Guest Blog + Giveaway: Wicked Passion by Amanda J. Greene (@AmandaJGreene1, @RoxanneRhoads)

UFI welcomes Author Amanda J. Greene. Thanks for Joining us!!

Under Realm Assassins World

Today, I’m going to be introducing you all to the world of the Under Realm Assassins series.

Hello everyone!

Before we get started, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m a paranormal romance author from Southern California. I went the indie publishing route in 2010). I love the paranormal romance genre. It allows my imagination free reign to create large worlds inhabited by all sorts of creates: vampires, werewolves, witches, shape-shifters, demons, angels, and all other sorts of beasties. I’ve published two series. The Rulers of Darkness series focuses on vampire clans while the Under Realm Assassins series features all sorts of paranormal creatures.

When I originally thought up the idea for the Under Realm Assassins I wanted to form a dark and dangerous world that featured all sorts of creatures. I also wanted to make these books fast-paced and steamy, so they are all novellas.

In the Under Realm Assassins series, I introduce a world hidden from mortals, populated by all manner of beings known as the Other Society and is governed by the Syndicate. When the peaceful balance between the mortals and Others is threatened or when tensions rise between different factions within the Under Realm (a world outside the mortal realm), the Syndicate sends in their assassins.
As one would expect, not much is known about these assassins. More rumors and myths surround their existence than facts, and many within Other Society don’t believe they  exist. There are viewed as the Syndicate’s version of the boogie-man especially since their ranks are made entirely of vampires, an extremely rare breed among Other Society, one of which very little is known.
This series is packed with sexy, deadly alpha males whose sole purpose is to hunt and eliminate the most dangerous criminals of Other Society and the strong, independent women that make their cold, hard hearts burn with passion.

So, with that, welcome to the mysterious world of the Under Realm.

Under Realm Assassins Series

A Bewitching Christmas

It has been seven years since Analette Dyson stopped practicing magic and headed to New York, where she created a new life, complete with a fabulous job, an apartment in Central Park West, and a sexy werewolf fiancé. She never planned on returning to her small home town in Maine, but when she learns her grandmother is ill, she decides to pop over for a visit and what better time than Christmas? Excited for her fiancé to meet her family, they head up a day early.

Worst idea ever!

After doing some last minute Christmas shopping, Analette returns to their hotel to find her fiancé in bed with another woman. Cursing the universe for her never ending bad luck with men and dreading telling her family about her cheating fiancé, she heads to the bar to self medicate.

Not one to celebrate the holidays, vampire and assassin, Cole McRae, has followed a lead to a rustic town in witch territory. But after a few days of research and waiting for his target to show, he begins to suspect he has wasted his time. That is, until he meets a curvaceous blonde with bewitching green eyes at the local bar. One night with the enchanting Analette could make this useless trip well worth his time.

Their passion is undeniable and unbeknownst to them, their fates are intertwined. Magic and romance will strike on Christmas, changing their lives forever. 


Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bewitching-Christmas-Holiday-Novella-Assassins-ebook/dp/B00HDLR39A
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-bewitching-christmas-amanda-j-greene/1117734566
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-bewitching-christmas

Surrender to the Chase

A year after the tragic death of his close friend and fellow assassin, Ethan Halstead is ready to take up his sniper rifle once more. But his first assignment is nothing he ever expected. Ethan must hunt and retrieve a beautiful, spirited, alluring werewolf.

