Archive for the ‘Dark Fantasy’ Category

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At any moment I felt like these covers were going to become real. To open a window into the Forces of Nature.
I expected the wind to ruffle her hair, to hear a symphony of songbirds, and to experience an ambrosial delight from the multitude of flowers.
Vibrantly colored book covers have always been a draw for me. I wouldn’t be able to walk past these on a bookshelf without stopping to pick them up.
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Natural Selection by Elizabeth Sharp
Average, plain-bodied Amelia Hoffman has resigned herself to a life of mediocrity, unable to escape the shadows cast by her all-too-perfect siblings. Worse, her feelings for her brother’s best friend are getting stronger.
 

Everything changes after the brutal murder of her close friend.Suddenly, Amelia’s life is transformed and she is thrust into a wondrous and frightening new world of myths and legends. As she explores this new world hidden within the layers of her own, secrets are revealed. When her body miraculously changes overnight,  Amelia is forced to hide in her home for her own protection. But as danger circles closer, Amelia has to figure out who is committing the ruthless homicides.

Otherwise, she could be next.
Second Nature by Elizabeth Sharp
Nothing seems right in Amelia’s new life. On the run with new names, her family has finally settled into a lavish life in North Carolina. Her relationship with Nate is strained almost to its breaking point, and she has no friends. As Nate pulls further away, a handsome stranger sweeps into her life.
Then evil comes for her again.
After her brother is kidnapped, they discover someone is draining demons for a deadly new drug that turns its users into mindless zombies. The drug ravages up and down the east coast, and all humanity is in danger. To make matters worse, an old enemy is back for revenge. With the help of her family and friends, Amelia must deal with her past.
Or they won’t have a future.
 
 
 
 
 
Better Nature by Elizabeth Sharp
No matter how she tries to deny it, Amelia Hoffman has a destiny. An evil plot threatens to destroy humanity and the future lies in her hands. To make things even more difficult, she is distracted by college, family squabbles and trying to decide between two men she loves.
But destiny won’t be ignored for long.
When an explosion tears through the Library that houses the entire history of the Otherworld, Amelia is thrust into action. She has to fight through the tension tearing the Otherworld apart to rally an army. As the danger grows, Amelia must rise to fulfill the prophecy.
Or the whole world could fall.
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Author Bio:
Elizabeth has a near crippling Facebook addiction, dwarfed only by her need for Dr. Pepper. A self-proclaimed techno geek, she loves cell phones, computers, tablets and all things technological. The internet has to be the greatest invention since the wheel, in her opinion. She lives in a quiet subdivision with her husband, one-year-old son, three cats, and far too many electronics. It’s quite possible she has some raccoon in her DNA, because she loves glitter and anything that sparkles. She enjoys making jewelry and costumes. Halloween is her favorite holiday since it’s the one day of the year that you can be whatever you want. But her first love will always be writing. Otherwise, hearing voices in her head would make her feel schizophrenic.
 
Links:
 

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Are you ready for the launch of Carlie’s newest book, Heart Search: Book Two, Found?

It’s that time and I have some goodies for you.

This is going to be such a fun tour. So much more is coming!

First, feast your eyes on her cover art. I believe she has a signature for her covers now. Further down in my post you can see the cover art for Heart Search:Book One,  Lost and you’ll see what I mean.

Heart Search: Found, Book II

Blurb

One bite started it all . . .

Another mysterious disappearance sparks a frightening chain of events for Remy and her family. Events foretold come to pass, and more strange and alarming occurrences assail her life. Where can she turn?

Coven politics continue to threaten Joshua’s existence, but an even bigger menace looms . . .

And Remy’s life hangs in the balance – can Joshua save her?

Fate still toys with mortals and immortals alike, as hearts torn apart by darkness confront perils which could lead to their doom.

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Heart Search: Found is now available to purchase!

Amazon US / Amazon UK

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Check out the new trailer!

Carlie has done something incredible!

