Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Release Day Blitz: Sleeper by Lexi Blake

  

When Neil’s past catches up to him, Kelsey must choose between her new family and an old love…

With tensions rising between the Council and demonkind, Kelsey finds herself investigating a series of murders that threaten the fragile truce between them. If she can’t stop these killings soon, they could ignite a fire sure to burn the supernatural world down.

Unfortunately for her, Kelsey’s problems don’t stop with a pile of dead halflings. Her connection with Marcus is frayed at best, and Gray hasn’t been heard from in months. Her only semblance of peace comes from a new man in her life. When Gray storms back into the picture, her love life goes from incredibly complicated to apocalyptic.

Just as Kelsey begins to unravel the mystery, the forces of Heaven decide to take an interest in her actions. Outclassed with these powers in play, Kelsey knows that one misstep could leave the human and supernatural worlds in ashes.    

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    “Your Highness, please back away. In fact, it would be best if you left the room altogether.” Felix put himself between me and Roberts. “Kelsey, I need you to push her down. Push her back down for a few moments. Marcus will be back soon and he’s going to take care of you. Being around those angels unsettled you. I don’t know if you noticed, but at the end of the meeting, your ward fell off. You didn’t have it on when Oliver shook your hand. He’s unbalanced and now you are, too. It’s like a contagion for someone like you. Oliver’s illness has called up your inner wolf and she’s angry.”
“Perhaps if I touch her,” Henri began. “I’m an academic. I don’t have the same connection she has with Marcus, but I might be able to help.”
“I’m not unbalanced.” It didn’t matter that my hands were shaking and they had been ever since I’d left the angels behind. “I’m going to talk to the wolf whether you like it or not. He’s been handling silver. It’s the only reason his hands wouldn’t have healed. Even then, a couple of hours would have done it. Unless the freaking silver he held came straight from Heaven. What about it, Roberts? How did you spend last night?”
The wolf was shaking his head. “I don’t know.”
That wasn’t an answer I was willing to accept. I was about to explain that to everyone when Chad stepped up and got in my face.
“I’m taking him out of here now,” Chad explained. “You’ll let me or we’re going to have trouble.”
I was ready for trouble. I was fairly sure I grinned, the idea of fighting a vamp lifting my spirits high. For the first time in what felt like hours, I went still. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Chad turned, his shoulders squaring, and I felt the world begin to bend around me. Chad belongs to one of the rarest classes of vampire—the magicians. As far as I knew, he was the only one walking the night at this time. He could form illusions so real you could taste food, feel imaginary rain on your skin, utterly believe whatever he wanted you to believe. I’d come up against him before. I might be one of the only people in the world who could see through him.
“It won’t work,” I said calmly as reality seemed to go dark and I heard the hissing of snakes all around me. “Do you not remember what happened the last time you pulled this shit on me? It took three tranqs to take me down. I don’t think you have those on you today.”
“I won’t need them.” Chad lifted his hand and the world shifted.
“Holy shit,” Casey said, climbing up on his desk. “What the fuck is happening?”
Snakes were happening. They were crawling from the woodwork, twitching and hissing my way. The fibers of the carpet beneath my feet lengthened and formed more snakes until they were a menacing mass, threatening everyone in the room.
Well, except for Chad, who had lifted his husband into his arms and prepared to take him away.
I let my wolf loose a bit. She knew this was all an illusion. That primitive part of my brain that Chad was accessing, the lizard brain that merely wanted to survive, was taken over by the wolf inside me. The alpha wolf didn’t want mere survival. She wanted to dominate, and that meant seeing past fear, trusting her instincts over what her eyes perceived.
The minute I opened the door, I felt her surge through me.
“I’m not letting you go. I can’t. I’m conducting a murder investigation, and I believe your boy here just became my prime suspect.” My hands twitched, eager for a fight, and I realized how long it had been since Marcus and I had thrown down.
Too long. Remember that whole thing about needing sex or violence to feed my inner wolf? Well, she was hungry and there was a whole lot of violence in Chad’s eyes.
I welcomed it. I could feel the need rise like a wave threatening to engulf me. This was why I had a trainer in the first place.
I gritted my teeth because Chad turned on his power. I could feel those fucking snakes climbing my legs and sinking their fangs into me. I refused to pay any attention to them despite the fact that I ached to rip the fuckers off me and toss them aside. To do that would have given the magician more power. If I bought into it, if I took my eyes off the only thing in the room that was real, I would end up like Casey, who was screaming like a girl.
“Let me pass, Hunter,” Chad said.
I stood my ground like the good Gandalf I was. Except I kind of wanted to shove my nonexistent staff right up old Chad’s ass, and then we would see if he sent snakes my way again.
The anger rose, rapid and quick, a flash fire coursing through me. I didn’t even realize when I had reached for the fireplace poker. All I knew was it was suddenly in my hands and I was going to use it. I could see myself shoving that piece of wrought iron right through his heart. It wouldn’t kill him. I would need wood for that, but then again, I didn’t want the fight over so quickly.
I raised the poker, ready to start.
“Stop it, both of you.” Donovan stepped in between us, but I didn’t care at that moment. I hadn’t felt this way in forever, not since Marcus had taken me in. I hadn’t been so out of control that I didn’t care who I hurt as long as I got to hurt someone. I would fuck up Donovan, too. All that mattered was seeing blood, feeling bones crush.
“You see, I told you she’s far gone and I can’t fix her anymore. I’ve called Gray and he has an idea of what to do,” Marcus was saying.
I wasn’t listening.
I started to bring the poker down Donovan’s way, but I was stopped in mid swing. A hand held my wrist, an arm going around my middle and hauling me back against muscled flesh.
“Stop it,” Trent growled in my ear. “You stand down right this second.”
         
NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.



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Friday, October 13, 2017

Blog Tour Book Review: Light Of The Spirit by Lisa Kessler + Giveaway

Author: Lisa Kessler
Series: Muse Chronicles #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 18, 2017
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):
The gods never sleep...

As the mortal vessel for the Muse of Comedy, Lia Youlos lights up every room with laughter and smiles. But there are darker forces at work, and they want to snuff out her light forever.

Cooper Hanover is a hardworking paramedic who healed Lia after a fire, but something happened that day, something medical science couldn't explain. And if he doesn't figure out how it works soon, the next healing could kill him.

Lia's smile and sharp wit tempt him to love again, and he's not going to let anyone, not even the gods, take her from him.

The Prophecy - "Every generation the nine daughters of Zeus are reborn, and with their rebirth are also nine Guardians. They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse."

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

You guys!!!! This series keeps getting better and better! I finished this book about two nights ago and I have so many questions and a bit of a book-hangover.

Lia is the vessel of the Muse of Comedy and she is insanely funny. She is a sunny person, one that I'd love to have in my life, because she just made me smile the entire time I read her scenes. I liked her determination and her honesty towards Cooper. She knew what she wanted from a relationship with him and she wasn't even considering accepting anything less than what she deserved and less than what she was willing to give. I loved that about her.

Cooper was an interesting fellow. Up until now the Guardians have been guys that can protect the muses and, from what Hunter and Reed, two other guardians, have discovered, men that have similar characteristics to the lovers of the original muses, and Cooper certainly fits the bill, but he also has a little something more, something that I wonder if it will come up in the future, maybe towards the final battle (that I desperately hope it will be years before it comes!). He has a pretty ugly past, and I was truly sorry to see him in so much pain.

There were a lot of interesting developments in this book. First, we get to see a muse from an older generation, which is a very, very interesting and I believe also important. Because there are questions there that need answering, about the muses in general and about the differences between generations. There's also a new enemy on the rise, and I feel like this might be a very dangerous and scary foe.

The pacing was great, I read this book in one sitting. I love where the story is going and I cannot wait to see what happens next. I have so many questions, burning questions, that I hope will get their answers in the next few books. If you haven't yet started reading this series, what are you waiting for? It is a must read.


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Excerpt

When the first song came on, he took her hand, walking her over toward the small arcade. He stopped in front of a Dark Knight pinball game.She raised a brow. “I didn’t take you for a Batman fan.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
She wet her lips. “I like surprises.”
He dropped in quarters and stepped behind her, his lips brushing her neck just below her ear as he whispered, “Lucky me.” Cooper straightened up with a spark in his blue eyes. “Let’s do this.”
Lia’s heart was pounding with a heady mixture of arousal, adrenaline, and a hunger for victory. She’d never had this much fun on a date, and they just got here.
She pulled back the plunger and launched the silver, metal ball. Her eyes tracked its course underthe glass as it bounced around, lighting up bonuses. She hit the ball with the flipper, squealing as it sailed back up into play.
The rest of the pizza parlor faded away as her focus narrowed to the game. She nailed the ball again, but out of the corner of her eye, Cooper lifted his shirt to wipe his forehead, exposing abs that would make even Batman jealous.
“What are you—” Before she could finish her sentence, the ball slipped past the flippers and intothe hole at the bottom. Her jaw dropped. “You cheated.”
He shook his head, looking far from innocent as he pulled his shirt back down. “I was just wiping the sweat off my forehead. You’re really good at pinball.”
The twinkle in his eyes gave him away. Two could play that game.
She stepped aside, giving Cooper the player-two spot. He tugged the plunger back, and let silver ball go sailing. The digital score soared higher and higher. When he was within ten thousand points, she picked up her mug and fished out an ice cube, tracing her lips with it while she watched the ball under the glass.
Suddenly it zipped right between the flippers. She lifted her gaze to find Cooper gaping. “Okay, that was playing dirty.”
She grinned, popping the cube into her mouth. “Oh please, have you not seen yourself shirtless?”
He chuckled, shaking his head and stepping aside to make room, his voice a rough growl. “I’ve never been jealous of an ice cube before.”
“All’s fair in love and pinball, right?” She yanked the plunger back and sent the ball sailing back into play. She racked up the points, making contact with the ball three times before Cooper moved behind her, his big hands sliding possessively up her back to knead her shoulders.
The damned ball vanished into the hole between the flippers, and she didn’t give a rat’s ass. Lia’seyes drifted closed, and she relaxed into him. “So unfair.”
He leaned down close to her ear. “Want me to stop?”
“Oh gods, no."
His chest vibrated as he chuckled. “My turn, right?”
“Yes.” She sighed and stepped aside.
Cooper took over, hitting the buttons on the sides of the machine. His forearms were tight, strong. She’d never been turned on by games before, but damn. She was going to have to grab the pizza to go.
When his score neared hers, she slid her hand under the back of his shirt, tracing her fingernails up his back. A muscle in his cheek clenched as he struggled to keep his eye on the ball.
She pressed against his back and whispered, “I need you.”
He turned around and wrapped her in his arms. “’Bout damned time.” He fused his lips to hers, his tongue sliding into her mouth, teasing her senses.
“Hanover!”
He broke the kiss with a breathless chuckle. “I’m getting really sick of being interrupted.”