Knowing no other way to escape an arranged marriage, Fraya flees from her pack. As she contemplates slipping across the border and heading to South America, she is captured by a dangerously seductive vampire who plans on escorting her back to her family. Even as Fraya vows to make Ethan’s mission as difficult as possible, she can’t resist the riotous desire he sparks within her.
But Ethan isn’t the only predator that peruses Fraya. A powerful rival pack’s alpha wants to make her his mate. Will Ethan be able to keep Fraya safe and return her to her pack? Or will he surrender to temptation and claim Fraya as his own? 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y9JE3DS?ref_=dbs_pwh_calw_1&storeType=ebooks
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/surrender-to-the-chase-amanda-j-greene/1121996422?ean=2940151649803
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=surrender+to+the+chase

Wicked Passion

James Stonewoll is an Elite Assassin for the Under Realm Syndicate - an expert hunter and merciless killer. As a former Pirate, he thrives on danger, the more perilous the mission, the better and he can't resist his newest contract: eliminate a rebel shape-shifting magic thief that stalks the border of the Under Realm kidnapping and murdering innocent Others. But never did the centuries old vampire anticipate playing hero to a mythical temptress with luscious curves, tantalizing lips, and hypnotic eyes.

Captured and held prisoner, Katya Moro was trapped in a seemingly endless loop of unimaginable agony as her magic was slowly being torn from her soul. A gasp away from death, she is rescued by a sinful kiss and awakens in the strong arms of a powerful warrior whose roguish smile, sharp fangs, and intense strength unlock the dormant Succubus instincts within her – an all-consuming madness that demands complete surrender.

Gazing down at her, James knew he had to kill her. Dark Magic Wielders, like the beautiful female he’d found, were a grave threat to human society and were not permitted to roam the mortal world. But Katya’s smoky voice and sweet kisses stir a fierce hunger inside him. She is unpredictable, uncontrollable and… wickedly seductive – his perfect kind of dangerous. To keep her safe, James will protect her from the magic thieves that hunt her and his fellow assassins until he can find a way to return Katya to her home in the Under Realm.

Will Katya’s passion be able to conquer the darkness within his soul or will James let her go? 


Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Passion-Under-Realm-Assassins-ebook/dp/B07TD42VP9/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=wicked+passion+by+amanda&qid=1561494550&s=digital-text&sr=1-1
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wicked-passion-amanda-j-greene/1132200436?ean=2940163147793

__________________________________

Amanda J. Greene is the author of the captivating Rulers of Darkness and the enticing Under Realm Assassins series. Fans of Nalini Singh’s, Gena Showalter, and J.R. Ward will fall in love with Ms. Greene’s dangerously sexy heroes and strong, kick your teeth in heroines.

She lives in Southern California with her supportive military husband and their two fur babies—a sweet cocker spaniel and a rambunctious black mouth cur mix. Between working full time in higher education and family life, she finds time to write and create detailed worlds with exciting characters for her ravenous readers.

"Amanda's vampires are seriously sexy and I can't get enough!" - Kristina's Books & More

“Fans of Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series, Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld, and J.R. Wards’ BD are in for a treat…” – That’s What I’m Talking About


Find Amanda and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

__________________________________

Wicked Passion 
Under Realm Assassins #3
Amazon

James Stonewoll is an Elite Assassin for the Under Realm Syndicate—an expert hunter and merciless killer. As a former pirate, he thrives on danger, the more perilous the mission, the better and he can't resist his newest contract: eliminate a rebel shape-shifting magic thief that stalks the border of the Under Realm kidnapping and murdering innocent Others. But never did the centuries old vampire anticipate playing hero to a mythical temptress with luscious curves, tantalizing lips, and hypnotic eyes.
Captured and held prisoner, Katya Moro was trapped in a seemingly endless loop of unimaginable agony as her magic was slowly being torn from her soul. A gasp away from death, she is rescued by a sinful kiss and awakens in the strong arms of a powerful warrior whose roguish smile, sharp fangs, and intense strength unlock dormant instincts within her, an all-consuming madness that demands complete surrender.
Gazing down at her, James knew he had to kill her. Dark Magic Wielders, like the beautiful female he’d found, were a grave threat to human society and were not permitted to roam the mortal world. But Katya’s smoky voice and sweet kisses stir a fierce hunger inside him. She is unpredictable, uncontrollable and wickedly seductive—his perfect kind of dangerous. To keep her safe, James will protect her from the magic thieves that hunt her and his fellow assassins until he can find a way to return Katya to her home in the Under Realm.
Can Katya’s passion conquer the darkness within his soul?

