Salted Caramel Bliss with a Wedding Kiss Book Tour

 

Today kicks off the SALTED CARAMEL BLISS WITH A WEDDING KISS book tour hosted by RABT Book Tours.  Check out the fun facts shared here, and then check out some of the stops on the tour to enter the giveaway!

SALTED CARAMEL BLISS WITH A WEDDING KISS

by Cherie Colyer

Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Series: One Scoop or Two (each book is a standalone book)

Blurb:
Roman Briggs built a life for himself in Siren’s Cove. He restored the Sugar Cones Ice Cream Parlor and turned it into a popular stop along the boardwalk. He has everything he needs until a certain blue-eyed woman wanders back into his life.

Seer and witch Peyton Woods isn’t sure why her latest visions feature a man and boy she’s never met. Determined to find out, she casts a spell that leads her to a small beach town in Maine and, to her utter surprise, the man who broke her heart eight years earlier.

Peyton's left with one question. Why didn't her magic show her him?

Some fun, miscellaneous facts about this book...

One of my favorite passages from the book:

   I flipped on the light. I wore a wreath of daisies identical to Jinx’s. Worse, I was no longer wearing the outfit I had on yesterday when I left for the festival. Instead, I wore the white knit sundress from my dream. I started to doubt my choppy memories were a dream.

   I lifted my left hand. A braided ring of flower stems circled my ring finger.

   Jinxed barked.

   I whipped around and pinned my familiar with a horrified glare. “What do you mean I got married?”

=*^_^*=

This isn't the first time Peyton Woods appeared in one of my books. We first met the carefree witch and seer in Merry Little Wishing Spritz. She's Cassie’s best friend, but she was itching to star in her own book. We get to know Peyton better in Salted Caramel Bliss with a Wedding Kiss as she follows a spell to a small seaside town in Maine.

=*^_^*=

This book is part of The Wild Rose Press's One Scoop or Two series. Each book is standalone, has a summer theme, and a flavor of ice cream in the title.

Follow the tour to enter the giveaway

September 5 - Book Reviews by Virginia Lee - Spotlight

September 6 - Sandra's Book Club - Excerpt

September 7 - Sapphyria's Book Blog - Spotlight

September 8 - The Avid Reader - Interview

September 9 - Momma Says to Read or Not to Read - Spotlight

September 9 - The Indie Express - Review

September 10 - Jazzy's Book Reviews - Excerpt

September 12 - Lady Hawkeye - Excerpt

September 12 - Nesie's Place - Excerpt

September 13 - Texas Book Nook - Review

September 14 - Book Junkiez - Excerpt

September 15 - Novel News Network - Review

September 16 - Valerie Ullmer - Excerpt

September 16 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up

Salted Caramel Bliss with a Wedding Kiss

It's here! My newest contemporary, paranormal romance!

I'd like to thank everyone at The Wild Rose Press who ushered this story through the publishing process. Special thanks to Eilidh MacKenzie, my fantastic editor. The book wouldn’t be what it is today without your keen eye for detail and expert guidance, to RJ Morris for the adorable cover, to Lisa Dawn for always being there to answer questions, and to the many others who had a hand in bringing this book to you.

I'd also like to thank Kym Brunner and Katie Sparks. I couldn’t have finished this book in the short timeframe I wrote it in without your support and feedback. You’ll see that many of your suggestions made it into the story.

Now, without further ado...  

Salted Caramel Bliss with a Wedding Kiss

Author: Cherie Colyer

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Series: One Scoop or Two

Genres: Paranormal Romance

A kiss to remember... if only she could.

Blurb

Roman Briggs built a life for himself in Siren’s Cove. He restored the Sugar Cones Ice Cream Parlor and turned it into a popular stop along the boardwalk. He has everything he needs until a certain blue-eyed woman wanders back into his life.

Seer and witch Peyton Woods isn’t sure why her latest visions feature a man and boy she’s never met. Determined to find out, she casts a spell that leads her to a small beach town in Maine and, to her utter surprise, the man who broke her heart eight years earlier.

Peyton's left with one question. Why didn't her magic show her him?

What readers have said

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

"This enchanting read is perfect for a summer afternoon.” - Still Moment Magazine

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“This book is perfect for a summer afternoon, preferably with a huge ice cream.” – Goodreads reviewer

Grab your copy today!

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Apple ~ Universal link  ~Goodreads ~ Bookbub

Events

August 22nd - 28th: Instagram Book Tour & Giveaway hosted by Hidden Hollow Tour

September 5th - 18th: Book Blog & Giveaway Tour hosted by RABT

More to come!

In the spirit of this book, tell me what your favorite ice cream is.

Exciting News for Netgalley Members!

Hi! I'm so glad you stopped by!

Salted Caramel Bliss with a Wedding Kiss is available on Netgalley. If you're a fan of romance, ice cream, and a bit of magic, this might just be the book you've been looking for. I'd be honored if you'd check it out. Also, if you could help me spread the word by Twittering or sharing on Pinterest or Instagram I'd be ever so grateful!

