KINDLE UNLIMITED - BOOK BLITZ - YA/NA PARANORMAL FANTASY - ENEMIES TO LOVERS: Series Starters Set by Brittni Chenelle

   

Enemies To Lovers: Series Starters Set

by Brittni Chenelle

Publication date: January 22nd 2021

Genres: Adult, Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Young Adult

Their most dreaded rivals might be their greatest need. But with peril dogging their every encounter, will they give into dangerous desires?

Box set: 750+ pages of angsty enemies-to-lovers adventures with daring heroines and their foes destined to become forever partners.

Princess Charlotte’s whole world changed one morning over breakfast. With her mother announcing a rushed arranged marriage to a humorless prince, she’ll do anything to stop the wedding – including shooting him with an arrow. But after the kingdom is invaded and a sinister plot to capture her discovered, can she convince her unwanted suitor to help keep her out of enemy hands?

Reina Bennet won’t stop believing that she’ll eventually get her abilities. But when her childhood champion grows up into a smug superpowered bully, her escalating rivalry with her ex-friend gets them both kicked out of school. And after he ends up in a rebel group at their new academy, can she put aside her grudges for a chance at a fresh beginning?

Princess Sinna of the Shadow Court fears her fated mate means certain death. So when a magical ceremony reveals him as the powerful vampire king, she’s eager to prove she can be a worthy Hunter by killing him. But can she stop herself from falling hard as she tries to seduce him into a fatal embrace?

Enemies To Lovers: Series Starters Set is a kickass collection that includes the YA fantasy Kingdom Cold, the new adult fantasy The Fae & The Fallen, and the adult paranormal romance Chaste Blood. If you like strong women, diverse characters, and emotionally-charged conflicts, then you’ll adore Brittni Chenelle’s bestselling sensations.

Buy Enemies To Lovers: Series Starters Set to turn animosity into passion today!

Goodreads

Amazon

—

 

Author Info

Brittni Chenelle is a USA Today Bestselling Multicultural Fantasy Author who specializes in multi-POV romances. She loves to explore the blurred lines between good and evil and believes wholeheartedly in a great story's ability to bring people together.

When she's not writing, she can be found at her home in South Korea where she spends far too much time consuming coffee, dark chocolate, and videos of animals doing human things.

Visit www.BrittniChenelle.com to browse her complete catalog, including upcoming books.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Youtube

GIVEAWAY!
Rafflecopter Giveaway

Hosted by

Presented by

RECENT RELEASE - YA SUPERNATURAL FANTASY - WARRIOR SAINTS - CREATOR (Stonehaven Academy Saints, #1) by Carla Thorne

WARRIOR SAINTS - CREATORS
Stonehaven Academy Saints, #1

by Carla Thorne

Publication date: April 17th 2020

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Supernatural

“Hello. My name is Mary Antonia Hunter, and I picked up the snake.”


BLURB
Strange days have come to the halls of Stonehaven Academy.

From brutal fights in the supernatural realm with a demon-like presence, to battling obstacles in the halls at school, Mary knows she’s different.

She just doesn’t understand why.

Then it gets even weirder.

As her supernatural battles increase, she is drawn into friendships with others who seem to be as confused about their bizarre abilities and encounters as she is.

Now that Mary, Deacon, Scout, and Ivy have found each other, what is their purpose and why? And who gifted these newly-named Warriors, and how do they manage their powers and maneuver the confusing maze of school, family, romance—and the occasional demonic force?

Goodreads
Amazon

—

Get your FREE preview of Warrior Saints here!

—

EXCERPT:

