Posts Tagged ‘witches’

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Do you ever wish a fantasy could be real? That magic and the supernatural really exists?

I think I’d like to visit Dark Root, to meet these witches, and get to know  Maggie.

Join me in the tour for The Witches of Dark Root. I have a fun trailer for you. a glimpse inside the book, and a fantastic giveaway!

But beware of the darklings.

The Witches of Dark Root

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The Witches of Dark Root
The Daughters of Dark Root Series

April Aasheim

 Genre: Paranormal/Fiction

Publisher: Dark Root Press

 Date of Publication: June, 2013

 ISBN-13: 978-0615819327 / ISBN-10: 061581932X / ASIN: B00D6OUDDG

Number of pages: 350

Word Count: approx. 112,000

Cover Artist: April Aasheim

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Book Description:

Deep in the forests of Central Oregon is a town called Dark Root, a place shrouded in secrets, mystery, and witchcraft.

But for Maggie Maddock, Dark Root is also a prison, a place where she is forced to spend her days working in her mother’s magick shop, forfeiting any dreams of her own. So when a mysterious stranger suddenly appears and offers to take her away from it all, Maggie jumps at the chance.

Now, seven years later, a strange phone call sends Maggie back to Dark Root and she is unprepared for what awaits her: a dying town, a sick mother, a renewed sibling rivalry, and a past she had hoped to forget.

Part Practical Magic, part Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Witches of Dark Root is a tale that seamlessly weaves the normal with the mystical, the mundane with the fantastic. Zipping in and out of time from Maggie’s childhood as an apprentice witch to current day, where Maggie struggles with her increasing powers, as well as family obligations, The Witches of Dark Root is a book rich in both fantasy and heart which will leave readers believing in magic.

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Excerpt:

Harvest Home, Dark Root, Oregon

October, 1995

 

“Maggie, wake up.” Merry jostled her sister, rousing her from her nap on the couch.

Maggie sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked around. For a moment she forgot that she was in the living room of Harvest Home.

“Already?” Maggie asked, pushing herself onto elbows.

A loud chime coming from the grandfather clock confirmed that it was midnight, time for the ritual. Maggie felt the chill from the open door and looked around for her sweater.

“We aren’t supposed to wear anything other than our robes tonight,” Merry cautioned, but helped Maggie into the sweater, anyways.

“Where’s Eve?” Maggie asked. If she was going to have to wander the woods in the middle of the night for some crazy ritual, then Eve better be up, too. Maggie saw her standing by the door, jumping up and down, not tired at all.

Miss Sasha and six of her friends emerged from the dining room, talking excitedly and exchanging knowing glances.

“You girls ready?” Miss Sasha asked. This was to be their first grown up moon chant and Miss Sasha could hardly contain herself. She noticed the sweater Maggie wore over her long blue robe and frowned but didn’t mention it.

Merry, Maggie, Eve, and Ruth Anne followed their mother and her friends into the night.

It was cold and the sisters shivered as they wound their way along an old dirt road shrouded by trees to a circular clearing, a half-mile away. The girls had played in the clearing many times during the day, but this was the first time they had seen it beneath the light of a full moon. The grass looked dewy and lush as the soft light fell upon each blade, but the trees that surrounded the meadow looked foreboding and ominous, as if their long, twisted boughs were ready to snatch the girls, if given the chance.

“What are we doing here again?” Maggie asked, as they made their way towards the center of the circle. “…And how long do we have to stay out?”

The adults moved to a point in the very center of the clearing and the girls positioned themselves a few dozen feet behind them.

Ruth Anne surveyed the area and sat, cross-legged, on the moist grass. “We are rooting out the evil spirits that are trying to infest Dark Root.” Her voice was as flat and informational as an encyclopedia entry.

She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a key-chain flashlight and a comic book and started reading.

“How do we do that?” Maggie asked, watching as the elders––five women and two men––linked raised hands towards the sky.

They began singing, a soft melodic chant that Maggie had heard before.

Merry answered, “Every fall, the Council of Seven places a protective spell around our town. It must be done before the second half of the year begins, on November 1st. It keeps out the dark energies and ensures that the circle is strong.”

Maggie hopped on one foot, and then the other, trying to find warmth in the chill of the night. “But why do we have to do it now?” she moaned. “When it’s so cold?”

Ruth Anne responded, never lifting her eyes from her book. “It’s the witching hour. According to legend, the hours between twelve and three AM are when all things magical, including witches, are at their most powerful.” She turned the page of her book and cracked a smile at one of the drawings. “…It’s too bad we can’t keep out the crazy.”

Maggie widened her eyes. “But if witches are the most powerful now, won’t the bad things be more powerful too?”

“I’m scared,” Eve said, jumping in place as the elders continued their chant. Eve liked magick, but only the lighter arts, and those that yielded her a reward.

Merry took Eve’s hand and kissed it, and Maggie latched onto Merry’s other hand.

“I’m scared, too,” Merry fibbed.

Merry wasn’t afraid of anything.

There was a long silence, followed by the heavy beat of a loud drum. Miss Sasha looked over her shoulder at her daughters, letting them know that it was almost their turn. They had been practicing the spell for weeks now, and Maggie hoped she wouldn’t forget the words.

Ruth Anne set down her comic book and the four girls clasped hands and waded towards the center of the circle.

Miss Sasha nodded and the girls began their incantation.

