Friday, May 10, 2019

Interview + Giveaway: Legend by Nicole Conway (@ANConway, @RoxanneRhoads , @Month9Books)

UFI welcomes Author Nicole Conway. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

I have an entire tumblr blog dedicated to the greatest video game series ever made, Dragon Age. I adore everything about those games – the world, the complexity of the characters, the gameplay, the story – all of it. I’m obsessed, and I don’t care who knows it.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

Besides playing Dragon Age, I like to spend time with my son and husband. We go rock climbing at bouldering gyms on the weekend and camping.

What is your Favorite part of writing?


I love diving into a new story and new world whenever I begin a book. It’s like that thrill of boarding the plane on your way to an exciting vacation – you don’t know what to expect but you know it’ll be fun.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?

I used to, but honestly, being a military spouse and mother means I’ve had to become very flexible with my work. I have to be able to write whenever I get a spare minute, and that doesn’t always allow for me to follow old routines. Ideally, I like to be in my office, drinking coffee, with my music blasting.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?

I love the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden is a marvelous character and he always makes me laugh. But to be honest, I don’t read much in those genres. I usually stick to fiction, adventure, and fantasy books.

How would you pitch THE DRAGONRIDER LEGACY to someone who has not heard of it before?

It’s like How to Train Your Dragon meets Game of Thrones. It has all the action and complexity of a big-world epic fantasy, but all the relatable characters and heartwarming moments you want out of an adventure. It’s got it all; fast-paced battles, spell-slinging action, romantic tension, and of course … DRAGONS!


Can you tell us a little bit about the world that THE DRAGONRIDER LEGACY is set in?

Maldobar is a medieval fantasy kingdom steeped in tradition, history, and a sense of pride for it’s military prowess. However, as we find it in LEGEND, Maldobar is currently torn asunder by yet another brutal war and this one might not be so easily won. The invading Tibran Empire has been laying siege to it and now threatens to conquer it entirely. It’s up to the dragonriders, the kingdom’s finest soldiers, to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Do you have a favorite scene in LEGEND ?

At the risk of giving away spoilers, there is a reunion scene toward the end of the book between Jaevid and Felix, two of the main characters, after they have been separated for forty years due to … bizarre and magical circumstances. Since neither of them have had much family to speak of, they came to care for one another like brothers in the first series, so it’s an emotional moment for both of them. I love seeing them back together and up to their old shenanigans again.

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?

I always tend to “fall” for the minor characters. In this series, I had to resist writing more about Haldor and Eirik. They both have so many interesting qualities and backstories, but there simply wasn’t room to include it all. Maybe next time! As for which one is the hardest, I always struggle with female narrators so Jenna was a challenge. I tend to second-guess everything when writing for a female character, and I’m not sure why. But it was a good experience, and I intend to keep practicing.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?

I’m currently working on three other series: Spirits of Chaos which is an urban fantasy about dragon superheroes, Mad Magic which is an older teen series about modern gun-slinging faerie hunters, and The Dragonrider Trials. Trials is the third and final dragonrider series, and it’s been really bittersweet writing it because while the story is so fun and I’m super comfortable in the world now, this being the end makes it sort of sad. That last book will be a hard one!
 
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NICOLE CONWAY is an author from North Alabama. She graduated from Auburn University in 2012, and has previously worked as a graphic artist. She is happily married with one son.

Find Nicole and her books
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Legend
 Dragonrider Legacy #3
Amazon
In a war of gods and tyrants, the will of the dragonrider must never falter.

Captured and tortured by the brutal tyrant, Argonox, Reigh’s worst fears have now been realized. Argonox has successfully twisted his mysterious dark power for a truly evil purpose—reanimating the long-deceased legendary dragonrider, Beckah Derrick, and her monstrous king drake. But Argonox’s cruelty won’t end there, and Reigh fears the worst is yet to come. Rescue is unlikely as the Tibrans prepare to make their final strike, poised to break Maldobar’s ranks of proud dragonriders once and for all.

With many of its cities already captured by the Tibran Empire, all hope now rests with Jaevid, Princess Jenna, Phillip, and their mismatched band of dragonrider allies to lead the last stand and save their kingdom. Even in such frightful times, Jaevid may find he still has a few old friends ready to take up their weapons and stand at his side again. But facing down Beckah is perhaps the one thing that might break Jaevid’s resolve. Can he really strike down the woman he used to love in order to save the kingdom?

One final battle will decide the fate of our heroes. Can the strength dragonrider prevail once again? Or will the Tibran Empire become Maldobar’s new legacy?

“Bravery is not an immunity to fear—it is rising up to meet it with the hope that nothing is impossible.” — Sile Derrick, FLEDGLING

LEGEND is the final book in Nicole Conway’s trilogy DRAGONRIDER LEGACY, which also includes SAVAGE and HARBINGER.