Chapter One

Mary

I trembled in my bed.
Or so I thought.
Was it me? No. In my haze of half-sleep, I felt my cat, Paisley, sleeping beside me and breathing with a slight vibration in her chest.
But then I was falling, and fighting as I fell.
Darkness swirled around me and sucked the very breath from my lungs. With no air, I couldn’t scream, though I used all my energy to try. Help might come if they could hear me.
But who would come?
No one knew how I fought in my dream-sleep-half-awake state. How I left my body to fight on a supernatural plane where rules of gravity didn’t exist—until I was spiraling to my death.
Or suffocating.
Or clawing my way to the surface to breathe.
The darkness crushed my chest and pushed harder still. I scratched where I thought its face would be and peeled its skin until the metallic scent of human blood filled my nostrils. But the thing that smothered me wasn’t human, was it?
Logic managed to enter my thoughts, though breaths were hard to come by and oxygen was slow to reach my brain.
I wondered how someone got into my room, through the alarm, without detection. If it were a large human, why not finish me off?
But there was not a real human form. It was more of a presence, a blob, a changing force that covered my nose and mouth when it wanted …
But I fought.
I reached the supernatural space between my bed and the atmosphere, because if I’d learned anything through all those battles, it’s that there was no true in-between. I was either anchored and stable on the ground, in my earthly bed, and on my earthly feet—or I was not.
And when I was not, I was fighting for my life.
The other side is merely a door we walk through. The supernatural forces of evil exist just past the ends of our noses, across that invisible threshold, waiting…
I knew as much because that dark force fought with me to drag me into some deep space or pull me to an epic, Biblical-like hell and take my life.
I kicked. I flailed. I pushed imaginary hands from my throat.
The sudden stench of death and decay lingered in the air, followed by the sweet earthy smell of fresh dirt, newly mowed grass, earthworms, and spring rain.
That’s when I knew I was in trouble. It meant I’d lost my orientation in the battle. Because everyone knows a dead body stinks of rot as it’s put six feet under, but life stands by and waits and watches in the very ground that was disturbed to bury the deceased.
So, I fought harder for the earthy scent, the grounded feeling, and the light of life.
I dismissed the stench of death.
In a final push of life-saving strength, I concentrated on the spiritual realm.
Is this when I die again?
Another voice, not from that creature, answered me. No, this is not when you die.
With rage and determination, I twisted out of its grasp.
My heart raced as my breaths steadied.
I was asleep. I was awake. I honestly didn’t know what I was.
What I did know was that I fought for my life on a regular basis. What I didn’t know was why.
I gasped and bolted upright in the bed. Paisley stretched and rearranged herself against my cold feet.
I was a survivor.
I stayed alive.
I fought.
Because Shanar was determined to kill me.

Author Info
Carla Thorne is the author of the YA Fantasy/Supernatural mystery series, Warrior Saints.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Hosted by

Presented by

RECENT RELEASE w/EXCERPT - YA FANTASY - THE FRACTURED EMPIRE (World Apart, #1) by Robin D. Mahle

The Fractured Empire

(World Apart, #1)

by Robin D. Mahle

Publication date: October 19th 2018

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

BLURB
Clark and Adelaide think their lives can’t get any worse. Until they meet each other.

Adelaide — heiress to the wealthiest man in the Ceithren Empire — has felt a void since her sister’s death. Just as she’s resigned herself to the empty life her father chose for her, a relic from a world that shouldn’t exist plunges her into chaos.

Clark — son of the greatest terrorist the empire has ever known — is still reeling from his father’s death. Since then, his life has boiled down to two things: his brothers and his next mission. When his mission to bring back a mystical artifact goes awry, he’s forced to choose between getting the job done and saving the life of a spoiled socialite.

But Clark isn’t the only one after the artifact.

He and Adelaide must work together to survive… if only they can manage to avoid killing each other before their enemies have the chance.

Goodreads

Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“I’m sure my ankle is fine now. Feel free to set me down at any time.”
“Gladly,” Xav said. “I mean, you aren’t wearing shoes, and I’m sure your delicate socialite feet are more than accustomed to picking their way across broken bottles and cigarette butts, but here you go.” Xavier unceremoniously plopped Addie on her feet. She gingerly tested her ankle but said nothing.
“Xavier, you can’t make Addie walk in this. Pick her back up.” This from my more compassionate brother.
“Whatever. The girl is heavier than she looks. I’ll pick her back up when she asks me to. Nicely.” He folded his arms over his chest.
“Don’t hold your breath. Or better yet, do.” Lending weight to her words, the stubborn girl took off walking. Or limping, rather. In the wrong direction.
“Wrong way,” I alerted her, having finally gotten my bearings despite their banter. She changed course, cursing a bit under her breath. After several paces of listening to her sharp intakes of breath, I turned around and hauled her over my good shoulder.
“I was doing fine.”
Her pride was unbelievable.
“Of course you were, but we’d like to get there sometime today, so be a good girl and stay still.”
Her outraged hiss did more to amuse me than anything. In the midst of this mission gone wrong, I found myself with the urge to laugh. I held it back, but there was something about this girl that I couldn’t help but find humorous.
Xavier hadn’t been entirely joking. The weight of the girl and her dress was fairly substantial for how tiny she looked. I had noticed that on the walk to the forest, but it was more pronounced with her on only one shoulder. Her dress was billowing in my face, and I kept having to blow the dirt-covered fabric out of my mouth. Thankfully, it was only a few more minutes to Wesley’s container.
A cautious hand crept toward my belt pocket. She wasn’t shy, I’d give her that. With a sigh, I covered the slim hand with my larger one.
“I don’t blame you for trying, but that’s not how this works. I told you, you’ll get this necklace back when I get the one I want,” I told her.

