0: Kiss Across Kingdoms
5.1: Time And Tyra Again*
6.0: Kiss Across Seas
7.0: Kiss Across Worlds
7.1: Time And Remembrance*
8.0: Kiss Across Tomorrow
8.1: More Time Kissed Moments*

The characters and events in this series are interconnected from book to book. Reading the books in order is strongly encouraged.

[*Short stories and novellas featuring the characters and situations featured in the Kiss Across Time series].

A Vampire Time Travel Romance Collection

EXCERPT:

As soon as Veris was low enough to see into the big room, he looked down at the colorful rag rugs covering the hardwood floor and the worn sofas and armchairs—veterans of a dozen different lives and houses. Their used, comfortable patina matched the warm golden wood paneling on the walls. The lighting was also a pleasant yellow, although daylight emitting overhead fluorescents could be switched on if decent working light was needed.
Sydney stood with her arms crossed, chewing at the ball of her thumb, her golden brows creased together. She wore gym pants and no makeup and watched the monitors on the wall which showed views of the main floor of the house and every potential angle of approach on the outside.
Veris glanced at Alex, then came to a halt on the stairs, for Alex was covered in dried blood, his clothes ripped and dirty, his hair ruffled and his eyes haunted.
“What the hell happened?” Veris demanded, moving down the rest of the stairs at a speed that would have made Kit McDonald’s jaw drop.
Sydney dropped her arms and turned to Veris, her jaw working. “Rafe is missing.”
Veris frowned. “Missing,” he repeated, trying to encompass how anyone could go missing, when at least five people in the family—including Sydney—could reach across the timescape and find anyone, no matter where they were.
“He was taken,” Alex said, his voice strained.
 
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Tracy Cooper-Posey is a #1 Best Selling Author. She writes romantic suspense, historical, paranormal and science fiction romance. She has published over 100 novels since 1999, been nominated for five CAPAs including Favourite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award.

She turned to indie publishing in 2011. Her indie titles have been nominated four times for Book Of The Year. Tracy won the award in 2012, and an SFR Galaxy Award in 2016 for “Most Intriguing Philosophical/Social Science Questions in Galaxybuilding”. She has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at MacEwan University.

She is addicted to Irish Breakfast tea and chocolate, sometimes taken together. In her spare time she enjoys history, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction and ignoring her treadmill. An Australian Canadian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a former professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line.

Find Tracy and her books

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Promo + Giveaway: Eye of the Hurricane by Ophelia Bell (@OpheliaDragons, @XpressoTours)

Eye of the Hurricane
A Fate’s Fools Novella: Breath of Air Collection

Goodreads / Amazon

    My name is Aella, and Fate wants me dead.

    According to entertainment news, I’m the Angel of the Las Vegas Strip, the most sold-out singer at the Pandemonium Casino. According to the higher races—who I didn’t even know existed up till now—I’m part of the bloodline, which means I’m part-human, part-something else.

    It also means I’m a threat to Fate’s precious balance.

    To protect me from Fate’s wrath, three demigods have taken it upon themselves to act as my guardians—and lovers. But with the hounds of Fate nipping at my heels, can the Winds tear themselves away from their sibling rivalry over my affections long enough to keep me safe?

    And why do I have to choose?

    Warning: This book is a standalone novella set during Ophelia Bell’s epically sexy “Fate’s Fools” series. It is a fast-burn HOT and steamy RH odyssey, not meant for the faint of heart (or libido)… #whychoose!

EXCERPT:

“So you’re some kind of wind magician?” I asked, astounded that I’d even suggested magic was real. And yet when I said it, I knew I was on the right track.
Over the past few weeks, I’d seen more and more things that just seemed out of the ordinary in a way that went beyond normal human weirdness. Even a place like the Vegas Strip had its limits for the odd and unexplained. What I’d seen recently was more… supernatural.
Baird took a step toward me, closing the distance. “No, Aella,” he said, gripping the jumpsuit bunched at my hips and pushing it down. “I am the wind.”
He wrapped his arms around me and picked me up, and in one smooth motion, he spun us and leaped off the ledge overlooking Las Vegas.
I yelped in surprise, clinging to him when I realized we had just dived off the Stratosphere without a fucking harness.
“I’ve got you,” he said as we plummeted.
“Yeah, but who the fuck has you?” I blurted, my voice pitched close to panic, then broke into hysterical laughter when I realized I’d just channeled Lois Lane. My secret admirer was fucking Superman.
A snapping noise like sails in the wind hit my ears and I opened my eyes again, but instead of the sky behind Baird’s shoulder, there was a pair of enormous wings feathered in shades of deep gray and striped with white. They beat with slow, strong strokes, and the wind cascaded across my back as we rose higher into the air, soaring away from the Stratosphere and over the Las Vegas Strip.

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Ophelia Bell loves a good bad-boy and especially strong women in her stories. Women who aren't apologetic about enjoying sex and bad boys who don't mind being with a woman who's in charge, at least on the surface, because pretty much anything goes in the bedroom.

Ophelia grew up on a rural farm in North Carolina and now lives in Los Angeles with her own tattooed bad-boy husband and four attention-whoring cats.

If you'd like to receive regular updates on Ophelia's publications, freebies, and discounts, please subscribe to her mailing list: http://opheliabell.com/subscribe/

Find Ophelia and her books

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Promo + Giveaway: Unspoken by Amber Lynn Natusch (@puretextuality, @AmberLNatusch)

Unspoken
Unborn #3
Amazon |  Series on Amazon

THE HUNTERS BECOME THE HUNTED...

With the Underworld still in chaos, Hades, King of the Dead, can’t return home. His traitorous wife, Persephone, remains on the loose—and she’s not the only one. Many of the souls that Khara unwittingly released from the Oudeis have not been accounted for, including former gods, and neither have some of her father’s minions. While Khara and Oz search for Persephone, her brothers work to secure the escaped souls and discover who murdered Drew. But they soon find themselves faced with an even greater problem—one with a name they dare not speak.

Forced into shady alliances with would-be enemies, Khara must work to restore the Underworld and place her father on the throne before the world above claims him and everyone else she loves.

Also Available On

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AMBER LYNN NATUSCH is the author of the bestselling Caged series for adults. She was born and raised in Winnipeg, and is still deeply attached to her Canadian roots. She loves to dance and practice Muay Thai―but spends most of her time running a chiropractic practice with her husband, raising two young children, and attempting to write when she can lock herself in the bathroom for ten minutes of peace. Dare You to Lie is her debut YA novel with Tor Teen.

Find Amber and her books

Newsletter  |  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads |  BookBub  |  Amazon

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To celebrate the release of UNSPOKEN by Amber Lynn Natusch, we're giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Enter your information below for your chance to win!

GIVEAWAY TERMS + CONDITIONS:  Open to internationally. One winner will be chosen to receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Amber Lynn Natusch.  Giveaway ends 5/6/2019 @ 11:59pm EST. Limit one entry per reader. Duplicates will be deleted.   

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

This promotion is brought to you by Pure Textuality PR.