You’re going to want to run right over and get this book. Just sayin!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Carlie M A Cullen

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and was also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing until recently.

She has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel. This was launched 8th October 2012 through Myrddin Publishing Group and book two, Heart Search: Found, is due out early July 2013. She writes mainly in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for YA, New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a professional editor.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. Their first anthology, The Other Way Is Essex, was published September 2012 under Myrddin Publishing Group. Their second anthology is in editing.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

You can find Carlie M. A. Cullen at the links below:

Blog/Twitter

I’ve read Heart Search, Book One: Lost and loved it!

Heart Search: Lost (Heart Search, #1)

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Go here to read my 5 Star Review

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Stay tuned for more fun and exciting things to come as the tour continues!

Check out these others wonderful bloggers participating in the tour.

Tour host’s:

Sherry Fundin

Joy Keeney

Donna L Sadd

Michelle Birbeck

We will be revealing more about Carlie’s new release with inerviews, reviews and exclusive excerpts

Come join the fun and help spread the word!

I’m so excited.

Emma Meade has a brand new release!

The minute I got this in my Kindle, I opened it and started reading.

It’s a short story, so it didn’t take long.

Check out Dark Whiskey.

Darkwhiskey

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Blurb

Jesse senses something off about the nightclub. She wants to leave, but  her best friend, Tasha, is determined to have a night to remember.  There’s no way Tasha’s turning down an invite to the VIP section.
Against Jesse’s better judgement, she follows Tasha up the ivory staircase to  the mysterious room above. The whiskey and champagne are flowing, and  pretty soon the blood will be too.
(A Short Story, approx 7,100 words)

My Review

Jesse’s best friend Tasha has just been dumped and her motto is, to get over it, get under someone else.

That’s just what she plans on doing when she drags Jesse into the nightclub.

It’s a bit out-of-the-way, but better to do the nasty where no one finds out.

Jesse immediately senses something isn’t right. Goosebumps stand up on her body. She wants to high-tail it out of there, but Tasha is having none of it and merrily trips up the stairs to the VIP room.

It’s going to be a night to remember, or not.

My Thoughts

I’ve had a friend like Tasha. Very emotional and sometimes a bit selfish, but usually pretty loyal. I expect that’s why Jesse stayed and watched out for her.

Being the more level-headed of the two, Jesse stays sober. Maybe that’s why she recognizes that somethings off.

I almost liked Eli. Almost. He’s a tall drink of water on a hot night, charming and darkly dangerous. But, nope. He says and does some things that turns me off. Gives off a bad vibe. Pretty much how Jesse feels too.

The best thing about Emma’s writing is I felt the bad vibes, the warning hairs standing up on the back of my neck.

I’ve been in a situation where that happened and luckily I was able to leave. Who knows what might have happened.

Dark Whiskey is like its name. Subtly alluring, with hints of sexual tension, and icy dread.

I would love for Emma to write more about Jesse, especially now that I know what she’s going to be like.

She may be figuring it out and they may think it’s going to be easy, but they messed with the wrong chick!

5 Stars

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I’ve read all of Emma’s stories and am so excited whenever I get my hands on a new one.

Click on the titles below to read more of my reviews of Emma’s books.

End of the Line

End of the Line

Under the Desert Moon

Under the Desert Moon

Night Sighs

Night Sighs

The Awakening & Other Stories

Awakening and Other Stories

The Dead Beats

The Old Vampire (Short Story)

Dead Beats and The Old Vampire

About the Author
Emma Meade
Emma Meade lives in rainy Ireland. She loves reading and writing supernatural fiction.
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Links to purchase Dark Whiskey
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Emma’s Ramblings on Supernatural Ficion blog:http://emmameade.com/

Freakin Fridays!

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

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It has to be hard to juggle being a mother to two young children and also having to learn how to survive as a new vampire.

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On the night of Jeff and Jenny’s twelfth anniversary, they are viciously attacked while returning to their car.

Two weeks later, Jenny wakes up from a coma. Her husband is dead.