Author Info
The name Robin D. Mahle represents a dynamic husband and wife storytelling team. They've travelled the world for both love and war, and a tale began to form between the two of them that just had to be told. One's love of anime and comics collided with the other's love of fiction novels to produce a story with action, captivating dialogue, and riveting prose. 

The female piece to the puzzle that is Robin spends her days as a captioner for the deaf and hard of hearing. She loves to read, write, and loves all things Doctor Who. A Marine Corps veteran, her husband homeschools their offspring, lovingly nicknamed Thing 1 and Thing 2. He loves to write and spend time in his garden.They also have two fur babies: a standard full-sized poodle and a persian cat. Their family lives in Colorado after a lifetime of being way too hot in Texas.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Hosted by

Presented by

RECENT RELEASE w/EXCERPT - YA FANTASY - ALFHEIM ACADEMY (Alfheim Academy, #1) by S.T. Bende

Alfheim Academy

(Alfheim Academy, #1)

by S.T. Bende

Publication date: October 14th 2019

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult 

BLURB
A new series from internationally bestselling author S.T. Bende.

Aura Nilssen has spent most of her sixteen years in hiding. As crown princess of Alfheim, her life depends on avoiding the assassins who killed her parents and want to destroy her realm. When hunters corner Aura on Midgard (Earth), she’s immediately evacuated and enrolled at Alfheim Academy—a training ground where telepathic teenagers, daily combat lessons, and communication from beyond is the norm. She attends classes that enhance her energetic abilities, labs that fine tune her mental acuity, and workouts with a supernaturally good looking—and suspiciously evasive—training partner. But it’s what she learns outside the classroom that proves most difficult: as Queen of Alfheim, Aura’s grandmother played a heartbreaking role in the death of Aura’s parents . . . and her iron fisted monarchy is pushing the realm to the brink of extinction. If Aura doesn’t take her grandmother’s crown, the home she’s only just begun to love may be lost forever.

When an unprecedented attack threatens the very heart of Alfheim, Aura has to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to protect her new home. Her choice may mean the difference between survival and annihilation—not only for Aura, but for the world she’s always been destined to rule.

Goodreads

Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I leaned forward, trying to see who Viggo was talking to, but my balance shifted unexpectedly. As I sidestepped to avoid a fall, a branch cracked loudly beneath my feet. I quickly scooted behind a tree and held very still as Viggo called out in a threatening voice, “Show yourself.”
I could take him if it came to it. I’d pinned him in five out of nine sparring matches that week. Or was it three? I couldn’t remember.
“I know you’re behind that tree.” Leaves crunched as Viggo stormed closer.
I inched around the trunk as my training partner’s footsteps grew louder.
“Last chance,” Viggo growled. He was unnervingly close. My eyes locked in on the thickest part of the tree line, and I rose onto the balls of my feet, preparing for escape.
Before I could make my move, a thick hand whipped around the tree to clutch my neck. Viggo yanked me from my hiding spot, wrenching my body into view. He held his arm perpendicular to his six-plus-foot frame, so I dangled in his grasp. In his other hand, he gripped a thick dagger. Crêpes. My hands flew to Viggo’s wrist and I dug in my fingernails, intending to break his hold before my air supply ran out. But as I clawed against his grip our eyes locked, and Viggo opened his palm. I fell to the ground in a heap, then leapt to my feet, brushing broken branches off my pants as I stood.
“You.” Viggo’s normally charming tone had an edge. “What did you hear?”
“I heard enough.” I widened my stance in case I needed to deliver a roundhouse. Or worse. “You broke into Alfheim? What are you doing here?”
“You don’t know what you heard.” Viggo took a step to his right. I mirrored him.
“Fine.” We continued our dance, two animals squaring off for a fight. “Then why don’t you tell me. Because it sounded an awful lot like you broke into the realm, and you’re planning something dangerous.”
“Is that so?” Amusement danced across Viggo’s eyes as anger percolated beneath my skin. I took deep breaths until the emotion stilled.
“What would you call what you’re doing?” I pressed.
Viggo’s features hardened as he took another step. “How was your meeting with the queen? Lots to catch up on, I’m sure.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you care?”
“I care when someone strips my realm of its freedoms. Not that you’d understand anything about that.”
The anger bubbled again, fiercer. Hotter. “I’ll ask you one more time. What were you doing just now?”
“If I thought you’d understand, I’d tell you.” Viggo’s hand flexed, and his dagger glinted under the filtered light of the forest. My hands balled into fists and I took a step forward. I didn’t have a weapon, but if that jerk thought he could silence me, he had another thing coming.
Viggo stepped into my space, his chest inches from mine. I ignored the piney scent wafting off his training clothes and focused on perfecting my glare.
“Go home, Glitre,” Viggo spoke softly into my ear. “Keep your perfekt little life in order.”
Laughter tickled my throat. “Perfekt. Right.”
Viggo leaned back just enough to meet my eyes. “Someone looked out for you from the minute you were born. From where I’m standing, that’s a pretty good deal.”
“You don’t know the first thing about me.”
Viggo shifted so our foreheads practically touched. Butterflies burst into flight in my stomach and at my shoulder blades. What the hell is wrong with me?
“I know you’re the heir to the throne,” he growled. “I know you met with the queen. And I know you haven’t stepped up to challenge her. I can connect the dots as to which side you’re on.”
A low whistle pierced the forest as I sucked air through my teeth. Viggo Sörensson had no freaking clue. “You know I’m going to tell Signy about this.”
Viggo shrugged. “Go ahead. But for the record, I’m warning you to stay out of it. If anything happens, it’s on you.”
“Noted.” I took another breath as Viggo leaned forward again. His shoulder brushed against mine as he walked by, and the nudging at my back became so adamant, I was positive something was about to crawl right out of my skin. But the jabbing ebbed as Viggo marched forward. He didn’t turn around until he reached the thicker tapestry of trees.
Even at this distance, I caught the pop of his dimple. “See you around, Glitre.”
Then he turned and disappeared into the forest, leaving me with a litany of questions.
What was Viggo Sorenssön up to?