Salted Caramel Bliss with a Wedding Kiss

Author: Cherie Colyer

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Series: One Scoop or Two

Genres: Paranormal Romance

A kiss to remember... if only she could.

Blurb

Roman Briggs built a life for himself in Siren’s Cove. He restored the Sugar Cones Ice Cream Parlor and turned it into a popular stop along the boardwalk. He has everything he needs until a certain blue-eyed woman wanders back into his life.

Seer and witch Peyton Woods isn’t sure why her latest visions feature a man and boy she’s never met. Determined to find out, she casts a spell that leads her to a small beach town in Maine and, to her utter surprise, the man who broke her heart eight years earlier.

Peyton's left with one question. Why didn't her magic show her him?

Request a copy on Netgalley!

What readers have said

5-stars

"This enchanting read is perfect for a summer afternoon.” - Still Moment Magazine

5-stars

“This book is perfect for a summer afternoon, preferably with a huge ice cream.” – Goodreads reviewer

Not on NetGalley? No problem!

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Apple ~ Universal link  ~Goodreads ~ Bookbub

Book Tour & Giveaway: The Versipellis Mysteries by Rhen Garland

 

I'm thrilled to be a part of The Versipellis Mysteries by Rhen Garland Book Tour hosted by Silver Dagger. Rhen is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. Be sure to leave a comment! Happy reading!

A Portrait of Death

The Versipellis Mysteries Book 1

by Rhen Garland

Genre: Historical Supernatural Mystery 

 

 

A Victorian house party, a supernatural mystery, and two very special investigators.

England
1899

Immortal detectives Elliott Caine and Abernathy Thorne have spent centuries searching through time for the reincarnations of their murdered wives. As their quest continues, they use their many lifetimes of knowledge to solve Gothic mysteries that can be unsettling, and sometimes terrifying.

Never before have they been faced with a case like this.

The great and the good are gathered for the social event of the season, but the evening comes to a horrifying halt when the mutilated remains of two men are discovered artistically displayed in the portrait gallery. As Caine and Thorne begin their investigations, they uncover more than the usual murderous web of intrigue, espionage, and treason.

An ancient evil is stalking ever closer, intent on finding that which they seek.

Where does the mysterious agent Versipellis fit into the case? And who is the shadowy figure watching Caine and Thorne with such interest?

Find out who, when, why, what, and how in this very Victorian murder mystery; the first instalment in a new Gaslamp fantasy series that drips with elements of Gothic mystery, historical urban fantasy, and rather a lot of blood as we follow the exploits of immortal Victorian detectives Elliott Caine and Abernathy Thorne in the latter stages of the Victorian world.

"As soon as you start reading, it gets you hooked, and you just can't put it down."

"Wonderful twists and turns in the story line kept me wanting to read what happened next."

"A great debut novel from an author with an amazing imagination." - Katylou 1966

 

Add to Goodreads

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Death In the Sound

The Versipellis Mysteries Book 2

 

 

Death and diamonds in the green heart of New Zealand.

New Zealand
1900

Responding to a desperate plea from an old friend, Caine, Giselle, and Thorne, accompanied by Veronique the Labrador, travel to New Zealand to investigate a simple case of blackmail that explodes into a far more shocking crime.

A Psychic, a dancer, and illusionists are amongst the honoured guests invited to a weekend party aboard a luxurious paddle steamer moored in the isolated grandeur of Milford Sound, where reclusive millionaire philanthropist Octavius Damant is determined to throw his daughter a twenty-first birthday party to remember.

The celebrations are cancelled, however, when a hideous murder is committed and the engines are sabotaged, trapping everyone on board with a killer willing to stop at nothing to achieve their evil schemes.

As the body count rises, Caine, Giselle, and Thorne must piece together a devilish puzzle involving extortion, desire, the reappearance of the fabulous Larkspur Diamond, and the return of a face from Thorne’s past.

Just when they feel they are beginning to unravel the case, the truth about events centuries earlier threatens to destroy everything they thought they knew about their own past lives.

Find out who, when, why, what, and how in this very Victorian murder mystery; the second instalment in a new Gaslamp fantasy series that drips with elements of Gothic mystery, historical urban fantasy, and rather a lot of blood as we follow the exploits of immortal Victorian detectives Elliott Caine and Abernathy Thorne in the latter stages of the Victorian world.

"Stephen King meets Agatha Christie" - Hammerhead

"An excellent plot with lots of unexpected twists and many multi-layered characters." - Katylou 1966

"Magical, mysterious and memorable." - The Northernreader

"Vibrant characters and dark deeds combine to produce a creepy, cleverly plotted murder mystery with exciting originality." - Jane Hunt

 

Add to Goodreads

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The Shadow of Death

The Versipellis Mysteries Book 3

 

 

An horrific discovery leads to Caine and Thorne’s darkest investigation yet.