Excerpt:

He was too strong, too tantalizing. Forbidden. She could find another source. One not so threatening, tame. Surely, he could take her to a city where she could steal bits of energy from others. Happiness, laughter, contentment, love, she could leech off any positive aura. She’d survived doing just that within her tribe. None dared to touch her, or directly interact with her unless they required her healing gifts, so she’d been left to feed off scraps of emotion and energy.

She flattened her palms against his chest and tried in vain to push him away. Her cheeks heated in embarrassment, she was pathetically weak. “I—”

“Need me.” His rich voice was roughened with passion.

Katya trembled with yearning. Oh, yes, she needed. But would he demand she surrender? Could she? He was a vampire, an immortal immune to magic, invincible. Perhaps with him, she could let go. She could find pleasure. She could be herself, completely, like never before. He wasn’t like anyone else. He could withstand her darkness. He could match her cravings.

As if reading her thoughts, his hard bronze gaze swirled with challenge, hunger, and untamable lust. “Kiss me as if you want to live.”

“I do.” Her claws sharpened, the tips sliced his shirt and pricked his flesh. “I will.”

She claimed his mouth possessively, her tongue twining his until he groaned for more and took it. His hand clamped on the back of her nape, his grip tightened, holding her still as he slanted his head and deepened the kiss.

Long forgotten sensation rocked her. This powerful male was the embodiment of temptation and danger—irresistibly addictive.

He shifted as if to move away and dread lanced her. A harsh growl escaped her lips. Did he intend to end the kiss? No! She needed this. Needed him.

Katya wound her arms around his waist. Holding him captive, she arched against him, pressing her breasts to his solid chest, the contact delicious, perfect—right.

His mental shields lowered even more and lust battered her senses. Katya unleashed her magic and pleasure slammed into her. His. Hers. She didn’t know where one ended and the other began. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. His origins and her past of no consequence.

The first draw of his power hit her like a cannon, devastating her weakened body, leaving her a trembling mess of tingles and shivers. Good Lady, she’d never known anything like this. Never tasted so much strength. Her body hummed, her blood sizzled, her magic burned and her soul soared. On and on, intense vitality coursed through her, consuming, dizzying. She never wanted this connection to end.

Brazenly, seeking, demanding more of his desire, she stroked her tongue across one of his fangs. He stilled. Was he waiting for her to do it again? Did he want her to draw blood? The idea made her head spin.

Katya caressed his other fang. He groaned into her mouth and his large frame shook—from pleasure or restraint?

__________________________________
Tour Wide

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Releases: 6/23-6/29

Tue. June 25th

Cowboy in Wolf's Clothing (Seven Range Shifters #2) by Kait Ballenger
Kingdom of Exiles (The Beast Charmer #1) by Maxym M. Martineau
Magebane (Age of Dread #3) by Stephen Aryan
Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1) by Kat Cho

Sat. June 29th

The Marked and the Broken (The Lost Sentinel #3) by Ivy Asher

Happy Reading!!

Promo + Giveaway: Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau (@maxymmckay, @SourcebooksCasa)

Kingdom of Exiles
The Beast Charmer #1
Amazon  BN  Apple  IndieBound  BAM

Assassin’s Creed meets Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in this gripping, epic fantasy romance trilogy.

My heart wasn’t part of the deal when I bargained for my life,
But assassins so rarely keep their word.

Exiled Charmer Leena Edenfrell is running out of time. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts—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 Noc an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

Plagued by a curse that kills everyone he loves, Noc agrees to Leena’s terms in hopes of finding a cure. Never mind that the dark magic binding the assassin’s oath will eventually force him to choose between Leena’s continued survival…and his own.