Author Info
Before finding domestic bliss in suburbia, S.T. Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (where she became overly fond of Peet's Coffee) and Europe... where she became overly fond of McVitie's cookies. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired her YA Norse fantasy series' (Viking Academy, Elsker Saga, Ære Saga, and Night War Saga). And her love of a galaxy far, far away inspired her to write children's books for Star Wars. She hopes her characters make you smile, and she dreams of skiing on Jotunheim and Hoth.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Instagram / Newsletter

Hosted by

Presented by

RECENT RELEASE w/EXCERPT - YA FANTASY - CORRUPTED ENCHANTMENT: When Fairy Tales Collide by C. Penticoff

Corrupted Enchantment: When Fairy Tales Collide

by C. Penticoff

Publication date: October 8th 2019

Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Retelling, Young Adult

Fans of Once Upon A Time will be obsessed with this series!

WHEN FAIRY TALES COLLIDE

Welcome to Enchantia, where all your favorite fairy tale characters live happily ever after… That is, until a dark spell takes over the land.

BLURB
Robin Hood: Everyone at school seemed to be scared of me. What? Had they never met someone who’d been in jail before? Whatever. I liked it that way. I didn’t need friends. I just needed to be left alone so I could get back to what I was supposed to be doing… Stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Something was getting in the way of my usual goal though. There seemed to be a spell looming about, and I knew exactly who was responsible for it– Presidential candidate, Rumpelstiltskin.

There was also the Peter Pan problem. Now that I was back, I could tell he wanted to approach me, but there was nothing he could have done to make me forgive him. He could bat his pretty little eyes all he wanted. The ultimate betrayal wasn’t something I took lightly.

Rumpelstiltskin: I didn’t care what the three fates said about that filthy little brat, Robin Hood, being my undoing. I would spill her blood to change that destiny. Now that I had the power of the Presidency in my palms, I wouldn’t let anything stop me from achieving what I set out to do.