England
Christmas
1900

Fifteen years after a series of ritualistic murders drove the families of Cove to send their children away to safety, the survivors are returning to celebrate their first Christmas back on their island home…but the killer has also returned, and they have unpleasant plans for those who fled their reign of terror so many years ago…

When a murder is committed during the Yule archery shoot, Caine, Giselle, Thorne, Aquilleia, and Veronique the Labrador find themselves thrown into a terrifying Gothic mystery that involves sinister cultists, family secrets, hidden passages, and the horrifying reappearance of the abomination Filicidae: a malevolent being who kills for pleasure.

Hope is offered by one of their kind from Astraea, whose gift could be used to defeat the creature once and for all.

But unbeknownst to Caine and his friends, deep in the catacombs of Cove Castle, there dwells a nightmare…

Find out who, when, why, what, and how in this very Victorian murder mystery; the third instalment in a new Gaslamp fantasy series that drips with elements of Gothic mystery, historical urban fantasy, and rather a lot of blood as we follow the exploits of immortal Victorian detectives Elliott Caine and Abernathy Thorne in the latter stages of the Victorian world.

"The third book of the Versipellis mysteries is the darkest of the series so far and the best in my opinion." - Hammerhead

"Garland is a great storyteller in her genre of the Victorian whodunnit with a supernatural twist" - Katylou 1966

"The emerging details of the "other realm" shows the wonderful imagination of this author. I certainly can't wait for the next book in the series."

"Holmes meets Highlander via Hammer House of Horror!

 

Add to Goodreads

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Rhen Garland is the author of the The Versipellis mysteries - a series of Gaslamp Fantasies set in the late Victorian, early Edwardian era that follow the adventures of immortal detectives Elliott Caine and Abernathy Thorne as they search through time for the reincarnations of their murdered wives...and solve a few murders along the way.

I live in Somerset, England, with my book illustrating, folk-singing husband, approximately 5000 books, an equal number of ancient movies, and a large collection of passive-aggressive Tomtes. My achievements are more from the school of life, rather than that of College or University. My early years choice of reading material was rather suspect for my age. The first Agatha Christie I ever read was "By the Pricking of my Thumbs" when I was nine years old; a child of that age reading and enjoying a murder mystery about a child killer explains a great deal about the type of novel I write today.

When I was diagnosed with CFS at the age of thirty, I realised that I could either go mad staring at four walls all day, or I could try to apply what little parts of my brain still worked and have a bash at writing a murder mystery set in the 1920's...things didn't quite turn out the way I'd planned!

I thought when I finally started writing that my books would be genteel "cosy" type murder mysteries set in the Golden Era (I love the 1920's and 30's for the style, music, and automobiles), with someone being politely bumped off at the Vicar's tea party and the corpse then apologising for disrupting proceedings. Instead, the late Victorian era came thundering over the horizon armed with some fantastical and macabre plotlines and a complete refusal to accept the word "no"; it planted itself in my stories, my characters, and my life, and would not budge.

I watch far too many old school murder mystery films, TV series, and 1980s action movies for it to be considered healthy. No one will play movie quizzes with me anymore...further evidence of a misspent youth!

I love the countryside, Prosecco, tea, the cocktail hour (the pinnacle of the civilised world!), and the works of Dame Ngaio Marsh, Dame Gladys Mitchell, John Dickson Carr/Carter Dickson, Dame Agatha Christie, Sir Terry Pratchett, Simon R Green, and David and Leigh Eddings.

My books are Victorian in era, messy in their murders, creepy in their otherness, and will make you double check the windows are all locked before you go to bed. What's not to like about mysteries with a touch of Grand Guignol?

Find Rhen at the ChillerCon UK - Horror comes to Scarborough! (chillercon-uk.com) this week!

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

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Damned When I Didn't Book Tour & Giveaway

 

I'm super excited about this tour. A huge thank you to Bewitching Book Tours and the amazing tour hosts. The tour includes excerpts, interviews, guest posts, and a giveaway. Plus, DAMNED WHEN I DIDN'T is on sale on Amazon. See below for the tour schedule. Visit a tour host to enter the giveaway.

The tour kicks off at Paranormalists with a Guest Post. Full tour schedule is below. Hop over to one of the stops to participate and enter the giveaway.

Grab your copy now!