 The Beast Charmer Series:
Kingdom of Exiles
The Frozen Prince (coming early 2020)
The Shattered Crown (coming late 2020)

Excerpt:

Beast Taming

Leena

Outstretched wings coated in vibrant teals and emeralds went taut, and [the Myad] tilted his nose upward to sniff the air. Built like an oversize black panther, the lithe jungle beast exhaled, shaking his mane from left to right. The peacock streak running the length of his spine and tail shimmered in the sun. A plume of feathers exploded around his head, standing tall between his ears. Gold casings masked his ankles and heels, protecting the weak points of his legs.

I’d never seen anything so beautiful. Powerful. I took a small step forward. The brush crunched beneath my feet, and the Myad skewered me with his blazing gold gaze. Thin tendrils of blue light streamed from his eyes.

“Grundy.”

Without further prompting, plates shifted along Grundy’s body, and two fat arms pushed outward. Once his soft hooves met the earth, a shallow divot appeared in a circle around the men. As one, they gasped, crashing to the ground under Grundy’s invisible weight. Calem sputtered, lungs working overtime to keep oxygen flowing through his body. Face flat against the earth, Oz groaned into the dirt. Muscles ticked along his back as he fought against the weight to no avail. Kost cursed and dug his fingers into the ground.

Noc alone managed to remain on his knees, palms pressed flat to the earth. Fissures of pressure cracked around his fingertips. Slate eyes lanced with frustration speared my heart, and a low snarl broke free from his lips.

Such power. I was wrong. The Myad wasn’t the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Noc would always win that contest.

A rumbling growl sounded from deep in the Myad’s belly, and heavy paws thudded against the banks of the pond as he stalked toward me. Fifteen minutes, and Grundy’s gravity manipulation would fade. I mouthed an apology to Noc before turning to the beast. Palms outward, I slowed to a stop a few feet in front of the creature. No weapons. No beasts. No threat. A cool sweat misted above my lips. To be in front of something so powerful…

The Myad’s tail flicked from left to right. Pulling back his muzzle to reveal a row of elongated teeth, he growled. I willed my breath to remain steady. Blue wisps began to stream from the gold plates in his legs. He’d take flight or pounce if I wasn’t careful.

Kicking on the charm, I knelt before him. Rosewood light spilled outward, but he didn’t blink. My heart traded places with my throat, and I swallowed twice before exhaling deeply.

Step one: Blood of the murderer. With my eyes locked on his, I extracted the vial from my breast pocket. Another growl simmered in the back of his throat, and I paused.

Easy now. My heart thundered in my ears. I popped the stopper off and poured Noc’s blood into my cupped hand. The Myad’s nose twitched, and he lowered his head to sniff the substance. Slowly, his scratchy tongue grazed my skin. Sheer power thrummed from his touch. I’m sure he tasted the raw flavor of Noc’s magic in the blood. The icy heat of it threatened to sear my skin, and the scent of burnt honey and hot metal tainted the air.

Once the beast licked my hand dry, he sat back on his haunches and studied me, the corded muscles of his legs rippling beneath black fur.

Step two: A token of loyalty. Proof that, if the taming were a success, I was as much his as he was mine. That we would never abandon each other. With bloody, shaking fingers, I took my opal ring off my hand.

“Your mother left this for you.” My aunt had held out a tiny box with silver clasps. My eager fingers had wrenched it open. There, lying in a bed of violet silk, was the rose-gold ring my father had given to my mother as a promise of his love. The one I now wore at all times.

This ring was my last tie to Hireath. My last tie to a memory that I cherished above all else. My parents had died trying to tame a beast beyond their capabilities. It seemed fitting that, if this didn’t work, I’d go out the same way.

Hot tears stung the corners of my eyes, and I bowed to the Myad, extending my palm toward him. Blue tendrils of vapor streamed from his eyes and looped through the ring, lifting it to the space before him. A crown of pure gold burst through his black fur. His feathered mane shot outward, and the tendrils carried the ring to the center of the headpiece. The gold rippled and molded, allowing for the jewelry to become part of his plumage.