Assured her two children are being cared for, she lies in the hospital bed, struggling to remember what happened that night. She draws a blank.

The longer she lies in that bed, the weaker she gets. She aches all over. Even her hair hurts. And she’s so thirsty and hungry.

Detective Benjamin Bradley is assigned to her case and questions her about what she remembers, but she still can’t recall anything.

She wishes she could remember. She has many questions. Who attacked them? Were they going to be back to finish the job? She prayed it was all over and she and her children were safe.

Her brother Joey flies up from Summer Haven, Florida, their home town. He suggests she and the kids come back there and stay in their parents empty house. It’s neglected, but nothing Jenny can’t fix herself.

Jenny and her kids settle into the family farmhouse. It comes with its own mystery.

The townsfolk claim it’s haunted. People have seen lights moving around in the house. Some people claim to have heard her fathers horses, though they are long dead.

Jenny continues to get weaker and can’t eat. She begins to suspect the awful truth. She is becoming the thing she despises most.

“She was changing even more. She could feel it in her bones, her flesh, and her very thoughts. What happened if she mutated into something alien?”

Years ago, Joey and Jenny battled a gang of vampires and succeeding in burning them up in the old theater, but not before many people died, including their parents.

She can no longer deny what attacked her that night, or what she is becoming.

And who is the mysterious tall man shadowing her? He stays in the shadows, a gaunt white figure. What does he want from her? Is he one of them?

Jenny worries. She worries about making ends meet. She worries about the long-term. How do you hide not getting older? How can she be a mother to her children when what she craves, what she needs, is human blood?

She worries.

What do I think?

The first thing I loved about this book was the cover art. It’s dark and dreary. You can feel a menacing presence, and Jenny is standing bravely between whatever lurks out there and her children.

I love a strong female protagonist and Jenny is like a momma bear with her cubs. You know how that is.

She’s dealing with losing her husband, moving back home, turning into a loathsome vampire, and worrying about her children.

I liked how she went about learning more about her ‘condition’ and how she taught herself to adapt.

I enjoyed how the author revealed Jenny and Joeys history with the vampires. It explained how she reacted to what she is.

The mystery of the lights and the ghostly horses isn’t a focal point in the story, but it does stay in the back of your mind. The author refers to it vaguely at first, but slips more into the story as you read along.

These vampires are different and I was surprised when the author came up with a new way of becoming one.

When Jenny turns, it makes sense.

This isn’t a funny story. There are fun moments, but Human No Longer has depth, with strong secondary characters and several complications for Jenny to deal with. All while trying to keep her children safe.

I was riveted right from the beginning and would love to read about what happened with Jenny and Joey and their parents previously. That would be a great story.

The characters are strong, the plot is intriguing, the story is fleshed out, and I got a great ending.

5 STARS

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About the author

I’ve been writing for over 41 years now…published for 30 of those years since 1984; have EIGHTEEN novels, 2 novellas and 12 short stories to my name…and more coming. Aug. 30, 2012: I (first time ever!) SELF-PUBLISHED MY 16TH NOVEL *DINOSAUR LAKE* TO AMAZON KINDLE DIRECT! January 2013 I SELF-PUBLISHED MY 17TH NOVEL *HUMAN NO LONGER*, my fourth vampire novel. Also in January 2013 I self-published my rereleased murder mystery (originally a 2003 Avalon Books hardcover) SCRAPS OF PAPER-Revised Author’s Edition.

I write traditional supernatural horror, SF horror, romantic time-travel, murder mysteries and paranormal romance. I’ve been writing about ghosts, ancient Egyptian spirits, haunted places and evil vampires WAY LONG BEFORE Stephanie Meyer (no relation to me even though my maiden name is Meyer) and the rest of the vampire author crowd, ha, ha. And now ALL 15 of my older Zebra, Leisure paperbacks, Avalon Books murder mysteries and my Wild Rose Press books have been revised, reprinted and rereleased for the first time in many years (and in e-books for the first time ever) from DAMNATION BOOKS http://www.damnationbooks.com and ETERNAL PRESS   http://www.eternalpress.biz and AMAZON KINDLE DIRECT. Yippie! So look for them.