Goodreads
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Rumpelstiltskin…
In the darkest and dampest part of the Cave of Graves, I quivered as I awaited the Three Fates. I stroked the stony wall with the tips of my fingers as I walked through it. My undying desire to power over everyone around me had finally brought me to a desperate place for answers. I had everything I needed in its proper place to summon the Fates. There was just one final step before I looked destiny in the face——a prick of the finger. Without flinching, I pierced my pointer finger on the abandoned, ancient golden spindle of Olympus. Placing my oozing wound over the spinning wheel, my crimson blood trickled from my hand and onto the thread. The moment my fluid touched it, the entire line of thread soaked itself in blood, followed by a sound that sprung me off my feet.
WHOOSH!
A chilly gush of wind plummeted me backwards and onto the ground. Without time to react to the fall, a chilling sensation on my toes made me squirm. I looked down in time to see dozens of beetles crawling out of my boots and up my legs, biting and scratching their way up. I screeched and slapped myself on every part of my body, and the beetles suddenly vanished.
Before I could process what happened, my ears were filled with cackles somewhere up ahead. The noises were so loud, yet so close, I couldn’t tell if the voices were inside the cave or just inside my head. The cackles became louder and louder every second, and I screamed to try and muffle the shrieking sound. I covered my ears, but the cackles only grew larger, when suddenly…the cave fell silent. My shaking knees almost brought me to the ground as I carefully uncovered my ears.
Get it together, Rumpelstiltskin, I told myself.
Despite being a dark and sinister man myself, even this was enough to send chills down my spine. One woman’s cackle returned, but this time, I was certain the sound was in the cave, and not in my head. A candle lit in front of me, unveiling a dark, shadowy figure with cherry red eyes, matching the blood I spilled to summon them. The figure held her candle up to her mouth and gently blew. The flame grew in size, revealing her two sister Fates.
“You call us here to learn of your fate. Is that true?” the first Fate asked.
I was startled by her raspy and almost seductive voice.
“Y-yes,” I muttered.
The second Fate whipped around me and to the spindle, grabbed the thread, and was back in her spot in a matter of seconds. The wheel spun and spun faster than I had ever seen the wheel turn. Blood-soaked thread flew all throughout the cave, twisting and turning around me; and the third Fate reached a limb out to grab one part of the thread. The first Fate cut one part of it off and stretched it as far as it would go.
“Rumpelstiltskin.”
“Yes?”
“You’re destined to rule over all of Enchantia with unlimited power,” the second Fate spoke.
I couldn’t hold back the grimace that spread across my face.
“Endless support will pour from your people and into your throne.”
Laughter spilled from my belly and out of my mouth, and I could feel goosebumps dancing on my neck.
“But, don’t get too comfortable on your throne.” Those words alone ripped the laughter right out of me. “For a young Blue Elf will be your undoing.” The third fate flicked the thread and blood splashed onto my nose.
My fists balled up as I felt the blood rush to my head.
“Her strength will lie in her powerful magical abilities, and the power of fighting alongside her friends. Particularly, a young man will be her greatest ally,” the third Fate warned.
“Who is she?” I shook.
The Three Fates snickered.
“Who is she!” Spit flew out of my mouth.
“Her name … is Robin Hood.”

Author Info
Owner of A Novel Connection. Fiction author.
C. Penticoff lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two young children. 

When she isn't writing, she is working her business, A Novel Connection, in hopes of helping to #SupportIndieAuthors.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram / Twitter / Newsletter / Bookbub / Amazon

Hosted by

Presented by

RECENT RELEASE w/EXCERPT - YA FANTASY - MARROW CHARM by Kristin Jacques

Marrow Charm

by Kristin Jacques 

Publication date: October 1st 2019

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

‘In his pursuit of the occult, the Third Reich opened the Gate to a realm of magic and brought the world to ruin. The Gate was eventually closed, but They were already in our world and They were hungry.’ -The Lost History, Library of Avergard


BLURB
Azure ‘Azzy’ Brimvine lives in a world decimated by magic, where humans have retreated underground from the overwhelming dangers of the surface. But Below is no safer than Above.

Magic borne plagues continue to eat away at the remaining human cities, a sickness that doesn’t merely kill, but creates aberrations from the stricken: people twisted by magic into something dark, dangerous, and powerful. It is an existence of fear and constant dread. When Azzy’s brother, Armin, is infected and cast out into the Above, she sets out after him, determined to be there for him no matter what he becomes.

The world Above is full of monsters, both wild and cunning, some more human than Azzy was led to believe. Armin is captured and bound for the Auction block of Avergard, a ruthless city of inhuman lords and twisted creatures. To reach him, Azzy must brave the perils of the Above and the chaotic life forms created by the Gate. To reach him, she must find allies and forge new bonds in this broken world.

And Azzy must reach him, before Armin’s new power is used to open the Gate once more.