As the Witching Hour chimes

And the whole world sleeps and dreams

We join our hands in sisterhood

Staving back the darklings

The circle stands, its shape eternal

Though the darkness is still beckoning

Our light will ward back the infernal

And shield us from the doomsday reckoning

Maggie was still tired and stumbled on a few of the words, completely missing some of them; however, Merry spoke them as loud and clearly as she recited The Pledge of Allegiance at school. All the while, Eve played with her hair and hardly tried at all. For her part, Ruth Anne recited the words without emotion, anxious to get back to her comic book.

“Who wrote the spell?” Ruth Anne had asked their mother earlier that day while they were preparing. “It doesn’t sound right.”

“It doesn’t matter if it sounds right or not,” Miss Sasha had explained. “It’s the power of words––especially when spoken in numbers––that matters. When we stand together, no enemy would dare traverse the boundaries of Dark Root.”

Maggie caught a movement to her right. She thought she had seen a dark form take shape and then vanish. And then another. Were they coming or going? She couldn’t tell.

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About the Author:

April Aasheim

April Aasheim spent her childhood traveling the Southwestern portion of the United States with her fortune- telling mother and her get-rich-quick dreaming stepfather. During that time, April and her family toured with a carnival company, sold bug repellant door to door, and resided in an abandoned miner’s shack in The Superstitious Mountains of Arizona.

When April became a teenager she went to live with her biological father in California. Her father saw April’s need to express herself and encouraged her to write her stories rather than tell them. By learning to write April was able to make sense of her family and the world she lived in. She continues to do that to this day.

April currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband. She is the mother of two incredible sons and the step-mother to a beautiful little girl. She is the author of numerous short stories, has contributed to several anthologies, and is the author of the well-received novel: The Universe is a Very Big Place.

The Witches of Dark Root is The first in the Daughters of Dark Root series and April looks forward to writing the second book in 2014.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AprilAasheimWriter

Website: http://www.aprilaasheim.com/

Blog: http://aprilaasheim.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AprilAasheim

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6535145.April_Aasheim

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A Tour Wide Giveaway
1 Prize back featuring a mug, keychain, pen, signed book and a few assorted other goodies- open to US Shipping
5 Kindle Versions of the book gifted from Amazon
3 Signed Paperbacks sent to winner- open to US Shipping
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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Sex, lies, and the undead!

With witches and vamps, lust and betrayal. Haven sounds like a fast and furious read.

Welcome to the club.

Haven (Tranquilli Bloodline #1)

by Celia Breslin

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Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance

Categories: Action/Adventure, Vampire

Erotic Elements: M/F, M/M

Publisher: Champagne Books

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Heat Level: Steamy

Word Count: 125,000

 Buy Links:

Amazon(US) / Amazon(UK) / AllRomance / Champagne Books / KoboOmnilit

Description:

San Francisco nightclub owner Carina Tranquilli works hard, plays hard, and never allows the death of her parents and her twelve-year memory gap to get her down. But her life takes a left turn when a witch attacks her on her twenty-fifth birthday.

Three hauntingly familiar vampires emerge to reveal she possesses a latent power. To protect her from their enemies, they admit to wiping her memories clean and abandoning her as a child, but now they need her help. As she struggles to evade her new protectors and even newer enemies, she meets Alexander, an enigmatic, undead musician. Insta-lust flares, leaving her wanting more.

With evil’s minions hounding her every move, and everything she thought she knew turned on its head, Carina must harness her burgeoning power, unravel her vampire family’s web of deceit, and fight to have a love life…without getting killed in the process.

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A glimpse inside Haven

Turn around.

 

I froze, my moment of weakness chased away by a jolt of adrenaline. I resisted Adrian’s pull. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

Silence.

“Nothing, I guess.” A wave of energy rolled into me, curled itself possessively around my body, and gave me one hell of a head rush. “Oh, wow.” I bit my lip, bracing against reaction.

Adrian tightened his grip on my waist. “Rina?”

Mark and Ren stalked over, faces grim.

“Did—? Do you—?” My mouth was so dry I could barely speak. “Do you guys feel that?”

Adrian squeezed, capturing my wandering attention, concern etched in the stern set of his jaw. “Feel what? What’s wrong?”

I started to tell them the Invisible Man hugged me against an electrified fence, but a second wave of energy bowled into me, making me tingle from head to toe. The sensation walked the line between pleasure and pain. A moan escaped me.

Mark took me from Adrian. “That’s it. We’re out of here.” He tried to pick me up, but I shook my head. Bad idea. Dizziness took the hall, and me, for a little spin.

Turn around. Turn. Around.

 

Was it a voice or instinct urging me on? Either way, the desire proved irresistible. I pulled away from Mark, pivoted, and forgot how to breathe.

The electric energy pulled back. The dizziness abated. All extraneous noise and people drained out of my perception until there was only Him.

Tall, fit, and bad-boy handsome with skin like pale honey, his thick, walnut brown hair hung tousled in a sexy, I-just-got-out-of-bed way. A hip, black, button-down shirt accentuated a sculpted upper body before it tucked into slacks painted on long, lean legs. The whole package made my mouth water.

Hot. Yummy. Totally my type.

“Who are you?” I whispered.

His mouth twitched in a hint of a smile as if he heard me—impossible given the distance between us. Heat spread, loosening my muscles, and my pulse sped up. Nerves. What’s wrong with me? Guys never made me nervous, not even gorgeous ones.

I nibbled my lower lip, mind racing to make sense of my reaction. His gaze tracked the movement and then slid back up. The heat from his stare hit me full force, driving a shaft of need through me. Energy rocked me again, a warm, electric breeze bathing my skin. My eyes widened in comprehension. The energy came from him.