Praise for Damend When I Didn't

Winner Best Paranormal Romance 2021

"Damned When I Didn’t is such a fun paranormal romance, I loved every minute of it. ... If you’re looking for a paranormal romance with a fresh take and snarky dialogue, pick up Damned When I Didn’t. Highly recommend!" - N.N. Light, Amazon Vine Voice

"Damned If I Didn't is the perfect mix of romance, drama, and friendship. You won't be disappointed!" - Goodreads Reviewer

"This novel serves up a unique story that brings many different characters together in a breathtaking read." - InD'Tale Magazine

Tour Schedule

April 25 Paranormalists (Guest Blog)

April 25 Liliyana Shadowlyn

April 26 Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read

April 26 Roxanne’s Realm

April 27 The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom (Guest Blog)

April 27 The Book Junkie Reads (Interview)

April 28 Fang-tastic Books

April 28 Jazzy Book Reviews

April 29 Sapphyria's Books

May 2 OgitchidaKwe's Book Blog

May 2 JB's Bookworms with Brandy Mulder (Interview)

May 3 Jana Richards

May 3 Booklikes

May 4 Triquetra Reviews

May 4 Bewitching Book Tours

May 5 Westveil Publishing

May 6 Supernatural Central (Interview)

May 9 Lisa’s World of Books

May 9 Midnight Musings with Bertena

Chatting with Sydney Winward about her new book A Breath of Sunlight

I'm thrilled to have Sydney Winard with us today. Sydney is the author of intriguing paranormal and fantasy romance. I thoroughly enjoyed her novels Root Brew Float and Blood Born, and then I saw she has a book on fae. I can't wait to read it! And the cover is stunning!

Let's jump right into the interview...


Can you share with us what are you working on now?

I’m currently writing book 3 in the Sunlight and Shadows Series. I can’t tell you who it’s about, otherwise it will give away some big spoilers! But I have found it a challenge to write a story about two very broken people with dark secrets, and how they overcome the past that still haunts each of their lives.


What's your favorite genre and why?

I don’t have a specific genre I like to read the most. I’m more of a mood reader and will read the genre that best suits my current reading mood. Lately, I’ve been on a historical romance kick, reading books set in the late 1800s. Currently, I’m reading a novella by Amber Daulton titled Forever Winter. Other genres I enjoy are paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary with a heavy romantic element.


It's always fun to learn more about the authors we love. Tell us something about yourself and how you became an author.

I’ve always wanted to be an author, and I was weirdly obsessed with books and author events even at a young age. Christopher Paolini was my author idle for a long time, continuing to inspire me to reach for my goal of one day becoming an author. I wrote story after story, needing that constant creative release, until I started becoming serious about writing and wanted to cross that line from writer to author. I never intended to write about vampires for my debut series, but when the muse calls, you listen. I’ve written paranormal and fantasy romance, with some historical fiction sprinkled in there. I just go wherever the muse calls me! I’m getting an itch for writing about dragon shifters, so we’ll see if that happens!

A BREATH OF SUNLIGHT

by Sydney Winward

She will protect him with her last breath.

Blurb:

Don’t show compassion for men. Never save a man’s life. And no matter what, never fall in love with someone you must ultimately kill. But some rules are meant to be broken, even if it means risking your life by betraying your valkyrie sisters.

The plan was simple—attack the Pits, kill the male slaves, save the women. But when Skaja runs into a fae man she can’t kill, she instead breaks all the rules to save him.

Prince Calle was sold into slavery by his jealous brother, and he would do anything to taste freedom again, even put his trust in a dangerous valkyrie. To protect his people and gain the throne, he and Skaja must trust each other. But neither of them expected trust to turn into something more, and the cost of love has a much steeper price than either of them anticipated.

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

Peek between the pages…

“This is beautiful,” she murmured. “What does it mean?”


He watched, transfixed as she touched him. It had been so long since he’d touched another, other than embracing Cian a couple of months ago, however fleeting. He craved the contact that made him feel alive again.

“It’s tradition for Sun Fae to cover their scars with tattoos,” he explained. “Only, we do not get to choose the tattoo, nor the accompanying color. Gold is the highest honor. Next is silver. Then bronze. All the way to black, which is disgraceful. This…” He traced a part of the star but made sure not to brush against her as he did it. “…is a word repeated over and over to form the star. It says ‘sacrifice’ in our tongue.”

One more peek (because sometimes, one just isn’t enough!)…

Calle gasped and shot up into a sitting position. He clawed at his throat to remove the boot, but instead of finding a rough leather boot, he touched soft, warm skin.

“Shh,” Skaja soothed as she touched his hands, his face, his hair. “It was only a bad dream.”

Her face finally came into focus in the darkness. Pinched, concerned brows. Pursed lips. Hair falling across her forehead.

He shook his head, suddenly aware of the perspiration that clung to his skin. His back ached where he’d been whipped. His throat still burned for air. The slave brand on his forearm rippled with heat. “N-n-no. It w-w-wasn’t a d-d-dream.”

“It was,” she said in a soothing tone, and for the first time since they’d met, her eyes were kind and gentle. Her fingers stroked either side of his hair. She was touching him… And not just an uncertain, awkward touch. A compassionate caring lingered in her caress, and he couldn’t help but lean into her hand.

She stilled.

“Please don’t stop,” he whispered.

A pause. But then her fingers continued their exploration. Her light touch skimmed his hair, his eyebrows, his nose, his cheekbones. They hesitantly touched his earlobe before she more daringly traced the shape of his long, pointed ear.