Goodreads

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Azzy could count on one hand the number of times she’d ventured to the Above. Each time left her breathless. Stars sparked like trapped gems in a swirling mass of velvety purple and deep blue. Their light reflected off the white blanketing the ground, revealing snow, chips of diamond that covered every inch of the land. She rose to her feet, laughing as she spun, head flung back to the heavens.
The stars felt physically close, as if she could reach up and skim her fingers against the underbelly of that endless velvet dark. Her mama told her stories of how people once rode through the sky on metal wings. She wondered if they could touch the stars. Azzy stopped her spinning abruptly as she thought of her mother. Her reason for risking this little excursion weighed on her anew, draining away her elation. Time to get to work.
The moon hung low and full, either rising or setting over the horizon, she couldn’t be sure. The solitary howl of some animal sounded in the distance, low and mournful and a firm reminder to be swift with her task. If the tunnels were dangerous, the Above was worse by a hundredfold. “Grab anything green, grab any plants you can find”—those were her goals.
Azzy unhooked the scraper blade strapped to her leg and knelt to peel the moss and lichen clinging to the rocks. “Moss for rashes, lichen to strengthen the body’s defenses.” She continued her mental recitation as she wrapped each individual sample in separating cloth. The necessity of speed and meticulous care sent a tremor through her arms. Biting the inside of her cheek, she ripped the bark from the surrounding trees. Strip, wrap, strip, wrap. She could hear the familiar lecture on cross-contamination droning on in her head, steadying her movements. This was too important to muck up. Azzy knelt and scraped back the snow to dig out the dried shoots of sleeping plants, anything and everything she could think of to restock the Apothecary’s supplies. Someone had to; the Foragers had been gone nearly two months. Their supplies were perilously low. She couldn’t procure the more exotic ingredients to refill all that had run out but having nothing on hand was a dangerous position for an apothecary, especially after her brother’s episode last night…
Another howl cut through the air, much closer than before, choked at the end. Azzy looked up, staring through the dark columns of snow-covered trees. A high-pitched whine emanated from within, filled with pain and fear. The sound stroked her skin like the point of a blade, made the hair rise on her arms. Exchanging the scraper for her pickaxe, she moved forward, scanning her surroundings for the danger.
A rough-barked tree snagged on her clothing.
Azzy looked down, puzzled by the translucent threads trailing from her sleeve, catching on the bark. She pulled away. The threads went taut. The bark ripped away, so suddenly that Azzy rocked on her heels. She froze, her breath caught in her throat, following the threads to denser strands of gauzy white that laced through the higher branches. Not threads—web. The sparse canopy of trees was interconnected with swaths of webs, twisting in the wind with a soft clicking sound. They were entangled with bones, hung like macabre wind chimes. Broken skulls leered down at her.
She swallowed hard. Screams were for fools and food; Azzy refused to be either. Of course, she was a fool for blithely wandering into a winnowrook’s web. A grotesque melding of crow and spider far larger than either, winnowrooks were an all too common predator. Every time she ventured to the Above, their infestation of the area seemed to spread. but she wasn’t caught, not yet. She took a step back. Movement thrashed in the corner of her eye. She bit her tongue bloody to keep from crying out. A pitiful whine reached her ears, wrapping around her better judgement as her traitorous gaze followed the sound to its source.
A massive wolf dangled a foot off the ground from the thick gray cords, his twisted position giving her an eyeful of his anatomy. He wrenched against the web, painting it red. The threads were so tight around his body they cut through the thick pelt of mottled black and gray fur. He was killing himself. The more he fought, the tighter the web would constrict until it cut off his air or he bled to death. He jerked into a halting spin, half facing her. His pale yellow eyes were sightless and wild, so panicked he didn’t see her standing there.

Author Info
Kristin Jacques is an author from small town New England. She grew up in the sticks, surrounded by river wildlife and various swamp inhabitants. Somehow she managed to keep all her toes, despite a run in with a snapper or two. 

She lives with her husband and sons in another small New England town. She is mighty attached to them. When not writing, she is likely reading, watching a terrific B-Horror flick, or further spoiling the family cats. Sometimes she has blue hair.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Hosted by

Presented by

RECENT RELEASE w/EXCERPT - YA FANTASY - KNIGHT RISING (The Faerie Queen, #1) by Jason Hamilton

Knight Rising

(The Faerie Queen, #1)

by Jason Hamilton 

Publication date: September 30th 2019 

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Do not wander in cursed lands alone…

BLURB

Una wants only one thing, to find and kill the dragon that drove her out of her childhood home in the heart of Arthurian Britain.

When a handsome knight frees her from captivity, she learns that she is not the only one who wants the beast dead. The knight is Sir George, a messenger of the Faerie Queen and the man assigned to kill the dragon that still haunts her home.

But the road to get there contains new dangers, long shut out from this world…until now.

Together with her newfound ally, she must survive the dreaded Forest of Arden, return to her homeland, and discover what happened to her family. To get there, she will search within herself and discover an ancient, forbidden magic that is either the key to their survival, or the means to their end.

Knight Rising is a captivating blend of YA fantasy and Arthurian legend. If you like dragons, blossoming romances, and magical showdowns, then you’ll love Jason Hamilton’s fresh take on Edmund Spencer’s classic tale.

Goodreads
Amazon

—

You can read the prequel for FREE here!