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Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult sexual situations (including m/m) and/or adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.

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Celia Breslin

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Celia Breslin writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She grew up enchanted by stories of vampires and the Fae, including her Irish grandma’s encounter with a Banshee in her root cellar. Imagination fueled, she penned many stories as a youth. She later earned a masters degree in French Lit. and worked as a teacher, producer, (nonfiction) writer, editor, and copyeditor, but vamps and the Fae kept calling her back to fiction writing. Celia lives in California with her family and two feisty cats. When not writing, you’ll find her exercising, reading a good book or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies.

Contact Links:

Website: http://www.celiabreslin.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/celiabreslin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CeliaBreslinAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CeliaBreslin

HAVEN on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17907415-haven

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Prize is an eBook copy of “Haven (Tranquilli Bloodline #1)” and a $5 Starbucks Gift Card from Celia Breslin.

Contest is barrage-wide, open internationally and ends Aug 24.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

Click on the banner below for the complete tour schedule.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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 Witch Hunter by  Nicole R. Taylor

The Witch Hunter (Witch Hunter Saga #1)

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Gabby put her cell phone back in her pocket and tucked her unruly brown hair behind her ear. Liz was one of her oldest friends and a newly made vampire. And she was a witch. Typical, ordinary American girls.

Liz and the brothers were the only ones who knew her secret and she liked it that way. If anyone ever found out, she’d probably become a science experiment at Area 51 or something.

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I’m having a lot of fun with this one!

Reviewing soon!

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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I have exciting news.

 I have the cover of Wolf Dream by M.R. Polish to reveal today.

This is the second book in The Wolf Spell Series.

There be vampires, werewolves, witches, and more inside these pages.

Feast your eyes on the cover art, enjoy the sneak peek inside, learn more about the series, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Wolf DreamEbook

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The Reaping Spell has weakened her greatest enemy, but now Esmerelda faces a different threat – one that haunts her dreams. To finally defeat Nicholas and end his madness for good, she must travel back to Spain with the help of her powerful friends.
What she doesn’t know is that in his weakness, Nicholas made a deal with the Death Keeper – his soul in exchange for Esmerelda’s life. Worse, she soon learns that the ones she trusted most have become part of her nightmares. The only one she can trust is the man who holds her heart, and together they must fight Nicholas to the death.
Fighting to stay awake so Nicholas can’t find her in sleep, Esmerelda prepares for the battle that will finish this war. One of them must die for her nightmares to end – unless the Death Keeper, with plans of his own for Esmerelda’s soul, gets to her first.

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Take a peek inside Wolf Dream

“Esmerelda, I need your help!” Julie yelled from the front of the plane.

That worried me even more than dying. She never needed—let alone wanted—my help. I ran as fast as I could, jumping over the dead bodies to get to the cockpit.

She looked at me with wide eyes. “He won’t wake up. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

Jarak was there first, grabbing Julie and pulling her out of the way. “Move, Es, I can’t let this happen, not right now. It’s not right.”

I didn’t understand what he meant but moved anyway. Ian was right behind me. “Camilla and Lauren went to take care of the other three breeds and Ailaina went to find a first aid kit to help Lauren.”

I nodded but it all felt so surreal. Was this really happening?

“Damn it, Julie, why’d you have to put them to sleep?” Ian asked.

“Don’t yell at me. I did what I had to do.”

Jarak tried every combination to open the cockpit door but nothing worked. Ian pushed past me to Jarak. “Move over, I got this.” He slammed into the door with his shoulder, creating a small but otherwise useless dent. Turbulence jerked the plane as Ian hit it again.

“Hey, man, I don’t see what you’re trying to do. This door is made to withhold attacks,” Jarak said as he returned to the door.

“Well, wise one, the plane is going down because smarty pants over there put the pilot to sleep and can’t wake the pilot. We,” he used his finger to point at all of us in a circle, “are the only ones awake. So, we need to get in there.”

Hearing Ian confirm my fear of why the plane was descending so fast scared me even more. “Let him try, Jarak.”

“Fine, but what are you gonna do once you get in there? None of us know how to fly a plane.”

“I’ll figure that out, right now we just need to open this door.” Ian plowed into the door again.

“That won’t work,” Camilla said as she neared the cockpit.

Jarak raised his hands in surrender. “I’ve already tried to tell him.”

“Here, let me.” She walked up to the door with a set of keys.