His heart slowed into something calmer. Something safer. The fear in his soul settled to the bottom of a clear, placid lake. The pain in his back and throat ebbed. The burn on his forearm died slowly like a waning fever.

He breathed in Skaja’s scent of jasmine and cool midnight skies and breathed out a river of calm. She was right. It was only a dream.

Yet, it had felt so real.

A flash of darkness passed across his mind, and as if he once again found himself in the deep ravine of the Pits, his hands began trembling. Skaja’s gentle touch trailed from his ear, to his shoulder, down his arm, before she clasped his hand. Her touch felt so good. Like a breath of sunlight after being caged in the darkness for so long.

About the author:

Sydney Winward is a fantasy and paranormal romance author who dabbles in the occasional historical fiction. She loves building complex worlds filled with magic, strong characters, and emotional stories that can make you laugh and cry.

Sydney is the author of The Bloodborn Series, and when she’s not writing, she’s reading, thinking about stories, or going on adventures with her children. She lives in Utah with her husband, two amazing kids, and one stubborn fish.

Connect with Sydney
Twitter  |  Facebook  |   Instagram  |  Website

A Quick Chat with author Robert Herold

Please help me welcome Robert Herold, author of Moonlight Becomes You and the Eldola Project to my blog.  

What inspired you to write this book?
As noted in my bio, I’ve thought werewolves were cool ever since I was a pup. Creating a novel around one was the next best thing to my childhood dream of becoming one! I also remember reading a piece in the Horror Writers of America handbook on writing horror, that there hasn’t been a definitive werewolf novel. I thought I’d take a stab, er, sink my teeth into the challenge as it were. I would very much like to make a significant contribution to the canon of horror writing.

What are you reading?
I’m rereading a horror novel that I first read many years ago, The Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber. There is a witch in my Eidola Project novels and I wanted to reacquaint myself with some of the best books in the witch genre. BTW, it’s a great novel!

Tell us something unique/quirky about yourself.
I collect Mexican Lobby Cards for famous horror movies. I have about a dozen, some of which are autographed by famous writers (Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, and Richard Matheson, author of I Am Legend). Why Mexican? They are much cheaper than their English language counterparts!

Thanks, Robert, for stopping! 

Moonlight Becomes You

by Robert Herold

Genre: Supernatural Horror

Heat level: R

Blurb

The Eidola Project travels to Petersburg, Virginia, to investigate a series of murders in the Black community—rumored to be caused by a werewolf. Once there, danger comes from all quarters. Not only do they face threats from the supernatural, the KKK objects to the team's activities, and the group is falling apart. Can they overcome their human frailties to defeat the evil that surrounds them?

Moonlight Becomes You earned two first place wins from the Southeastern Writers Association, including Best Novel!

Buy Links

Amazon   Amazon CA  Amazon UK

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Excerpt

         Doc Curtis fought for every reserve of strength and managed to quicken his pace. He could hear them shouting behind him and dared not look back, fearing it might slow him just that much more.

         He made it through the field and emerged onto a rough access road running between the cultivated land on one side and the woods on the other. The doctor dashed across the dirt road and through the weeds and scrub bordering its opposite side. The trees stood twenty yards ahead. He would make it, find a thick trunk to hide behind, and fire a warning shot. If he could drive them off, it would be best. If not, he would do what needed to be done. Life had reduced itself to its most basic terms: kill or be killed.

         Just five yards from the trees, a gigantic black beast bounded from the woods and landed before him. The doctor skittered to a stop, and his feet went out from beneath him. The creature stepped closer, looming. Its eyes glowed red, and the skin around its muzzle drew back, revealing a mouthful of sharp canine teeth.

         The Klan had come at him in two directions, the doctor realized.

         He raised his pistol and fired into the snarling face above him.

Don't miss Eldola Project

About the author:

The supernatural has always had the allure of forbidden fruit, ever since my mother refused to allow me, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved-in. (Well, not literally!)

As a child, fresh snow provided me the opportunity to walk out onto neighbor’s lawns halfway and make paw prints with my fingers as far as I could stretch. I would retrace the paw and boot prints, then fetch the neighbor kids and point out that someone turned into a werewolf on their front lawn! (They were skeptical.)

I have pursued many interests over the years, but the supernatural always called to me. You could say that I was haunted.  Finally, following the siren’s call, I wrote The Eidola Project, based on a germ of an idea I had as a teenager.

Ultimately, I hope my books give you the creeps, and I mean that in the best way possible!

Connect with author Robert Herold

Website     Facebook     Twitter    Instagram

Damned When I Didn't Release Day!

Happy Release Day!

