Friday, August 2, 2019

Promo + Giveaway: The Prince’s Prisoner by Klarissa King and Isla Jones (@klarissaking1, @XpressoTours)


The Prince's Prisoner 
Feared Fables #2

A dark fae prince. A stolen human girl.
And an unwanted marriage.
Not all beasts can be redeemed...

Callie doesn’t believe in fairy tales. Too bad they believe in her.
The fae whisk Callie and her friend off to be prisoners of an eternal dance. But Callie is stolen again.
Maybe the eternal dance wasn’t so bad after all…
A lethal fae has taken her as his unwilling bride, and she has to balance between life and death in his castle, while finding a way out of the dangerous fae realm. Only, she’s playing games with the Prince of War.
The Prince learns just how far Callie will go to save her friend from a lifetime of torture—and just what she will do to save herself from his clutches.
Callie must escape the wicked prince before she turns from prisoner to prey. But as the prince himself tells her, ‘Sacrifice is no noble thing in the fae realm.
Everything in the fae realm comes at a price…

The Prince’s Prisoner is a Dark Fae Retelling of the original Beauty and the Beast. Don't expect Disney's tale to even flicker on these pages.
Second book in the anthology series, Feared Fables. Can be read as a stand-alone. Please be aware of themes.
Excerpt:

His eyes touched to hers in the reflection of the mirror.
As he slipped off his shoulder pads, he said, “You should not have touched them.”
Callie shoved forward, away from the arch. Her feet slapped against the floor. “What do you want from me? We made a deal, but I’m still trapped.”
Rain removed metal chains from his torso. He kept his back to her, but his eyes followed her in the mirror.
“I want to go home,” she said. “Tell me how to do that—”
The chains crashed to the dressing table.
Callie flinched, and suspected that he’d meant to throw them down hard.
The danger clutching to his words when he spoke confirmed it. “This is your home now.” He turned to face her and leaned back against the table. “We had a deal. It is final.”
“But—” Callie blinked at him, her brows knitting together. “I promised you something in return for helping me. You haven’t set me free yet.”
“I released you from the dance,” he said. “And while you rested, I took your part in the bargain.”
Thoughts of the shared bed sprung to Callie’s mind. A twist of bile coiled in her belly. “What do you mean you took my part?” she whispered, horror wiping her face clean.
Rain’s eyes flashed with outrage. His chin raised, and he looked down his nose at her.
“It is not what you accuse,” he said darkly. “I made you my wife.”
Callie choked on a gasp. “You—you did what?”
Rain’s face remained impassive. “I married you. That was the price of your freedom from the eternal dance.”
You married me?” shrieked Callie.
Rain folded his arms over his chest. His biceps pressed against the thin black leather of his armour.
Callie’s hands furled into fists.
“You don’t know me! You don’t love me!” Her fingernails cut into her palms. “Are you insane?”
Rain pushed himself from the dressing table and moved toward her.
Callie recoiled and stumbled back.
He might have strolled, but there was a lazy danger in the way he moved, like a tired beast, ready to attack at any moment.
She only stopped backing away from him when she connected with the wall.
He followed, caging her between the wall and his body, his eyes fuelled by a silent fury.




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When not writing, Klarissa can be found in bed poring over a great new release, or reluctantly walking her demanding dogs who pretty much run the house.

She is the writer, Isla Jones. Isla uses the pen-name Klarissa for fantasy, while using Isla Jones for her darker, grittier horror works to help separate the styles and genres for her readers.

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Thursday, August 1, 2019

Promo + Giveaway: The Rogue King by Abigail Owen (@AOwenBooks, @XpressoTours)


The Rogue King
Inferno Rising #1
Kasia Amon is a master at hiding. Who—and what—she is makes her a mark for the entire supernatural world. Especially dragon shifters. To them, she’s treasure to be taken and claimed. A golden ticket to their highest throne. But she can’t stop bursting into flames, and there’s a sexy dragon shifter in town hunting for her...