Ian moved back over by me, rubbing his shoulder. “Well, now you show up.”

~~~~~

Other Books in the Series:
Wolf Spell by M.R. Polish
Available Now: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Summary:
With a death starts a new beginning…
Eighteen-year-old Esmerelda thinks she’s just a normal girl, but all of that changes the day of her mom’s funeral, when a warlock, intent on using her special powers, kidnaps her. Powers she didn’t know existed. Thrown in the middle of a magical battle, Es struggles to learn her magic while fleeing both vampires and warlocks, at the same time, hunting for the witches that can help defeat her adversary. The only problem is that they are dead.
Thankfully, she has the help of Jarak—her Guardian—who quickly captures her heart, but she wonders if she can win his? Just when she thinks Jarak is the one for her, Ian appears with daggers drawn to save Es from a vampire attack. Ian is cocky and rude, but there is something magnetic about him—something that attracts her to him. With her heart torn between two men, she faces the foes that are out for her blood. Can Es do the unthinkable and awaken them from their graves before time runs out?

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About the author

M.R. Polish was born in Idaho, a long, long, long, maybe not that long time ago…. Writing has always been there for her. Growing up, her mind was filled with stories, some she shared and others she filed away to write down later in life. It wasn’t until 2011 that she decided to publish her stories for everyone to enjoy. Her first award and when writing became more than just an idea was in the 5th grade. She won the scary story contest for the school newspaper. It is one story she still has tucked away for memories. Her teacher told her she could be anything she wanted and that she had a talent for writing, being creative and drawing people into her stories. M.R. took that to heart and continued to write, although mostly in secret until recent years.
Now you can find her enjoying life with her family – wrangling her four kids, setting traps in the house with toys for unsuspecting victims (aka, her husband) and writing down all her crazy and fun stories.
“Life is too short to stand by and watch everyone else live your dreams. The bigger the dream, the bigger the adventure!” ~ M.R. Polish
You can Find her on her Website, Facebook, or Twitter.
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To enter click on the rafflecopter link below.

You can win a copy of Wolf Spell by M.R. Polish!

One Paperback (US Only)

or

One Ebook (INT)

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Just check out this cover!

Isn’t he just yummy?

Let’s see,

Great hair: check

Dreamy eyes: check

Sexy mouth: check,check!

Bad Boy: Oh Yea!

Shadow's Son ebooksm

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The Shadow’s Son by Nicole R. Taylor

Series: The Witch Hunter Saga #3

Publication date:  August 1, 2013

Genre: NA / 17+ Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

I am the oldest vampire alive and I am the most feared. Wherever I walk, death follows. The downtrodden have the fiercest fire inside of them. Those are the  vampires I want by my side. The pain they have been through only fuels  their thirst for blood. Those I would ask to kill for me, simply because they bask in the glow of their true nature. The nature I created in my  own image. We are each our own devil and this world is our hell. I was the first of six and now I am the last. My revenge has only just begun. You better start praying, because I’m coming for you first.
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When a mysterious stranger from Aya’s past shows up in Ashburton it’s not  all good news. Tristan, a man she saved almost a thousand years ago,  brings a warning that will affect not just her, but her new family. Regulus is coming. To protect Zac, Aya has to destroy the best thing that has ever happened  to her. She has to pretend that their love has been a lie. But, is it  really the right thing to do? Aya travels to the other side of the  world with Tristan to learn the secret behind Zac’s blood and to hunt  down Regulus before he can find them first. Tristan is her way into the  Roman’s circle, but she might just find that both her quests are more  linked than she ever thought possible. Heartbroken again, Zac must  surrender to the darkest places inside himself if he ever hopes of  coming back. Even if that means aligning himself with his greatest  enemy. Even if that means turning his back on everything he’s worked for and walking away from his brother, Sam. Lovers are torn apart,  friends are pitted against each other and families are splintered. But,  what they find buried under the streets of London will change everything they’ve ever known about their world. Something that should have been  left alone.
But, what Regulus does is the most unexpected of all.

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The first two books in this series
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The Witch Hunter
The Witch Hunter Saga #1
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The Witch Hunter (Witch Hunter Saga #1)
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I was born into the world covered in blood, and that’s exactly the way I left it.
Ever since, I have been damned to walk the boundary between life and death alone. Unwillingly turned and left to my nightmare, I have seen men commit countless horrors and committed many of my own.
My origins shall remain unknown, my true self hidden. I have been called by many names, but in this life I am known as the Witch Hunter. I have been asleep these past 150 years, until I was awoken by a haunting call. Zachary Degaud was twenty-three when he died. The problem was, he didn’t stay that way.
Present day, he’s just another vampire with another unremarkable story. That is, until he manages to provoke a two thousand year old witch named Katrin, who wants to make him pay in the most horrible way imagined.
Along with his brother Sam, newly made vampire Liz and their only witch ally, Gabby, his only chance for survival is to summon the ancient and unpredictable vampire known as the Witch Hunter.
Zac is just looking for a way out of his psychopathic witch problems, but instead will find himself falling head first into a blood feud that has stretched thousands of years.Aya has been asleep for the past 150 years, until she was awoken by a haunting call. The witch she has been hunting for thousands of years, Katrin, has resurfaced and marked a young, annoyingly arrogant vampire by the name of Zachary Degaud. Unless she does something, he will die a slow and painful death. He has given her an opportunity to end the witch, but does she want to help him or leave him to his fate?
Zac will get under her skin like no one else has and she just might find herself making the ultimate sacrifice before he is gone forever. They will both have to choose sides and look deep within themselves before the end. But, what Zac learns about himself, will surprise him most of all.