I’m a wife of almost 35 years (husband, Russell), mother (one son, James) and grandmother (two grandchildren, Caitlyn and Joshua). I was a graphic designer in the corporate world for 23 years; and have published with Dorchester, Kensington, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Amazon Kindle Direct, Damnation Books and Eternal Press, and Amazon Publishing. Six years ago I crossed over into e-books as well as paperbacks and now ALL my old/new books are in ebooks…and soon to be in AUDIO BOOKS from ACX. I love cats and nature, classic rock and country music (my brother, JS Meyer  http://www.jsmeyermusic.com, is a singer/songwriter and does the songs for all my self-made book trailers that are on my websites). VISIT me at http://www.myspace.com/kathrynmeyergriffith or http://www.bebo.com/kathrynmeyerG or http://www.authorsden.com/kathrynmeyergriffith to see all my book covers and trailers.

My published books: (ALL OF THESE OUT AGAIN…PLEASE LOOK FOR THEM!) Human No Longer (2013),Dinosaur Lake (SF horror), Scraps of paper-Revised Author’s Edition, Evil Stalks the Night (supernatural horror), Leisure 1984; The Heart of the Rose (historical romance) Leisure 1985; Blood Forge (supernatural horror), Leisure 1989; Vampire Blood (romantic supernatural horror), Zebra 1991; The Last Vampire (supernatural horror), Zebra 1992; Witches (romantic horror), Zebra 1993 & Pinnacle 2000; a novella called The Nameless One in Dark Seductions, an erotic horror anthology, Kensington, 1993; The Calling (supernatural horror), Zebra 1994. The Nameless One, a short erotic novella in the 1994 Zebra Anthology Dark Seductions. And Scraps of Paper (hardcover mystery) Avalon Books, 2003; All Things Slip Away, the second mystery in the series came out also from Avalon Books in February 2006 and now both are out again from Amazon and both in ebooks for the first time ever. And my three novels and two short stories from The Wild Rose Press are out again from ETERNAL PRESS: Egyptian Heart(ancient Egyptian time travel romance); Winter’s Journey(a romantic suspense novel); The Ice Bridge, (a contemporary romance e-novel with a dose of murder mystery) and two ghostly short stories, Don’t Look Back, Agnes and In This House. BEFORE THE END: A Time of Demons, an apocalyptic saga from Damnation Books, June 2010. THE WOMAN IN CRIMSON, a vampire eternal love story, is out now from ETERNAL PRESS  http://www.eternalpress.biz. The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal Fiction: Volume 1 (I did the Introduction) 2011 and Telling Tales of Horror 2012(I did the chapter on Putting the Occult into your Fiction)***

Kathryn has written many books. I couldn’t post all of the books in their covers. Would have taken so long!  Go here to see more.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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I’ve been waiting for the fragile things to be released!

It’s here and I’ve just finished reading it.

the fragile things is episode one of V. Shaw’s 4 part serial horror story.

The Fragile Things

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My Review

Jennifer has kicked her long time drug habit, but temptation is great as she’s living with her drug dealing boyfriend, Tony.

In desperation, she flees Tony and his druggie friends and camps out in the woods. She’s estranged from her family and has nowhere to go.

Her neighbor, Ebony, from across the street, happens upon her and they form a tentative friendship.

It’s difficult for either woman to trust anyone, or themselves, as they both have baggage.

Jennifer is fighting her soul-eating craving for drugs and Ebony is fighting her craving to not drink Jennifer dry.

Two damaged women with no one to turn to but each other.

This book reads like a serial episode on TV.

You know before you start reading it,  it’s going to be short and leave you hanging.

That didn’t bother me, as I’ve read another of the authors books and loved her writing.

This book is a dark, psychological read about hope, friendship, and overcoming huge adversities.