As a rogue dragon, Brand Astarot has spent his life in the dark, shunned by his own kind, concealing his true identity. Only his dangerous reputation ensures his survival. Delivering a phoenix to the feared Blood King will bring him one step closer to the revenge he's waited centuries to take. No way is he letting the feisty beauty get away.

But when Kasia sparks a white-hot need in him that’s impossible to ignore, Brand begins to form a new plan: claim her for himself…and take back his birthright.
Excerpt:

The only warning she got that she was being followed was the flick of a shadow in the headlights. Before she could react, a massive golden dragon slammed down on the road in front of her about half a mile out. She almost expected the ground to shake with the force, but the act was near silent.
Dammit.
She gritted her teeth and tightened her hands on the wheel. Rather than stop, Kasia hit the gas, pushing the car to go faster. He wasn’t taking her without a fight, that was for damn sure.
The dragon’s deep golden scales glittered in the oncoming headlights. He didn’t budge. But he did growl, his tail slashing back and forth.
“Move, you scaly bastard,” she muttered.
But she didn’t let up on the pedal.
He lowered his head and let loose a growl of warning, which she responded to by stomping harder on the gas.
“Get out of the way!”
She had no intention of playing chicken. If he didn’t, she’d ram this car down his fire-breathing throat. The hell with it. She didn’t want to go back to that cabin in Alaska anyway. Maul would miss her, but he’d be the only one.
Only the dragon didn’t move. Okay then. Kasia braced for impact.
At the moment she should’ve slammed into him, the beast heaved himself into the air, and she zoomed past, fishtailing underneath him from the force of the wind his wings caused.
He must’ve backed up, because he landed on the road in front of her again.
“You want another go, you oversized flying iguana?” she shouted, and bore down on him.
And again, he hopped out of her way only to land in her path.
Damn. Kasia held in a scream of fear-tinged frustration. They could keep this up all night, getting them nowhere fast. He wasn’t going to let her go.
With a growl of aggravation, though not defeat, Kasia stomped on the brakes. The tires squealed in protest, and the unpleasant odor of burning rubber followed her as she skidded the car to a stop broadside of the dragon, only a few feet away. If she rolled down her window, she could reach out and touch him.
The terrifying creature moved around the car, his movements more of a glide, like golden water flowing around her. He lowered his head to gaze in at her with an eye the size of her entire thigh. He snorted, and smoke trailed from his nostrils as he glared at her.
Please let this be Brand, and not some other phoenix-stealing dragon shifter.
Kasia glared back but raised her hands off the steering wheel in a gesture of surrender.






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Award-winning paranormal romance author, Abigail Owen, grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.

No matter the genre, she loves to write witty, feisty heroines, sexy heroes who deserve them, and a cast of lovable characters to surround them (and maybe get their own stories). She currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero, her husband, and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.


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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Quick Thought Review: Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym Martineau (@maxymmckay, @SourcebooksCasa)

*Sometimes I read a book where I just don't have a lot to say about it. Hence the name quick thought reviews. This will be short and sweet.

Kingdom of Exiles
Release Date: June 25, 2019
Publisher: Sourcebook Casablanca
ISBN:  1492689386
ISBN13: 9781492689386
Genre: Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed in this epic, gripping fantasy romance from debut author Maxym M. Martineau.

Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.

Great characters, great settings and a great story are all involved in the making of KINGDOM OF EXILES.

KINGDOM OF EXILES started off a little slow, but I had no problem getting into it with the great world building and action packed storyline. There was plenty of mystery and some romance as well. I really enjoyed learning about the different beasts and their roles in Leena's life. 

I will definitely read more.

I have it 4/5 stars

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

Monday, July 29, 2019

Promo + Giveaway: The Gossamer Mage by Julie E. Czerneda (@julieczerneda, @dawbooks)


The Gossamer Mage
Amazon
From an Aurora Award-winning author comes a new fantasy epic in which one mage must stand against a Deathless Goddess who controls all magic.