Fighting back cries of joy, I tossed a quick glance over my shoulder to steal one more look at Noc. Eyes wide and jaw tight, he strained against Grundy’s pressure. Muscles bulged along his neck, and his fingers trembled. The detachment he’d wielded earlier was gone, and there was nothing but concern shining in his intense stare.

My heart twisted. Too bad it took me putting my life in danger for him to look at me like that.

Turning back to the Myad, I slowly undid the belt from my breeches. The Myad tilted his head, eyeing the black leather contraption. A low warning growl rumbled at the back of his throat.

It’s not a weapon. I promise. Folding my belt, I shoved it into my mouth between my teeth. Not a single sound. I breathed deeply and focused on the beast realm. My power flooded outward, pulsating to the cadence of my heart. The Myad stood before crouching low against the ground. Tension gathered in all his muscles, and he eyed my left shoulder. Screwing my eyes shut, I clenched down on my belt.

I heard the kick-up of dirt as he lunged. The back of my head smacked against the ground, forcing my eyes open, and a blinding heat surged from my shoulder as his fangs sank easily into flesh. The world slipped out from beneath me as pain blurred the lines of the trees and the sky, blending colors in ways that shouldn’t have been possible.

***

Excerpted from Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau. © 2019 by Maxym M. Martineau. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

__________________________________

Maxym M. Martineau is an article and social media writer by day and a fantasy romance author by night. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Arizona State University, and lives with her husband and fur babies in Arizona. Connect with her at MaxymMartineau.com or through Twitter and Instagram @maxymmckay.

Find Maxym and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

__________________________________

Tour Wide

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week in Review: 6/16-6/22

Books Received for Review

Dead Sea by Debbie Cassidy
The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

Books I've Read

The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire
Quantum Academy by Savannah Rose
Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

Reviews Posted

How to Wake an Undead City by Hailey Edwards (@HaileyEdwards)
Heart of Stone by Lisa Edmonds (@Edmonds411, @CityOwlPress)
The Beyond by Chloe Neill (@chloeneill, @BerkleyPub)

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

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

* Friday- Guest Blog: Trudy Hicks Ghost Hunter Case Two: The Kept by Lori Zaremba (@LoriGhost, @limitlessbooks, @RoxanneRhoads)

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

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

BlogLovin

Networked Blogs

Facebook
Pinterest Board
Amazon
BookBub

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

Twitter

Goodreads

Librarything

Google+

 

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

Guest Blog: Trudy Hicks Ghost Hunter Case Two: The Kept by Lori Zaremba (@LoriGhost, @limitlessbooks, @RoxanneRhoads)

UFI welcomes Author Lori Zaremba. Thanks for Joining us!!

__________________________________

Lori Zaremba is a full-time Internet Sales Manager and writes Web Content as well as providing Copy Editing for businesses in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. Lori has published short ghost stories on Your Ghost Stories, as the Haunted_Cleaner and on her website lorizaremba.com

On her website, lorizaremba.com, Zaremba refers to herself as the ghost magnet and briefly describes her encounters with departing spirits.

Lori began writing her fiction story as a creative offering of why a ghost would haunt.  Before long the story became a novel Case One: The Deceit in the Trudy Hicks Ghost Hunter series.

Lori currently lives in the suburbs of Pittsburgh with her husband Wayne and two fur babies Jaxson and Stewie.

Find Lori and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

__________________________________

Case Two: The Kept
Trudy Hicks Ghost Hunter
Amazon

If anyone tells you hunting ghosts is less dangerous than chasing down real-life criminals, they’re wrong. Very, very wrong.

Case two takes us to a New Jersey Shore Inn. A beautiful, yet dead opera singer seems to be begging for help, but her pleas do nothing but terrorize the locals.

While trying to decipher the clues to her 1919 disappearance, uncovering hair-raising horrors, it becomes clear that Jason and I no longer see eye-to-eye.

Jason wants me to stop meddling with the supernatural. He wants me to stop risking my life by interacting with demons and spirits.