—

EXCERPT:

If it weren’t for the knowledge of what was about to come through the shining tear in the fabric of time, the Faerie Queen might have called its appearance beautiful. The light streaming out of the tear cast a dancing golden-green pattern across the trees surrounding the dark clearing, the spectacle even more glorious at night. But Gloriana knew that nothing of beauty would come from today’s events.

“When you said you needed help,” said a voice from beside her. “I never knew it was this bad.”

Gloriana glanced to one side, temporarily ignoring the ever-expanding breach. It would still be a few moments before it was large enough for anything to come through. “Alice,” she said to the woman by her side. “Or should I say Vivien now?”

“You should,” said the woman with a nod. Well, she was more of a girl really, with long blonde hair and a lythe body, clothed in white robes. The last time she’d seen Alice, she’d kept her hair short. “I also go by Lady of the Lake these days.”

“How very mysterious,” said Gloriana with a smug expression.

Alice, or Vivien, did not seem to share her smugness. She looked straight ahead at the opening breach. “What can I do to help?”

Gloriana glanced back at the ribbon of light as it slowly expanded. “Just keep them off my back until I can close it.”

“And exactly why aren’t you closing it now?”

“It doesn’t work that way. I cannot heal what has not broken. Once the tear is fully formed, I can begin to sew it back together. But I will need you to assist my armies in eliminating any threats that come through until I can stop the flow.”

“Not much of an army,” said Vivien, turning to stare back behind them.

Unfortunately, it was true. Gloriana’s strength had waned in recent years. Few came to pledge their loyalty anymore, not since the dragon had emerged in the north, and the first tears had begun. Now people would rather avoid the forest of Arden than pass through it. And with this being the latest in a series of breaches to the Otherworld, many of her trusted knights, her friends, had perished at the hands of the supernatural. The Order of Maidenglory was now reduced to almost nothing, which was why she needed Vivien’s help.

Of course, she had other aids at her disposal besides her knights. But would it be enough?

The breach in front of her pulsed slightly and widened. It was almost time.

“They will do their duty.” Gloriana straightened and readied herself, feeling the wind pick up through the clearing and gently whip at her hair. Looking back at Vivien, she added. “Can I count on you to do yours?”

Vivien braced herself, keeping her eyes on the golden-green tear in space. “Gloriana, I know we may have had our differences in the past, but you can count on me to do what I can.”

“Good.” Gloriana began gathering the magics around her. This breach was one of the larger ones she’d faced. She would need all her strength to close it. Raising one arm, she cried, “Prepare yourselves! Defend your queen!”

The clink of armor and the unsheathing of swords was their reply. The Order of Maidenglory was ready.

And with a burst of light and magic, the breach caved open.

Immediately, Gloriana summoned her magic, raising her hands in front of her and mentally grasping for the edges of the tear. She had to close this one as fast as she could.

Her knights rushed forward, the sound of their plate armor creating a chorus of clashes that could inspire songs. If only there were more.

Vivien also darted forward, bereft of any armor, but pulling forth a great sword of exquisite workmanship. If Gloriana had not been so focused on the breach, she might have inspected the sword more closely, or gazed at the ring on Vivien’s finger as it began to glow a bright golden yellow.

But she had no time to dwell on such things. In that moment, the first of the monsters hurdled through the breach.

It was a great serpent, but with giant arms near its front, and what appeared to be hundreds of tiny appendages like smaller snakes attached to its body. Its hissing echoed through the clearing and beyond.

The Order of Maidenglory charged.

Author Info
Hello! I'm Jason. I like words.
I'm also a huge nerd. On every average day, you'll find me geeking out about Star Wars, superheroes, Shakespeare, and a lot of other things. It is my ultimate goal to become the world's leading expert in storytelling. 

I'm the author of the Argoverse, a collection of stories all set within the same universe, and I'm the editor-in-chief of ArthurLegends.com and the Arthurian Legends Universe.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
Rafflecopter Giveaway

Hosted by

Presented by

RECENT RELEASE w/EXCERPT - YA FANTASY/FAIRY TALES - Wonderland Academy: Book One by Melanie Karsak

Wonderland Academy

by Melanie Karsak

Publication date: August 27th 2019

Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Retelling, Young Adult

Welcome to Wonderland Academy. Don’t lose your head.


BLURB
Getting into Wonderland Academy is easy:
You must be a little mad.
You must follow the white rabbit.
You must find the key to enter Wonderland.
You must not be named Alice or risk being beheaded by order of the Queen of Hearts.

We might have an issue with that last one.