I was immediately drawn to Ebony and Jennifer. These flawed characters are genuine and my heart went out to them.

Sure, ones an ex-addict and the other is a vicious vampire, but you forget that somewhat as you learn what makes them tick.

The town of Blackcross has its secrets and something evil is coming.

There’s no shortage of suspense and the horror jumps out and says Boo!

A great beginning to this series and excited to read more, for sure!

I hear Part II will be available later in May.

5 Stars for excellent  campfire storytelling.

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I’ve also read and reviewed V. Shaw’s The Lady of Chains and Other Stories

The Lady of Chains and Other Stories

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Description from Amazon: “Remember; you have seventy-two hours to do the deed and not a moment longer. Cut her throat and remove her heart. That, my girl, is the only way to destroy the wretched creature.” Greylock. A city supported by a network of scaffolding, bleeding rust and wheezing steam. Patrolled by an army of ‘metal men’ – creatures who’re designed for nothing more than to kill and destroy. Nothing grows. Nothing truly lives. Viola, a young orphan girl, has been thrust into this nightmarish world by the devious Mrs Casket, caretaker of the mysterious tower and maid to the Lady of Chains, a woman imprisoned without a sentence. A woman who almost single-handedly destroyed the world . . . Viola has been gifted with a task which could either see her demise or be her salvation. But who is the Lady of Chains? And why does she insist that she is connected to Viola? With the clock ticking and the metal men drawing near, Viola is about to learn that not everything in Greylock is what it seems. A spellbinding novelette with elements of steampunk. **** ALSO INCLUDES THE SHORT STORIES; Hansel and Gretel Rogan and the Gargoyle The Silent World BONUS MATERIAL: Also contains a preview of the up-coming horror serial, The Fragile Things.

You can read my review here.

About the author

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V. Shaw is the author of the short fiction collection, The Lady of Chains and Other Stories. Born in Scotland, she studied Film and Media at Stirling University. Having reviewed horror films for the now defunct FatallyYours.com, she has turned her attention to creating her own stories.

Writer. Urban explorer. Climber. Horror junkie. Beer guzzler. Book obsessed. Cinema and television fiend. Nerd for life.

Her blog

Goodreads

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It’s that time again.

Time to announce the winners for Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle!

Lancaster House

The Middle Aisle (Lancaster House)

The Swag Pack Winner is:

T. Hammond

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The Winners of both e-books are:

Janna Shay

Kirsten

Jessica

Sandy S.

Tasha

Congratulations!

All winners have been notified.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

I do love reading them and hope you continue to visit fuonlyknew!

Thanks so much to Taylor Dean for her wonderful books and for letting me host her giveaway.

*****For all of my giveaways go here*****

I’d love to keep telling ya’ll about some really great books.

Subscribe by email and lets talk!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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My tease for today is from the yummy Night Realm by  Darren G. Burton

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Night Realm (Night Realm, #1)

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The ensuing sex was brief, passionate, and at times even a little rough. Michael didn’t care too much for the pleasure or enjoyment of his sexual partners. For him it was all about Michael and satiating his own desires. He did it his way and in his time.

Tonight he wanted a quick result as he had a more urgent hunger to feed.

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Man, this one starts out hot and gets hotter!

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Just to let you know, this is the second book in the Halo Trinity.

I’ll try my best not to spoil it for you.

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Halo of the Nephilim

Book Two in the Halo Trinity

Halo of the Nephilim

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Releasing May 1st!

As soon as buy links are available, I’ll add them in.

So lets talk Nephilim.

It’s been just under a year since the Easterhouse sisters went through hell. It seems like the worst is over and done and they can get on with their lives.

But then they discover Armaros isn’t dead, as everyone believed. He’s in Hell and he’s planning a comeback.

Armaros is in the deepest, hottest level of Hell. Level Nine, Pandemonium.

“The city’s architecture used chrome, mirrors, and other reflecting glass and metal, casting images of evil in all directions.”