It's here! Damned When I Didn't is now available, and I'm so very excited to share this book with you. I'd like to take a moment to thank my wonderful editor and the many people at The Wild Rose Press who had a hand in bringing this book to you, my talented critique partners whose insight I value, to Giselle at Xpresso Book Tours for organizing the book blitz, and to the amazing bloggers who are participating in the event. I hope you'll celebrate with me by checking out the book. And don't forget to enter the giveaway. Thanks for stopping by!

Damned When I Didn't

Death isn’t the end for eighteen-year-old Avery Williams, and her final resting place isn’t beyond the Golden Gates. No, the Queen of the Damned has plans for her and, unbeknownst to Avery, fought hard to gain possession of her soul.

As Hell’s newest succubus, Avery is expected to siphon life from the living. It only takes a long, meaningful kiss, but for a virgin like Avery, kissing guys she barely knows isn’t something she’s comfortable doing. Avery focuses on the upside of her fate—she’ll be returning home, or so she thinks. When the Queen of the Damned cuts her off from her old life, Avery is determined to find a way back to her family and friends, even if it means facing Hell’s fury if she’s caught.

Read it today!

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Teaser:

     His laughter bellowed out of the small bathroom. “You’re going to have to loosen up if we’re going to be living together.” 

     “Do not!” I called back. 

     The shower started, but he’d left the door open. “Succubi are supposed to be promiscuous. Not shriek at the sight of a naked man.” 

     “Well, I’m not most succubi, and you’re not a man,” I retorted. 

     My jaw dropped when I opened the closet and found it stuffed with clothes. The things on the right were obviously Cole’s. A hint of his cologne wafted from them. The left side, however, was crammed with juniors’ jeans, skirts, tops, sweaters—everything I could possibly want and not department store knock-offs. Designer brands that I used to dream of owning. 

     I fanned through the various items, wishing I had time to try them all on. If my best friend knew the road to Hell was stocked with the best clothes, she’d purchase a first-class ticket. 

     “So I’m not a man?” Cole asked from behind me. 

     He leaned against the doorframe, wearing a towel that conveniently hung low enough to emphasize his six-pack abs and the muscles leading to…you know. He didn’t bother to dry off either. His chest glistened with water droplets. 

     “I have parts that beg to differ,” he added.

Enter the giveaway

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9 Books for Fans of Witches

If you're like me, you can't get enough of witches and magic. So today I thought I'd share nine books I've either read and enjoyed or are on my to-be-read list. Let me know if you've read any of these books or if there is a book you think should be on the list. 

I read WITCH CHILD by Celia Rees years ago, and it remains one of my favorite books about witches. Blurb: The spellbinding diary of a teenage girl who escapes persecution as a witch--only to face new intolerance in a Puritan settlement.

EMBRACE by Cherie Colyer is the first book in my Embrace series. Good and evil live side-by-side fighting for their cause. If you read the book, let me know which side you chose. Blurb: Anything can happen in a town where people possess The Powers. Sixteen-year-old Madison Riley will discover these powers exist and she will need to embrace them if she hopes to save her friends. 

I really enjoyed MAGIC OR MADNESS by Justine Larbalestier. It's the first book in the series that I highly recommend. Blurb: For fifteen years, Reason Cansino has lived on the run. Together with her mother, Sarafina, she has moved from one place to another in the Australian countryside, desperate not to be found by Reason’s grandmother Esmeralda, a dangerous woman who believes in magic. But the moment Reason walks through Esmeralda’s back door and finds herself on a New York City street, she’s confronted by an unavoidable truth—magic is real.

HOW TO HANG A WITCH by Adrian Mather is on my to-read list. Blurb: It's the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls in a debut novel from one of the descendants of Cotton Mather, where the trials of high school start to feel like a modern day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem’s past.

THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER by Paula Brackston is book one in the series. I kept seeing this book on different social media feeds so I had to check it out. I'm only a few chapters in and so far I am enjoying it. A little about the book: Part historical romance, part modern fantasy, The Witch’s Daughter is a fresh, compelling take on the magical, yet dangerous world of Witches. 

The cover of THE WITCHES OF THE GLASS CASTLE by Gabriella Lepore caught my eye, so I had to add this one to my to-read list. Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Mia's life is turned upside down when she uncovers her family secret - that she and her brother Dino are witches.

WICKED: WITCH & CURSE by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie is another book on my to-read list. This one has mixed reviews, but I really want to check it out for myself. If you've read it, let me know what you thought. Blurb: Holly, Amanda, and Nicole are about to be launched into a dark legacy of witches, secrets, and alliances, where ancient magics yield dangerous results. The girls will assume their roles in an intergenerational feud beyond their wildest imaginations...and in doing so, will attempt to fulfill their shared destiny. 

PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White makes the list because the story is original and it kept me engaged. This one says it's for fans of Teen Wolf, Buffy, and Supernatural, and I agree. Blurb: Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through supernatural glamours. She’s also about to find out that she may be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins has been on my to-read list for a while. I really need to move this one up. Have you read it? Blurb: As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

If you've read any of these books, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!