What he doesn’t understand is this is my life. These tortured souls need my help in order to move on. How do I walk away from that—from them?

But the better question is—how do I walk away from him?

Trudy Hicks Ghost Hunter Case One- The Deceit

Excerpt 1:

The wind was knocked out of her, and she had landed hard. Somewhere nearby, it was breathing heavily. She had to listen over the short gasps for air that passed her lips and the barking dog that was ramming against the other side of the locked door. Trudy lay there frozen, exhausted…but not ready to die. Finally able to breathe, she sucked in the precious air that her body denied her a minute ago and realized a couple of ribs might have broken. She could taste the blood from the gash on her upper lip.
Knowing she had to find her way out of the room, Trudy got shakily to her feet and craned her neck to look for a weapon, anything she could use to hurt or at least distract the invisible demon that was attacking her. Ducking out of the way of a lamp that flew through the air in her direction and a pair of projectile candlesticks that impaled the wall behind her, she quickly dove to crouch beside a desk where she had been working just a few minutes earlier.
What the hell happened? A voice screamed inside her head over the snarl of her attacker. She and Dana were packing up to leave. They had helped the troubled spirit of John Thomas crossover, and the priest was blessing the house. Everything was peaceful. It was one of the most straightforward investigations to date. She even called Jason, who was coming to help her wrap up before taking her to his friend’s cottage on a nearby lake, telling him to take his time. She truly believed she had everything under control.
Rocky, the dog she recently rescued, was now howling, and she could hear Dana calling to her. Both sounded distraught. She knew if a miracle didn’t happen soon, she might be a goner.
Trudy felt the dark, rotten energy coming toward her again in a rush. Overcome by the smell of sulfur that made her gasp and stung her eyes, she willed her broken body to tumble under a nearby table then roll again when the thing picked that up and slammed it down, nearly crushing her.
Jumping awkwardly to her feet, mindless of her pain, Trudy felt a low vibration. Pictures from the wall and books from the shelves came at her at a high rate of speed. It took every bit of focus she had to block the onslaught of household items now being used as weapons of mass destruction. Trudy noticed a crucifix that had been hanging on the wall sailing past her on her right, and she grabbed it before dropping and crawling between the couch and coffee table. She could feel the vise-like grip around her ankle. Now what? She kicked her free leg in the hope of making some contact but found only air.
It pulled her rapidly toward the center of the room.
“Let go of me, you bastard!” Grabbing on to one of the desk legs, Trudy held on with every bit of strength she had left, but whatever was yanking her was too strong and pulled her free. Watching in awe and horror as the desk rocketed to the ceiling,where it hung suspended. With the crucifix still in her hand, she bellowed, “Stop in the name of Jesus Christ.”  The activity stopped for a short, sweet moment, and Trudy sucked in a shaky breath.
A low rumbling started, and before she knew it, the coffee table and sofa lifted to join the desk on the ceiling directly above her.
She weakly held up the cross again and watched in horror as the furnishings dropped loudly, piece by piece in rapid succession to the floor, nearly missing her as she awkwardly somersaulted out of the way. Trudy, lying in the fetal position in among the busted furniture, waited for the next attack. The room was quiet and still. She tried to climb to her knees, but the pain in her midsection stopped her. Suddenly lightheaded, she gasped for air as nausea consumed her.
The energy in the room changed, and a swirling mist appeared to gather around her. Am I dying? The images around her grew fuzzy. From somewhere behind, she heard a loud bang, and before she knew what was happening, she was tumbling into open space.

__________________________________

Review: The Beyond by Chloe Neill (@chloeneill, @BerkleyPub)

The Beyond

Author: Chloe Neill

Release Date: June 4, 2019

Publisher: Berkley Books

Devil's Isle Book #4

ISBN:   0440001110

ISBN13: 9780440001119

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Publisher

Sensitive Claire Connolly must journey to another world in the electrifying fourth installment of Chloe Neill’s post-apocalyptic urban fantasy series.