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ABOUT LISA KESSLER



Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of dark paranormal fiction. She’s a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her books have also won the PRISM award, the Award of Excellence, the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, the Award of Merit from the Holt Medallion, and an International Digital Award for Best Paranormal.

Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.

When she’s not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, and has performed with San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego.



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Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Author Q & A: Jessica Prather

Hey fellow booklovers! I had the chance to interview the wonderful Jessica Prather, author of , and it was a lot of fun. So, without further ado, please welcome Jessica on my blog.



Hi Jessica! Welcome to my blog!

Hi Ruby! It’s my pleasure. Thanks for having me!

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hmmm... I’m a Colorado native who moved to Utah a few years ago. I have a beast of a dog named Avery, who’s as weird as I am. Even though I’m super lactose intolerant, I really like cheese and ice-cream (not together, though). When I’m not writing, you can find me drinking coffee, reading, or someplace in the wilderness! 

Q: What inspires you to write?

I’ve always had a passion for literature, so writing’s always something I’ve been interested in. I do read a lot, and sometimes that’ll inspire ideas.

Q: Describe your book in one sentence.

Nothing is ever as it seems!

Q: What was the hardest and the easiest scene to write?

Oooh this is a tough one! I don’t know if I’d call them the easiest, but my favorite scenes to write were the battle scenes. I love confrontation *evil laugh*. I also really enjoy backstories, which is weird, but I love anything that has to do with the history of a character. It’s fun to see what motivates them, what makes them human, you know?

The hardest scenes were probably some of Kenadee’s darker moments, which I can’t share without giving things away. Her and a few other characters really hit rock bottom. It’s hard to see that happen!

Q: Who are some of your favorite authors?

There are so many! F. Scott Fitzgerald, Maggie Stiefvater, Leigh Bardugo, Jeffrey Eugenides, Donna Tartt, Markus Zusak, John Steinbeck and J.K. Rowling to name a few!

Q: What comes first in a book for you, the characters or the general story?

It really depends. With TTC, the plot came first. Kenadee used to be a whole different person and sort of developed through time. But on another project I’ve been working on for a while, the characters came first. I think it really just depends on the story and what pops into my head.

Q: What are your must-haves for when you write a book? What does a regular working day look like for you?

It changes quite a bit. I’m a person that needs a pretty set work schedule. I usually try and get up early in the mornings before I go to my day job. I slacked off this summer and haven’t been able to get back onto it, but I used to get up at six, make coffee, and write until it was time to get ready for the day. Sometimes I’ll write late into the night too, if I get really caught up in it! 

Q: What other projects are you working on?

Right now, my biggest priority is TTC 2. It’s due in a few months, so I’ve been figuring out where to take Kenadee next. I’ve also had a few other ideas I’ve been gradually working on. Maybe once TTC 2 is in, I’ll be able to give them more time!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Thanks so much!




ABOUT THE TRAITOR'S CRUX

In a country ravaged by years of war, plague, and death, witches and wizards are blamed for the state of the world and hunted by the U.S. government. Kenadee Coria was only a young girl when her brother was taken prisoner for having magical powers.

Now sixteen years old, Kenadee discovers she too has magical powers and must face the facts: the government is watching, and they have plans for her. She’s given a deadly mission and an impossible ultimatum: the lives of a hidden group of magic refugees, or the safe return of her long-lost brother.
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