Cover Reveal: DAMNED WHEN I DIDN'T

I'm thrilled to share the cover of my newest YA Paranormal Romance DAMNED WHEN I DIDN'T. What do you think? 

A huge thanks to the cover artist, Diana Carlile, to my amazing publisher, The Wild Rose Press, to Xpresso Tours for organizing the cover reveal, and to all the amazing bloggers who are participating in the event. I couldn't have gotten here without them!

About the book:

DAMNED WHEN I DIDN’T

Can an eighteen-year-old virgin fulfill her succubus duties without losing her innocence?

Death isn’t the end for eighteen-year-old Avery Williams, and her final resting place isn’t beyond the Golden Gates. No, the Queen of the Damned has plans for her and, unbeknownst to Avery, fought hard to gain possession of her soul. As Hell’s newest succubus, Avery is expected to siphon life from the living. It only takes a long, meaningful kiss, but for a virgin like Avery, kissing guys she barely knows isn’t something she’s comfortable doing. Avery focuses on the upside of her fate—she’ll be returning home, or so she thinks. When the Queen of the Damned cuts her off from her old life, Avery is determined to find a way back to her family and friends, even if it means facing Hell’s fury if she’s caught.

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The Darker Side of Kira Rose in CHALLENGING DESTINY

Confession time: I’m drawn to darker characters. They’re complex, which makes them interesting. I know there’s going to be more to them than meets the eye and I like to discover what that is. 

Sometimes you see a character’s darker side right away. You know the type of person he or she is the moment you meet them. Damon Salvatore from the Vampire Diaries is a good example of a character that doesn’t hide his evil side. With Damon, you know exactly the type of person he is. But everyone doesn’t wear their darker side as a badge of honor. In fact, most people manage to hide it.

In walks Kira Rose, a very important character in my paranormal thriller/romance, Challenging Destiny. On the surface, Kira is caring, easy-going, and fun to be around. Because of the person we see on the outside, Logan Ragsdale, one of the main characters in Challenging Destiny, is all too eager to get to know her.

Like most people, Kira wasn’t born evil. She was once all the things you see on the surface. But that was over three centuries ago and immortality hasn’t been kind to her. She’s learned to be ruthless and to use force to get what she wants. Now she’s back on Earth and not about to make the same mistakes she did when she was human. She’ll be allowed to stay, if she can convince Logan she’s one of the good guys, and there’s nothing she won’t do to get her way. Even if it costs Logan and his sister their lives.

Emma Stone, with her sultry gaze and dark red hair, would make a great Kira Rose.  :) 

CHALLENGING DESTINY

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Being Chosen is a terrible thing when there's no one you can trust. 

Read Challenging Destiny today: 

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Book Blitz and Giveaway: The Midnight Sea by Kat Ross

Congratulations to Kat Ross on her upcoming book, 
The Midnight Sea! 

The Midnight Sea (The Fourth Element) 

by Kat Ross @katrossauthor

Genre: fantasy
Release Date: May 10, 2016

About the Book 

They are the light against the darkness.

The steel against the necromancy of the Druj.

And they use demons to hunt demons….

Nazafareen lives only for revenge. A girl of the isolated Four-Legs Clan, all she knows about the King's elite Water Dogs is that they bind wicked creatures called daevas to protect the empire from the Undead. But when scouts arrive to recruit young people with the gift, she leaps at the chance to join their ranks. To hunt the monsters that killed her sister.

Scarred by grief, she's willing to pay any price, even if it requires linking with a daeva named Darius. Human in body, he's possessed of a terrifying power, one that Nazafareen controls. But the golden cuffs that join them have an unwanted side effect. Each experiences the other's emotions—and human and daeva start to grow dangerously close.

As they pursue a deadly foe across the arid waste of the Great Salt Plain to the glittering capital of Persepolae, unearthing the secrets of Darius's past along the way, Nazafareen is forced to question his slavery—and her own loyalty to the empire. But with an ancient evil stirring in the north, and a young conqueror sweeping in from the west, the fate of an entire civilization may be at stake… 

Preorder your copy today!

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Excerpt

On my seventeenth birthday, the magus summoned me to his study.

I sat down and waited while he shuffled through a stack of papers. Finally, he looked up.

"I've found you a daēva," he said.

I sat very still, hardly breathing.

"His name is Darius. He was raised by the magi in Karnopolis. By all accounts, obedient and devout. And powerful." The magus held my eyes. "Very powerful. The strongest in generations, if his keepers are to be believed. You were chosen because your gift is so great." He sighed. "And because I can't leave either of you unbonded much longer. You're nearing the time when your mind will become too rigid to accept him, Nazafareen. And so that is my present to you. Are you happy?"

"Yes, magus. Very happy." I was happy. I was also nervous.

"Do you wish to meet him?"

My heart lurched. "He's here?"

"In the yard, waiting for us. Oh yes, and his curse is a withered left arm. I thought the fact that you are left-handed would be a nice complement."