It’s been a year since the Veil between the human world and the world Beyond was torn apart, and war began again. Sensitive Claire Connolly and bounty hunter Liam Quinn have been helping their human and paranormal allies fight back against the ravaging invaders and save what’s left of New Orleans.

But a new enemy has arisen, more powerful than any they’ve seen before, and even Devil’s Isle cannot hold her. . .

When Claire learns of a new magical weapon–one built by paranormals themselves -she knows it could turn the tide of war. But to reach it, she and Liam will have to cross into the Beyond itself. In a world full of hostile magic and dangerous foes, she’ll have to channel the powers she once kept hidden in order to survive. New Orleans hangs in the balance, and the storm is growing closer . .

THE BEYOND felt final and that is how I like to end a series.

I fell like all of the characters have grown since they were first introduced throughout the series. Not only individually either, they have grown together as well. I enjoyed meeting them and watching them become who they end up as. I do wish that a few characters would have had a bigger role in the final, but I am still happy with where they ended up.

Claire and Liam have been through a lot in their relationship and although they still have some issues, I felt like they finally got on the same page with things and and in a good place by the end of THE BEYOND.

THE BEYOND finally takes us behind the Veil. I won't give anything away by telling you about it, but we finally get to see it. There was a ton of action involved in the final book. Just when something goes right, something else seemed to go wrong.

I was left content at the end of THE BEYOND. I felt like all the links were connected, questions were answered and story lines were complete. I would read more in the world if Chloe Neill decided to expand, but I was happy with how the Devil's Isle series ended.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Review: Heart of Stone by Lisa Edmonds (@Edmonds411, @CityOwlPress)

Heart of Stone

Author: Lisa Edmonds

Release Date: June 18, 2019

Publisher: City Owl Press

Alice Worth Book #4

ASIN:  B07RTLLZ7H

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Author

Alice Isn't Running Anymore.

Five years ago, mage private investigator Alice Worth escaped her grandfather Moses Murphy’s organized crime syndicate. Now, her grandfather’s war with local boss Darius Bell has drawn her out of hiding and put her in the crosshairs of not one but two merciless crime lords. Her decision to intervene in their war has endangered everyone Alice cares about and threatens to destroy the life she’s built for herself, including her relationship with alpha werewolf Sean Maclin.

Meanwhile, Alice’s new case is the most dangerous of her career. Hired to find a missing child with a rare magical ability, she and her ghost sidekick Malcolm quickly become targets for the boy’s ruthless kidnappers. To stay alive and free from both Bell and Moses, she must rely not only on her growing powers but also her alliances with Sean’s pack and the Vampire Court.

When Alice’s conflicts with pack members turn violent and the Court betrays her, the truth becomes clear: freeing the kidnapped boy and finding her place in the pack will cost Alice her secrets, her safety, and—if she isn’t careful—her life.

Alice has been hiding from the beginning of the series and by the end of HEART OF STONE she is done hiding. 

The Alice Worth series quickly became a must buy series for me and HEART OF STONE didn't disappoint. Book 4 is a bit of a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. There is quite a bit of things happening, but the flow and pace of the story was well done. There was also a ton of suspense involved and I probably ignored my kids away too much while reading HEART OF STONE.

Poor Alice and Sean can't seem to catch a break when it comes to their relationship. Just when things are going great, someone else throws a wrench into their lives. I caught on pretty quickly to what was happening, but it was still heart wrenching watching their pain.  I continue to love Sean and their relationship and it continues to grow with every installment of the series.

I love the secondary cast of characters in this series. Malcolm continues to be a favorite of mine and we are introduced to another character in HEART OF STONE that I hope continues to have a presence in the story line.

I probably shouldn't have read chapter one for the next book at the end of HEART OF STONE because now I'm DYING to know what the heck is going on. Save yourself the frustration and wait until it's closer to release to read chapter one of book 5.

I gave it 5/5 stars

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