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The Return
The Witch Hunter Saga #2
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The Return (Witch Hunter Saga #2)
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I’ve wandered my afterlife believing that I was the monster my maker told me I was. It was the only thing I knew. Not even my brother, Sam, could convince me otherwise. Not until her. Not until Aya. She walked into my life like a hurricane of destruction and nothing would ever be the same again. None of us could have known what would happen next. What fate had in store…
I finally grew a heart, only to have it ripped out. Now, I will stop at nothing for revenge. Zac’s afterlife is just going from bad to worse. He grew a heart only to have it torn out by the founding vampire, Arturius. Nobody is sure what he wants, but Zac doesn’t want to know. He’s more interested in finding a way to end him for good. But, it might just be that he’s after Gabby, who’s harbouring a secret of her own, one that Arturius would do anything for.Aya’s past will come back to haunt Zac in ways he never thought possible and what he finds out will alter everything he ever knew about her. He will uncover a deadly secret that should have remained buried. A secret Aya has fought to keep for thousands of years. One she has killed for.
In the end, who’s secrets will betray them to the one man who wants them all dead? Aya’s or Zac’s? They’ll need to figure it out sooner rather than later, because death is not an option.
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AUTHOR BIO:
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shadows son Nicole
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Nicole R. Taylor is an Australian born paranormal, fantasy and contemporary  fiction author. She is a graduate of the University of Ballarat  Professional Writing and Editing programme and is a former music  memorabilia sales person and grocery merchandiser.
She  currently lives in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia with a two year old  rescue cat named, Burger. She enjoys reading, writing (of course!),  traveling and a little too much chocolate. One day she hopes to sky  dive, but has to work up the courage first.
The first in her new paranormal fantasy series, The Witch Hunter Saga is available in e-edition and print from March 20th 2013
Links:

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I was a part of the blitz for Hidden, Book #1 and just had to be a part of the Blitz for Lost, Book #2!

Enjoy the character interview and don’t forget to enter the giveaways!

Yep, that’s right, two giveaways!

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Lost cover

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Lost by M. Lathan  Series: Hidden, #2
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Publication date: June 20th 2013
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Genre: YA Paranormal
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Synopsis:

Three months ago, Christine Grant found herself, her love, and impossible friends, while losing the memories of the biggest piece of her past.
Now, her powers are spinning out of control and must be tamed by the woman who saved the world, the same woman Christine is predicted to kill in less than a month.
Wanting to punish catty girls was just the beginning. It’s only a matter of time before she discovers that the world is not as safe from her as she hoped it was.

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Let’s get to know Leah, shall we?

Character Interview with Leah –  Prior to Lost

So, Leah … or is it Christine?

Leah is what the nuns named me at my school. My real name is Christine.

Which one would you like me to call you?

Whichever you want.

Okay, I’ll go with Leah. First, I want you to relax. I know what you’re hiding. Your secret is safe with me. Okay?

Okay.

So when did you first realize you weren’t … human?

It sort of becomes apparent when you can’t seem to think of another room without accidently moving to it.

That must have been scary. I guess I can answer my next question on my own, then. I was going to ask if you had one wish, what would it be. I’d bet it would be to be human. Am I right?

Yeah. Life would be … uh … simpler that way.

Tell me a little about the disguise you keep up. How do you hide your powers?

It’s difficult. I have to be quiet and careful. I have to watch my every move. But I’m still alive so … I obviously don’t suck at it too much.

Obviously. Hats off to you. Have you picked up anything from imitating a human? Do you have typical teenage quirks? A favorite color or food?

I guess I have a favorite food. If oranges count.

Yeah, that counts. What about other typical high school things? Do you have a most embarrassing moment?

There’s too many to choose from. Let me see. Eighth grade, right after a math test I’d completely bombed. I’d been fighting with my magic all day. It seemed like every time I moved, something else in the classroom would move with me. So naturally, I’d stopped moving. A girl I hate, Sienna, screamed my name from the back of class and asked if I was constipated. I guess I looked kind of constipated. Anyway, I tried to move so I wouldn’t look as strange, and the American flag hanging over the chalkboard crashed to Sister Margaret’s desk. Scared out of my mind, I ran out of class. Of course, everyone thought I ran to the bathroom because of stomach issues. They called me Pepto for weeks.

Yikes, that’s embarrassing, all right. It doesn’t sound like you have friends, so what do you do in your spare time?

I draw. I’m pretty good at it. I did a full-scale sketch of the orphanage with shading and everything when I was six. That should have tipped me off that I wasn’t normal.

That sounds spectacular. Do you see yourself becoming an artist when you grow up?

Grow up? I’ve never thought about it. I guess I’ll have to pray that I’ll live long enough to make career decisions. Wish me luck.

Good luck. That’s for chatting with me today.

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Purchase (Book 1 is currently 0.99c!):
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AUTHOR BIO
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M. Lathan lives in San Antonio with her husband and mini-schnauzer. She enjoys writing and has a B.S. in Psych and a Masters in Counseling. Her passion is a blend of her two interests – creating new worlds and stocking them with crazy people. She enjoys reading anything with interesting characters and writing in front of a window while asking rhetorical questions … like her idol Carrie Bradshaw.
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What a fun Book Tour for High Witch.

Toady I share with you the beautiful cover art and an exciting excerpt from the first book in this series by Mona Hanna.

What do you think of the cover art?

It is rich in so many shades of blue and purple and it sparkles too.

The font is fun and the title makes you itch to read this.