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And Satan has handed him over to a few damned souls who can’t wait to exact their revenge.

I wondered how you could torture a Fallen One. Can you hurt something that can’t die? The author got very creative.

“The stitches firmly held his wings back, leaving him in human form, able to feel every nerve ending inside of his body, and every pulse of pain.”

The descriptions of Hell and its many levels is fascinating. Who would have thought there would be car dealerships there.

While Armaros suffers one torture after another, his mind is plotting, always plotting. His arrogance might have landed him back in Hell, but maybe it will get him out too. He plans on being the first to break out of Hell.

When Kim and Joanna learn of his plans, they bring family and allies together.

Armaros reaches out to his followers on Earth.

It looks like things are going to be plenty hot when everyone comes together at the gates of Hell.

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Besides the descriptions of Hell and its many levels, my other favorite part of this story is Joanna. It was hinted in the first book that she may go through some changes. She sure does, some exciting ones.

Halo of the Nephilim reads even faster than Halo of the Damned. So much is going on from one end of the globe to the other and underneath our feet.

It all comes to a head in an exciting conclusion.

The ending caught me by surprise. I didn’t expect it to go down the way it did. But, I liked it. Now I can’t wait to see where Dina takes me in the final book.

5 Stars for Halo of the Nephilim. Gimme more!

Breaking News

A little birdie told me Dina is working on a short prequel for this Trinity and also plans to begin writing the third book soon!

I just recently did my review for Halo of the Damned, Book #1 in the Halo Trinity.

Halo of the Damned

HaloOftheDamned - Book One

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A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship… Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan‘s work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell‘s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement. Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power. Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother’s fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother’s secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.

My Review

I’ve also read Bad JuJu by Dina Rae.

Bad Juju

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A Haitian bokor mentors two teens in the dark arts. Their spells backfire.

Lucien Nazaire flees his Haitian homeland and meanders around the United States for decades. He settles in a Wisconsin trailer park filled with elderly tenants. He meets Jake and hires him for odd household jobs. As their relationship progresses, Lucien invites the boy into the world of Voodoo.
Jake LaRue lives in foster care with his abusive uncle. The Voodoo lessons give him a sense of power within an otherwise helpless situation. Despite his loner status, he instantly connects with Henry, his only friend in high school.
Henry Novak has Asperger’s Syndrome. He fixates on historical events, most recently the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Like Jake, he becomes passionate about the dark side of Voodoo. They learn how to cast spells on those they hate and lust, leading up to dire consequences.
Months after the Haitian earthquake, Henry convinces his family to volunteer for the island’s reconstruction. Their mission turns into a nightmare when he mysteriously walks off of the campsite.
Bad Juju is a balance of horror, romance, and literary fiction intended for adults and mature teens. The plot uses research involving the Voodoo religion.

My Review

Biography of Dina Rae

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Dina Rae is a new author here to stay.  As a teacher, she brings an academic element to her work.  Her three novels, Halo of the Damned, The Last Degree, and Bad Juju weave research and suspense throughout the plots.  Her short story, Be Paranoid Be Prepared, is a prequel of sorts to The Last Degree, focusing on the James Martin character.  In the spring of 2013, her latest novel, Halo of the Nephilim, will be released.  Dina also freelances for various entertainment blogs.

Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago.  She is a Christian, an avid tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories.  She has been interviewed numerous times in e-zines, websites, blogs, newspapers, and radio programs.  When she is not writing she is reading novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Brad Thor, George R.R. Martin, and Preston & Childs.

Links

http://dinarae.co

www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dinaraebooks/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DinaRaeBooks

@haloofthedamned

Eternalpress.biz

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WWW Wednesday

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Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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What are you currently reading?

Moonlit

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Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that cannot be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods.

When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins.  Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn’t.

But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?

Having a grand time!

~

What did you recently finish reading?