I let out a long breath as we walked outside. Bonding my daēva meant I could hunt Druj. Go on patrol with Ilyas and the others. I'd been waiting for this moment for three years. And yet part of me still wanted to run in the other direction as fast as I could.

We came around the corner of the barracks and there he was. A boy still, although not for much longer. I took in the close-cropped brown hair and pale, serious face. His sky-blue tunic matched his eyes, which were not particularly warm. More along the lines of one of the glacial lakes I'd bathed in as a child.

I walked right up to him, refusing to be cowed. It seemed prudent to let him know who was in charge immediately.

"I'm Nazafareen," I said.

Darius nodded. His face was perfectly impassive, but did I see a spark in those eyes? Of fear? Contempt? It came and went too fast to tell.

I had no idea what to say next, so we just stood there in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity. Finally, the magus spoke.

"Come. Satrap Jaagos and the other Water Dogs are waiting."

The bonding ceremony took place in the audience chamber of the satrap. It was a cavernous room, with vaulted ceilings of gilded tile and three marble pillars. The walls were carved with bas-reliefs of horses, their arched necks and braided manes rendered in exquisite detail.

Jaagos sat on his throne, his Water Dogs arrayed to either side. Half of them wore tunics of sky blue, the other half of a deep, bloody red.

I'd seen Jaagos from afar a few times, but this was the closest I'd ever been to him. In the moment before I prostrated myself, I saw a chubby man dressed in a rich gown of silver thread. He was bald as an egg, with thick lips and sloping shoulders. A housecat among lions.

I pressed my forehead to the stone. To my right, Darius did the same.

I was keenly aware of the eyes of the Water Dogs on me. They were the ones I wanted to impress, especially Ilyas. I didn't give a fig about the satrap, except that I knew I didn't want to make him angry. His authority was absolute, the hand of the King in Tel Khalujah, and if he wanted me dead, he had only to make the slightest gesture and it would be done.

"Get on with it," Jaagos said after an appropriate amount of time had passed for the obeisance.

The magus stepped forward. "You are Water Dogs, the holiest of all dogs," he said. "Without water there is no life, yet water has the power to destroy as well as to create. May your impurities be washed away." The magus slowly poured the contents of a silver bowl over our heads.

"May the Holy Father keep you and guide your actions," he intoned. "May the bond bestowed this day be true and pure. May you always serve the cause of light and shun the darkness."

He set the bowl aside and pulled on a pair of leather gloves. Then he took out a gold cuff, thick and worked with snarling lions. Had he touched it with his bare hands, he would have bonded Darius himself instantly.

The magus's face swam in my vision as he knelt before us. Darius had gone a deathly pale, but he looked at the cuff—the twin of one already encircling his right arm—without wavering. I resolved not to show him how afraid I was. Not to give him that victory.

"You will fight as one, live as one," the magus said. "You will carry out the will of the Holy Father, as directed by your King and satrap. Good words, good thoughts, good deeds. By the Prophet and the Holy Father are you bonded."

Then he snapped the cuff around my wrist and locked it with a tiny golden key. I may have cried out. I probably did. Because I wasn't alone anymore. Floodgates opened in my mind, releasing a torrent of alien emotions. Next to me, Darius drew a sharp breath as the same thing happened to him, although I barely heard it.

Panic surged through me, followed by an aching loss so deep it tore a hole in my heart. I didn't know if it was mine or his, or both feeding off the other. And I felt his power, a deep, churning pool of it, held tight in my fist.

"It is done," the magus said.

My knees trembled as I stood. Darius offered me his hand but I was afraid to touch him so Ilyas took charge of me, leading me from the audience chamber to the fire temple. We knelt there together. I tried to pray, but my teeth were chattering.

"It gets easier with time," Ilyas said in a soothing tone, as if he was talking to a small child. "You'll learn to tell the difference between your own feelings and his. To separate them. To hold onto yourself."

I nodded but I didn't believe him. I just wanted to tear the cuff from my wrist. To get Darius and his bottomless despair out of my head. But that was impossible. It was locked in place.

"Look into the flames," Ilyas said. "Imagine them burning your fear away. Scouring your mind clean of thought. Feed it all to the holy fire. You have the gift, Nazafareen. Now you must learn to control it, or it will destroy you."

I tried to do as he instructed. For a moment, I felt as though I'd broken the surface, that the torrent was easing a little, but then it came back stronger than ever.

I jumped to my feet and just made it to the courtyard before I threw up.

They let me go to my bed after that for the rest of the day. Everyone left me alone. They understood that I couldn't bear to be near even a single other person. I had enough of them in my head already

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About the Author:

Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She lives in Westchester with her kid and a few sleepy cats. Kat is also the author of the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day (Skyscape, 2014), about a world where the sea levels have risen sixty meters. She loves magic, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Preferably with mutants.

Keep in touch with Kat

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