Enjoy getting to know more about High Witch and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

High Witch (High Witch, #1)

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 High Witch (High Witch #1)

by Mona Hanna

Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Self/Indie

Release Date: November 4, 2012

Heat Level: Sensual

Word Count: 25,000

Available at:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | B&N | iTunes

Description:

Ariel is a High Witch, one of the most powerful witches in the world. There are only three like her in existence. She finally learns who she is, but immediately has to flee from a malicious warlock, out to claim her for his own. With Brayden, her new love by her side, she attempts to outwit the warlock, and the High Witch who protects him. But what will she do if she has to go through ‘The Test’?

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Enjoy this excerpt!

They traveled for a few more days, stopping one afternoon at an empty field to rest for lunch. Ariel had been practicing every day, Brayden astonished at how much she’d improved. They sat eating under a tree in the cold day, sunlight shining through the clouds. They didn’t speak, both very tired from all the traveling. Ariel finally stood up, saying she needed to work on her magic some more.

“Try to focus on nature, like we discussed,” Brayden said. “Remember, you can draw from every source of magic there is, from wherever there’s power. You’re doing so well — try to master this now.”

Ariel nodded, then walked several paces away to the center of the field, standing in a large expanse of grass. Brayden watched her from where he sat, thinking she looked so beautiful. She looked at him for a moment, then shut her eyes.

She held out her arms, standing silently for a long while, her hair slightly blowing around her in the breeze. She remained still for several more moments, then gradually the wind grew stronger. Ariel’s hair flowed behind her, her skirt twirling around her ankles. Leaves swirled around her; a howling sound was in the air. The wind was focused on her, turning around her as she stood on the spot, as if she was at the center of a tornado. Flashes of lightning cut through the sky. A white glow illuminated her skin.

The clouds above them became grey and dark. Ariel stood, frozen, at the center of the tempest. The wind swirled around her, howling, screaming. She maintained control of the storm. Thunder crashed above them, interspersed with more lightning. Brayden shivered in the now freezing temperature. Ariel didn’t move. The air around them screamed, building until it erupted in a thundering cry. Ariel held her face up to the sky, the elements under her control.

Finally, she lowered her arms. The sounds began to fade. The storm began to dissipate. Gradually the wind died down, the clouds became lighter and grew apart, the thunder and lightning dissolved. Eventually, things were as they were. Ariel looked over at Brayden, the faint white light still touching her skin. He rose and slowly approached her. He stood before her in amazement.

“That…” he began, then had to clear his throat. He was still stunned. “That was astonishing. Ariel, you’re amazing. I don’t know how you did that.”

She smiled at him, the glow around her fading, her skin returning to normal. Brayden looked around them, wanting to capture this moment; take advantage of her control of her powers.

“Try to lift one of those rocks,” he said, pointing to a small pile of rocks in the distance, similar to the pile that had been in the yard at the inn.

Ariel turned to them, and held out one arm. She moved one of her fingers, and a grey, fist-sized rock rose from the pile, hovering in the air. She moved her fingers again, then the other rocks joined the first, delicately balanced at head height, floating as if they were on water, as light as leaves. Ariel flattened her hand, and the rocks gracefully dropped back down to the ground. She turned to look at Brayden. She smiled.

“It’s easy, now,” she said. Brayden moved up to her and drew her into his arms.

“You’re wonderful,” he breathed, embracing her, holding her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and Brayden smoothed his hand over her hair. He couldn’t believe how amazing she was. He held onto her, mesmerized by her. His body was tingling just holding her. He felt her tremble.

“I hope I can save us,” she said, her breath against his neck. He couldn’t take it any more. He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her, hungrily moving his mouth over hers, his other hand clutching her hair. She held onto him and he pressed her against him, unable to control his feelings for her. He groaned, loving how she tasted, the feel of her lips, the touch of her tongue moving with his. They clung to each other, unaware of anything around them. He couldn’t believe how good it felt. He began kissing her neck, and she moaned in his arms. His body was on fire for her.

“Oh, Ariel,” he breathed, wishing more than anything they were somewhere private. He was desperate for her. He kissed her lips again, then held her to him, his heart racing. She put her arms around his neck, and gently nibbled his ear. He couldn’t breathe.

“We should get moving,” he said, barely remembering his own name. “We can’t…I mean…we have to…oh, Ariel, you have to stop that.”

She laughed, stepping back a little from him. He gazed at her, consumed with thoughts of her. She looked back at him, a mischievous smile touching her lips. Oh, how he loved her.

“Not here, not when we’ve got a madman after us,” he said, kissing her roughly then taking her hand, leading her back to their things. She laughed again. He was addicted to her. Her laugh, her touch, her beauty — but, really, her. Her heart. Her soul. He wanted to love her for the rest of his life. To protect her. To always be with her. He wouldn’t be able to stand it if he lost her. He would do anything to keep them together.

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About the Author:

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Mona Hanna is the author of the books The Nature of God and God’s Promises of Love. She has been a devotional writer since 2008, creating the blog Mona Hanna Devotions, focusing on expressing God’s love, acceptance, and compassion. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Australia, with a sub major in professional writing. Mona is now writing fantasy books. Myriad is her first novella.

Connect with Mona Hanna

Website | Facebook

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Giveaway

Prize is 10 eBook copies (1 each to 10 winners) of “High Witch (High Witch #1)” from Mona Hanna.

Contest ends July 15. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

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You can follow the tour and see other fun and exciting posts here.

For all of my giveaways go here.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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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?