Only in Tananen do people worship a single deity: the Deathless Goddess. Only in this small, forbidden realm are there those haunted by words of no language known to woman or man. The words are Her Gift, and they summon magic.

Mage scribes learn to write Her words as intentions: spells to make beasts or plants, designed to any purpose. If an intention is flawed, what the mage creates is a gossamer: a magical creature as wild and free as it is costly for the mage.

For Her Gift comes at a steep price. Each successful intention ages a mage until they dare no more. But her magic demands to be used; the Deathless Goddess will take her fee, and mages will die.

To end this terrible toll, the greatest mage in Tananen vows to find and destroy Her. He has yet to learn She is all that protects Tananen from what waits outside. And all that keeps magic alive. 
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Julie E. Czerneda is the author of the Species Imperative trilogy, the Night's Edge fantasy duology, and the Stratification novels. She is a multiple Aurora Award winner, and was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award and the Philip K. Dick Award. Julie lives with her husband and two children in the lake country of central Ontario, under skies so clear they could take seeing the Milky Way for granted, but never do.

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You could win the Julie E. Czerneda Library!

To celebrate the publication of Julie E. Czerneda's new book, GOSSAMER MAGE, we're giving away 18 signed books!

One lucky winner will received SIGNED copies of the following:

  • A Thousand Words for Stranger
  • Ties of Power
  • To Trade the Stars
  • Reap the Wild Wind
  • Riders of the Storm
  • Rift in the Sky
  • This Gulf of Time and Stars
  • The Gate to Futures Past
  • To Guard Against the Dark
  • The Clan Chronicles: Tales from Plexis
  • Survival
  • Migration
  • Regeneration
  • In the Company of Others
  • Beholder's Eye
  • Changing Vision
  • Hidden in Sight
  • Search Image


Sunday, July 28, 2019

Week in Review: 7/21-7/27



Books Received for Review

Dead End by Debbie Cassidy

Books I've Read

Descended from Shadows by D.G. Swank
Dead End by Debbie Cassidy
Shadow Frost by Coco Ma

Reviews Posted

Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout ( @JLArmentrout , @InkyardPress)
Dead Sea by Debbie Cassidy (@amoscassidy)

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

* Monday- Promo + Giveaway: Fate of Dragons by Alisha Klapheke (@alishaKlapheke, @XpressoTours)

* Thursday- Cover Reveal: Kingdom of Thorns & Dreams Boxed Set (@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, July 26, 2019

Review: Dead Sea by Debbie Cassidy (@amoscassidy)

Dead Sea
Release Date: July 2, 2019
Publisher: Self-Published
ASIN:  B07QDK9YXS
Genre: Reverse Harem
Paranormal
Review Copy Source: Author

When war knocks on the door, burying your head in the sand won’t make it leave.

Death called and I answered. Now Genesis is coming for us. But with the council making every excuse not to listen to my warnings, there’s no other option but to plot behind their backs.

Time is limited.

The sea kingdom awaits, and the sea king isn’t the kind of man to accept a rain check. It means the guys and I will need to hold fire on our plan to pinpoint Genesis’s location.

Let’s just hope that the shit stays away from the fan until my return… Let’s hope it doesn’t follow me.

A Post-Apocalyptic Urban fantasy world with a slow burn Whychoose Romance

DEAD SEA felt like it flew by. Everything happened at a fast pace with a lot of action.

As the hive continues it's downhill slide, Echo is sent to the sea kingdom. I really enjoyed the world development of the sea kingdom. I could visualize as the story progressed and it made it that much more enjoyable to read about it.

The harem seems to be moving along. As for the addition to the harem, I'm not sure about it yet. He seems like a nice guy, but I wish we could have learned more about him and got to know him better before he was thrown into the mix of men. The way he was added works in his favor though.

DEAD SEA wasn't my favorite of the series. Some of the events that took place didn't feel like they were leading anywhere. I am hoping book four clears that up for me.

I gave it 3/5 stars

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