Want more dragons?
Check out Nicole Conway’s bestselling quartet
THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES



 Excerpt:
Bellowing howls and thunderous booms shook the ground under me. The sound of snarls, snapping teeth against scales, and shrieks of pain seemed to come from every direction. I recognized the deep inhale and throaty hiss, followed by the roar of flames. A dragon was spitting its fiery venom so close by I could smell the acidic tinge of it lingering in the air. The low hum of something huge swooshed right over me, probably missing me by inches. A tail? Wings? Gods only knew. But I couldn’t even lift my head to see.
The brawl seemed to end as abruptly as it had begun. No more roars. No more flame. A break in the commotion with only the distant sound of the battle to fill the silence.
A soft whine and series of pops, clicks, and chirps resonated against my ear and a hot blast of musky breath blasted over my cheek. I felt it. Something huge was looming over me. But I couldn’t move or open my eyes.
A rough shove rocked my senses, rolling me over so that I flopped onto my back. More hot breaths blasted against my face. I didn’t have to see her. I knew it was Vexi. It took every ounce of strength left in my body to will my eyes open. The end of her big green nose was right in my face, smelling me and whining. She licked at my forehead, one big swipe of sticky dragon spit up the bridge of my nose all the way to my hairline.
“H-hey there,” I managed to rasp weakly.
She chirped, huge blue eyes blinking down at me with concern. Curling her scaly body around me like a protective living barrier, she laid her head on the ground right next to mine. Her ears perked toward me and nostrils puffed in deep, as though she could sense I was in bad shape.
Too late, I realized that leaving her, trying to send her away, was by far the stupidest thing I’d ever done. That’s saying something, I know. Doing stupid stuff was basically my life’s hobby. But Kiran had told me about the loyalty of dragons many times. And right after Vexi chose me, Jenna had said something about it, too. She’d said that our bond was special—that Vexi would stick by me no matter what, even in death. At the time, I hadn’t understood what that meant.
Now I did.




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Thursday, May 9, 2019

Promo + Giveaway: Nobody’s Fool by Ophelia Bell (@OpheliaDragons, @XpressoTours)



Nobody's Fool
Fate's Fools #5
Fate's final mission...

Deva Rainsong has a mission to take revenge on a god, but all she really wants is to understand why one mortal man doesn’t love her. Once upon a time, Ozzie West was her first love, her savior, and the man she always believed she could count on no matter what. But to him it’s as if she never existed.

Unfortunately Deva’s mission won’t wait, and she needs Ozzie’s love to fulfill her promise to Fate or their entire world could come crashing down around them. Because when you piss off a god, you’d better have the power to strike back.

EXCERPT:

I plucked at the strings again, restarting the song and finding my voice. Despite a tongue clumsy from drink, I had no trouble singing clearly. Call it my superpower; I may not have been able to walk a straight line, but I could still make flawless music while wasted.
Her eyelids fluttered closed and some of the tension in her expression eased. Her spine became less rigid and she seemed to flow across the room toward me. The way she moved may have been the most graceful thing I’d ever seen. She was just walking, but it felt like a dance, each step matching the beat of my song. My pulse raced, my body heated, and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, thrumming to the same tempo.
My mouth had gone dry by the time she climbed up on the bed. She crawled across the covers, her movements seductive though her eyes were closed now. She only paused for a second to listen before continuing toward me, straddling my legs.
I pushed back against the pillows, the notes faltering, then stopped entirely when her breasts grazed my hand.
“Uh, I can’t play if you’re going to climb all over me. You understand that, right?”
“Sing,” she demanded.
I got the impression her vocabulary must have been limited to singular syllables in this form, and I doubted the wisdom of allowing her to just crawl on top of me the way she was doing. I clutched the guitar, deciding it was probably better to keep some barrier between us, considering she was looking at me as if she wanted to eat me.
“Why don’t you just sit next to me here, and I’ll sing you all the songs you want?” I patted the bed beside me and then started in on a different song—one I knew all the words to.
Her face twisted with displeasure. “No!” She tore the guitar from me with surprising strength and sent it crashing to the floor in a dissonant clatter. She surged up close, her breath hot against my ear, her full breasts warm through the thin fabric of my shirt.
“Sing,” she rasped.
I cleared my throat and hummed a bar of the unfinished song, then stopped. “You mean that one?”
“Mmm,” she said, a small smile gracing her lips and her eyelids fluttering closed again.
“All right, but I need you to—ah—move off me.”
I grasped her by the shoulders and attempted to twist around to position her beside me. The next thing I knew, I was pinned flat to the bed, her wild eyes staring down at me as vines snaked down and coiled around my wrists.
“Sing.”
“Fucking hell,” I muttered, staring at the vines. I tugged hard, but they held tight.
Her lovely, dark face hovered over me, eyes a maelstrom of need, but a flicker of deeper awareness made me think Deva was still in there, perhaps along for the ride while her instincts had control. Up close, her lips were a deep blue, as was her tongue as it swept across her lower lip.
Fuck, now she did look like she was going to eat me, and I was only more convinced of that when she grasped the sides of my shirt and wrenched it open, leaving me absently relieved it had snaps instead of buttons.
She raked her blunt nails down my chest, the sensation more arousing than painful. My body came alive under her touch despite the fact that I knew she was off-limits. But holy fuck, was this hot. If she went any further, all bets were off.

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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/

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Wednesday, May 8, 2019

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

Storm Cursed
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.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Monday, May 6, 2019

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



Dawn of a Legend
The Silvan, #3
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
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Sunday, May 5, 2019

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)

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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, May 3, 2019

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

 

More Time Kissed Moments
Kiss Across Time #8.1
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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