Halo of the Nephilim

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Can a fallen angel, his band of broken souls, and his nephilim children change the world?
Armaros the Cursed, Satan’s favorite of the Fallen, falls once again after breaking the rules.  Fearing an eternity of punishment, he desperately attempts to save himself by sending a bird to his island.  The SOS message is received by his beloved congregation.  They prepare the great Armaros’ kingdom for his return.  Can his loyal worshipers rescue him from the pit?
Halo of the Nephilim is the sequel to Halo of the Damned.  The story begins with Armaros’ arrest.  Reporters are duped into believing he was gunned down while awaiting trial.  Declared dead, his only known surviving daughter, Joanna Easterhouse, proves her relation and inherits everything.  She catapults her career from an entry-level advertising assistant to the head of Armaros’ advertising empire.  Life couldn’t be better: a windfall inheritance, real power within a major industry, a loving relationship with a former demon, and a baby on the way.  She should be on top of the world, but knows everything good must come to an end.
Joanna’s sister, Kim Easterhouse, becomes Kim Slattery after marrying Sean, her dead mother’s probate lawyer.  Joanna generously includes them as key players in her advertising chain.  They, too, have much to smile about, but a string of events leads them back to old family secrets.
Wickedness looms over the Easterhouse family once more, forcing them into an unlikely showdown filled with page-turning excitement.  Like Halo of the Damned, Halo of the Nephilim is filled with conspiracy and angel lore taken directly from scripture and other ancient writings.  Nephilim meander the earth in confusion, constantly questioning who they are and where they stand in terms of good and evil.  More mind control themes top off this tale of doom.  Dina Rae delivers the darkness in the most entertaining light.

My review is coming soon!

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Sierra

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Alyssa Fontaine’s life, loved ones–everything familiar and dear–are brutally taken from her. Taken captive by two men, she endures a horrific nightmare. A new life is forced upon her and even a new name. Just when it appears that no hope is in sight, she is saved by an unlikely twist of fate. Trapped in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, life will open its arms to her again and she will embrace it. She will find love such as she never knew existed.

Sierra is a heart-wrenching story of the power of the human spirit to survive amidst impossible circumstances and severe losses. It is a story of survival . . . and hope

I’m thrilled to have another of Taylor Dean’s books!

So, whatcha readin?

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I’ve had this book for a while and when I spotted this tour, I just had to be a part of it.

Now that I’ve read it, I wonder how many other fantastic stories are awaiting me in my kindle.

It drives me crazy thinking about this book having sat in my eReader, waiting for me to find the time to open it up.

I may have to take time off of work to read the second book in this series, Halo of the Nephilim. It’s soon to be released and I can’t wait!

HaloOftheDamned - Book One

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A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship… Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan‘s work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell‘s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement. Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power. Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother’s fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother’s secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.

 My Review

Armaros, or Andel as he likes to be called, has been around for a long time. If you asked him he’d tell you, “I was made at the very beginning, with all of God’s angels…. So to answer your question, I’m as old as old can be.”

Andel is one of the fallen. He was sent to Hell along with one-third of the rest of the angels, those who stood alongside Satan in a war to defy God. Which they lost.

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Now he’s got this huge advertising company, The Evil Empire, which he uses to trick and steal the souls of thousands. He sends these souls to his master, who adds them to his army of evil warriors.

Andel is despicable and so horrendous. He doesn’t have to eat his victims to obtain their souls. He does it because he enjoys it, revels in it.

This scene from the beginning shows his real colors behind the suave business man facade he presents to others.

You’ll find him sitting in his office, calmly gazing at the young woman lying dead on the floor in a growing pool of blood.

After he licks his knife clean, he slithers over, slurps up all of her blood and consumes most of her remains. He’d had high hopes for his daughter, but, she didn’t work out.

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Then he calls in his trusted assistant, Marcus, to clean up after him.

Marcus is the worst of humanity, if you could call him human. He’s been killing since he was 10 years old. And now he’ll do whatever Andel asks of him, with pleasure, because of the promise to be made like him.