The Infernal Detective by Kirsten Weiss

The Infernal Detective (Riga Hayworth, #4)

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When Riga Hayworth finds a dead body in her bedroom a week before her wedding, it’s par for the course. When the corpse drives off with her fiancée… That’s a problem.

Riga knows dead. More intimately than she’d like. So when a murdered photographer gets up and walks away, she’s believes there’s necromancy afoot. And when she discovers that several of her wedding guests are under the influence of dark magic, she’s certain. But how can she catch a killer and stop a necromancer when even her nearest and dearest are lying to her?

Murder. The undead. Irritating relatives. The Infernal Detective is a fast-paced, paranormal mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, and magic lies just beyond the veil.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Promise you won’t tell? by John Locke

Promise You won't Tell?

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“I think something might have happened to me Saturday night. Something bad.”

Private Investigator Dani Ripper’s client list is nuttier than the Looney Tunes conga line, but she diligently solves one crazy case after another, waiting for a game-changer.

Enter Riley Freeman, 17-year-old honor student.

Saturday afternoon Riley quietly placed a little strawberry sticker on her private area and pretended it was a tattoo. She didn’t tell anyone about it. That night she went to a slumber party that featured drinking and boys. Riley fell asleep, woke up the next day with no reason to think anything happened…

…Until Monday, at school, when a classmate called her Strawberry.

Coincidence or crime? Dani agrees to investigate. And the roller coaster ride begins.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Heart Search

book two: found

by Carlie M.A. Cullen

Heart Search: Found, Book II

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.

I’ve been waiting a while for this book.

So excited to dive back in and see what everyone’s been up to.

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So, whatcha readin?

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Copper Cauldron Banner copy

Looking for a fun summer read. I recommend you try Copper Cauldron. It’s a fast read, filled with romance and danger, angels, witches, and an evil wizard.

A magical battle of good vs. evil.

Read on for an inside look and my review.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Copper Cauldron

by Terri Talley Venters

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BLURB:

 

Penelope Manchester, a good witch with one green and one blue eye, awaits her destiny: a warrior of God with the face of an angel, the heart of a saint, and eyes which match her own. St. Michael the Archangel flies into her life and sweeps her off her feet. Meanwhile, an evil sorcerer captures witches, steals their powers and most of their nine lives, and shrinks them to the size of a doll–a Nürnberg, doll. But when he turns two of the Manchester witches into dolls, the Manchester clan fights back with St. Michael and divine intervention. Armed with the legendary copper cauldron, a fire breathing dragon, and an arsenal of spells, good battles evil.

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Enjoy this Excerpt!

“The battle against the devil, which is the principle task of St. Michael the archangel, is still being fought today because the devil is still alive and active in the world.”

–Pope John Paul II

Prologue

“Can you tell me a bedtime story, Great-Grandma?” Penelope asked.

The nine-year old girl looked at her great-grandmother whose eyes matched her own, one blue and one green. She lay in her pink bedroom on the second floor of the ancestral mansion located in the Garden District of New Orleans. Penelope, born in this house, represented the seventh generation of Manchester Witches to live here.

“Of course, my dear. Which story would you like to hear? Or do I even need to ask?” Violet said, smiling.

“You know the one, my favorite,” Penelope answered. She laid her small head down. Her long black hair spread across the pillow.

“I love this story too. Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Penelope. Her beautiful long black hair hung to her tiny waist. Her pale skin gave her a beautiful, youthful complexion. She possessed the most unique and treasured eyes, one blue and one green. One day, she will meet her one true love, her soul mate, her destiny. He is a warrior of God, with the face of an angel, the heart of a saint, and eyes which match her own,” Violet said.

“Thank you, Great-Grandma. When are Mommy and Daddy coming home?” Penelope asked.

“Your parents are busy fighting bad people. I hope they’ll be home very soon.”

“Why didn’t Grandma Beatrice go with them this time?” Penelope asked.

“Beatrice wanted to stay behind and keep an eye on us,” Violet replied.

“Why do we have to keep our powers a secret?” Penelope asked.

“Because it scares people,” Violet said.

“Am I really the youngest Manchester Witch to receive her powers?” Penelope asked.

“Yes, you are. You will be a very powerful and very good witch. It is part of your destiny. Your true love will be very powerful too. But your children will be even more powerful than you,” Violet explained.

“When can we go see another Church of St. Michael?” Penelope asked. She looked over at the wall behind her great-grandmother. She stared at the painting of St. Michael the Archangel, her family’s patron saint.

“We just went to the one in Charleston. How many St. Michael’s churches do you want to visit?” Violet asked.

“I want to go to all of them.”

“What is your infatuation with St. Michael the Archangel?” Violet asked.

“He’s the one I’m going to marry. He is my destiny,” Penelope said, smiling as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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My Review

Copper Cauldron opens with Penelope at bedtime. Her great-grandmother Violet tells her favorite bedtime story about Penelope, a young witch with one blue eye and one green eye. She is descended from a long line of Manchester witches with this unique trait.

One day, she will meet her soul mate, her destiny.

He will be a warrior of God, handsome and pure of heart, with eyes like hers.

Flash 20 years later. Penelope has grown into a beautiful young woman and she is obsessed with the churches of St. Michael.

Ever since she was young, she’s believed St Michael is her soul mate and she searches for him all over the world.

While on vacation and visiting yet another church, she sees a man slip past her vision. When she looks up to a portrait of St. Michael she is stunned. The man could be his spitting image.

She searches, but never sees him again.

Penelope meets up with her friend, Cat, a Manchester witch from the Scottish line, who’s with her on vacation.

Cat needs a rare ingredient for her potions and they head to a biergarten in Nurnberg to get it.

There, they meet the charming wizard, Marcus.