Next, you’ll meet Joanna, fresh out of a two and a half-year prison term for intent to distribute cocaine. At least one good thing came of her incarceration. She’s clean for once.

Her sister, Kim, picks her up outside the prison and takes her to their mother’s house. It’s now theirs, since her mother left it to them when she died. Joanna is torn up about missing her funeral.

Joanna and Maria, Kim’s young daughter, hit it off right away and it looks like they might all be living together for now.

When they go for the reading of the will, both sisters are surprised to discover their mother had an estate on Lake Geneva. She’d had it all along and never told them about it. The lawyer reveals there is also a painting of celestial beings somewhere that is quite valuable. A stipulation in the will states they can’t sell the homes or paintings unless they are forced to financially. And she’s left her special collection of stones to Maria, knowing the young girl will keep them safe.

The girls soon discover the painting in the lake house and the secrets hidden in the wall behind it.

Right then I had an inkling what their mother, Lydia, was and where this story might be going. I couldn’t wait to read further . This was getting really good.

Coincidence, or maybe not, lands Joanna in an important  position at Andel’s Evil Empire. That’s when she starts to hear the voices again, the ones she’d drowned out with booze and cocaine.

Between the voices, the doll talking to Maria and the startling events with a séance, things really start ramping up.

The chapters are short and really make this a fast read. I never slowed down and learned a lot about Heaven and Hell and it’s denizens.

I loved this story. Good and evil angels, nephilim, family secrets, and mystery and terror aplenty. Halo of the Damned is an exciting and  gripping tale of light and dark, good and evil, and those that stand against the Lord of Lies.

Dina Rae’s Halo of the Damned gets 5 Stars

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Sequel Halo of the Nephilim out May 2013

HalooftheNephilim - Book Two

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Dina Rae is running from website to website, trying to outrun the demons at her heels. Run with her on the Tour of the Damned and read special guest posts, excerpts, reviews and more from her hit novel Halo of the Damned. If you are lucky, you may be able to walk away… With a special prize pack from author Dina Rae herself.

Giveaway

Dina has a super giveaway!

Here’s what you can win.

1st Place(one winner):

Decorative box containing peacock themed items: file folders and holder, beaded shawl, scarf, brooch, silver wing earrings, note block, jeweled pic frame, hairband, hairclips, stationary.

2nd Place(one winner):

Rhinestone angel wing “Halo of the Damned” ladies black t-shirt.

3rd Place(two winners):

Peacock candle, dishtowel, pen and journal.

Go here to enter the giveaway and view all of these awesome prizes!

Tour of the Damned Stop List

April 7 – Krystal’s Enchanting Reads – Guest Post from author Dina Rae

April 8 – FUOnlyKnew – Review of ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 9 – Zombie A.C.R.E.S. – Excerpt from ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 10 – A Girl and Her Kindle – Excerpt from ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 10 – So Much to Write, So Little Time – Guest Post from author Dina Rae

April 11 – Free Book Dude – Excerpt from ‘Halo of the Damned’

April 12 – The Cerebral Writer – Guest Post from author Dina Rae

Biography of Dina Rae

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Dina Rae is a new author here to stay.  As a teacher, she brings an academic element to her work.  Her three novels, Halo of the Damned, The Last Degree, and Bad Juju weave research and suspense throughout the plots.  Her short story, Be Paranoid Be Prepared, is a prequel of sorts to The Last Degree, focusing on the James Martin character.  In the spring of 2013, her latest novel, Halo of the Nephilim, will be released.  Dina also freelances for various entertainment blogs.

Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago.  She is a Christian, an avid tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories.  She has been interviewed numerous times in e-zines, websites, blogs, newspapers, and radio programs.  When she is not writing she is reading novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Brad Thor, George R.R. Martin, and Preston & Childs.

Links

http://dinarae.co

www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dinaraebooks/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DinaRaeBooks

@haloofthedamned

Eternalpress.biz

Book Buy Links

Amazon.com Buy Link

BarnesandNoble.com Buy Link