He is all too eager to assist these beautiful witches and lures them to the cellar.

Penelope gazes upon the walls lined with dolls. Something twitches in her memories.

Cat’s powers of foresight save them from the clutches of the evil sorcerer, but he’s not finished with them yet.

He’ll come for them, for all of the witches. No one is safe, and they rush to prepare for his coming.

Copper Cauldron is a fast read. Only around 100 pages.

It starts like a happily ever after fairy tale and quickly becomes a race to defeat an evil wizard, bent on stealing all of their powers so he can be immortal.

I really liked Penelope. She never gave up on her destiny, even when her mother scoffed at her childish dreams, and it seemed like she would never find him.

She stuck to her guns and would not settle for anyone less.

When it looks like all is lost, Penelope becomes her strongest. She doesn’t falter, and steps bravely towards her destiny.

I read this book quickly, only pausing once to cool off in the pool. A great summer read for all ages.

4 Stars

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Giveaway

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Terri will be awarding bookmarks or magnetic bumper stickers to randomly drawn commenters at each stop and a $10 Wild Child Publishing GC to a randomly drawn commenter at the end of the tour.

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

You can find the tour stops here.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

copper cauldron Terri Talley Venters

Terri received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Florida. She is a licensed CPA and a Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. She lives in St. Augustine, Florida, with her husband, Garrison, and their two sons.

Terri is the daughter of Leslie S. Talley, author of Make Old Bones which is also available from Wild Child Publishing.

On the first of each month, Terri also posts free short stories on her website. Learn more about the books in her Elements of Mystery series at http://www.elementsofmystery.com/ as she weaves her way through the Periodic Table of Elements.

http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/paranormal-c-84/copper-cauldron-p-417.html

Like Facebook Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carbon-Copy-by-Terri-Talley-Venters/167383506064?bookmark_t=page

Follow Terri on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/TerriVenters

WITCH BOUND Tour banner

Looks like I’ve found a new series to read!

Eleri Stone’s Twilight of the Gods looks fantastic!

Check out Demon Crossings and Witch Bound

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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DEMON CROSSINGS

Twilight of the Gods, Book 1

Private investigator Grace tracks a kidnapped child to middle-of-nowhere Iowa. Encountering a strange creature she knows can’t be a local animal, she doesn’t need her psychic abilities to figure out the sleepy town is not what it seems. When she meets the intriguing Aiden, she’s plunged into a world of Norse gods and fire demons where the Wild Hunt still rides the night.

Aiden needs Grace’s help to cross the portal between worlds and rescue his daughter. Grace is unlike any woman he’s ever met. He’s drawn to her courage, distressed by her vulnerability and doubtful of her motives. But he knows that her visions are the key to defeating the enemy and bringing everyone home alive.

Grace wants a future with Aiden, even if it means she’ll never have a normal life. When a test run to the portal takes a terrifying turn, they must learn to finally trust each other or Aiden’s daughter, and their chance at love, will be lost forever…

Available at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | All Romance | Carina Press Audible

 

 

 Witch Bound (Twilight of the Gods, #2)

WITCH BOUND

Twilight of the Gods, Book 2

Raquel Lindgren knows what her future holds. An arranged marriage. A new home in Ragnarok, Iowa, with another clan of refugees from Asgard. She should be happy. But there’s a mental block preventing her from tapping in to her true abilities as a witch. And she’s more attracted to the best man than she is to the groom…

Fen can’t believe he’s falling for his best friend’s future wife. As a hound, a wolf shifter, his duty lies with the pack. He’s seen too many hounds destroyed by love, and he’s sworn never to take a mate, never to have children of his own. He can’t deny his desire for Raquel, but she deserves more than he can offer her.

Raquel’s been raised to trust in magic, her clan and her destiny. But when a vengeful demon threatens to break out of Asgard and destroy the clan, Raquel learns she must trust in love if she is to take the future into her own hands.

Buy links

AmazonBarnes & Noble | KoboAll RomanceiTunes

 

 

Giveaway

Eleri is giving away a $50.00 gift card to Amazon or B&N (winners choice)

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eleri Stone Pic

Eleri Stone was born and raised in New Jersey. She graduated from the University of Iowa, married her college sweetheart, and settled in the Midwest where she still lives with her husband and their three children. A lifelong fan of fantasy, she started reading romance as an adult and was instantly captivated by the strong female protagonists, character-driven storylines and guarantee of a happy-ever-after. Writing fantasy and paranormal romance, she is the author of the Lost City Shifters series (shapeshifter paranormal romance), the Twilight of the Gods series (paranormal romance) and the Spellcraft series (fantasy romance).

You can find Eleri at:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Follow the tour to see more fun and exciting posts!

Eleri Stone’s WITCH BOUND Tour Schedule:  June 19- July 3

6/19- Book Monster Reviews (guest post)

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

6/19- FUONLYKNEW (series spotlight)

http://fuonlyknew.com/

6/20- Christine’s Blog (guest post, review & series spotlight)

http://www.shebookblogs.com/

6/21- Book Lovin’ Mamas (guest post & series spotlight)

http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com//

6/22- The Next Chapter (series spotlight)

http://costhenextchapter.blogspot.com/

6/23- Mad Hatter Reads (interview)

http://madhatterreads.blogspot.com/

6/24- Underworld Love Addiction (guest post)

http://underworldloveaddiction.blogspot.com/

6/25- Books-N-Kisses (interview)

http://www.books-n-kisses.com/

6/25- Urban Girl Reader (guest post)

http://www.urbangirlreader.com/

6/26- Mary Abshire Blog (series spotlight)

http://maryabshire.wordpress.com/

6/27- Confessions of the Paranormal (series spotlight)

http://confessionsoftheparanormal.blogspot.com/

6/28- So Many Reads (series spotlight)

http://www.somanyreads.com/

6/29- Literal Addiction (series spotlight)

http://www.literaladdiction.com/

7/01- Offbeat Vagabond(series spotlight)

http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/

7/02- United by Books (interview)

http://unitedbybooks.blogspot.com/

7/03 – Auggie Talk (series spotlight)

http://auggie-talk.blogspot.com/