My name may be Alice, but Wonderland Academy is everything my real life isn’t. Who wouldn’t want to learn how to ride a jabberwocky, train with a vorpal sword, cast spells using a teacup, or shapeshift into a fairy? As long as no one figures out my real name, I should be fine.

The only problem? Aden, the Queen of Hearts’ son, is quickly becoming my best friend. And then there’s Corbin. Brooding, surly, tattooed, and definitely not my type, I can’t stop thinking about him. But Corbin has secrets of his own, and Wonderland and secrets don’t mix.

How I’m going to pass my classes and protect my secret like my life depends on it is beyond me. But I better find a way. Because in Wonderland, no Alice is safe.

Wonderland Academy re-imagines the fantastical world of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland for a fresh, new adventure. Combining whimsy, magic, and a splash of steampunk, New York Times best-selling author Melanie Karsak invites you into this beautifully re-envisioned fairy tale adventure.

* * *
Wonderland Academy is a college-level academy novel. It contains a slow-burn (not rh) romance. The novel is clean aside from mild language. This is Book 1 in a planned trilogy. Book 1 ends on a cliffhanger (Frodo didn’t reach Mount Doom in a day, after all).

Trigger Warning: This novel also includes references to a school shooting.

Goodreads
Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Setting my bag in a chair by the window, I pulled on my coat. It was pouring. Drops rolled down the windowpane, distorting the view of the sidewalk below. As I pulled my jacket on, however, I noticed someone on the sidewalk below. He was looking up at the window. I couldn’t make him out clearly, but from what I could see, he was wearing some kind of period costume and a top hat. He had long, pale blond hair that almost looked white.
“You all think I’m a lunatic? There’s some guy standing outside in the rain in a Victorian get-up and top hat.”
“What?” Mom asked. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know. Just some rando guy standing in the rain,” I said then turned, zipped up my coat, and grabbed the bag.
Nurse Gilman stepped to the window and looked outside. “It’s really coming down,” she said, eyeing the sky. She then strained her neck to the left and right. “Your mystery man must have gone back inside.”
“He was right there,” I said.
A sick feeling rocked my stomach. No, no, no. He was there. Dammit, he really was there. I edged toward the window and looked outside. I was right. The man was standing right there, looking up at the window.
He waved at me.
“Where?” Nurse Gilman asked, looking up and down the sidewalk.
“There,” I said, motioning hesitantly.
“I must have missed him,” Nurse Gilman said with a shrug.
I stared at the man.
He waved again.
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.
“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe they’re doing a show in the children’s wing or something,” I muttered then turned from the window.
I didn’t want Nurse Gilman to see my face.
Mom, however, caught my eye. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she gave me a hard look.
I dropped her gaze.
I absolutely, positively, did not want to have that conversation on the way home.
“I’m ready,” I told Mom.
“Good. Let’s get you the hell out of here.”
“Be well,” Nurse Gilman said. She motioned to the nurses’ station. The door to the waiting room unlocked with a click. Nurse Gilman motioned to us that we were free to go.
Mom and I headed down the dim hallway of the fifth-floor psych ward. The narrow hall felt like it was a million miles long. It wasn’t until we were safely inside the elevator that I finally exhaled.
“Your phone,” Mom said, handing it to me.
I had a few missing calls, messages from old friends, but there wasn’t anyone I wanted to talk to anyway. I stared at the screensaver, which had a picture of Nicholas and me. The photo had been taken just before homecoming, before everything went to shit. We’d gone for a hike that day. The autumn leaves in the background were bright orange and burnt red. We were both bundled up, our cheeks red, faces pressed together. We’d spent the entire hike planning a future that would never come to pass.
I turned off my phone and stuck it in my pocket.
Mom punched the elevator button for the ground floor.
I kept my eyes on the lights above the door, praying Mom wouldn’t ask anything.
It wasn’t until we’d passed the second floor that Mom whispered, “Lacey, are you seeing—”
“I’m fine. Really. I’m fine.”
She didn’t answer, which told me she knew well-enough I was not fine.
They’d been popping up in my periphery more frequently for the last two weeks. People who were there then not there. Flickers of light. Shadows that whispered. Otherworldy shapes. Their presence wasn’t anything new to me. While I was more prone to see them during times of stress, they’d been there all my life. I knew that if I really looked, I’d see them. It was better to ignore them.
A mermaid had taught me that.
Mom and I headed to the front of the hospital. I couldn’t wait to get away from the terrible hospital smell. A weird mix of the scents of bleach, chrysanthemums, green beans, and Band-Aids perfumed the place. It was enough to make a person gag.
Raining or not, I was relieved when the hospital doors opened. I inhaled the sweet scent of the rain-soaked air. Mom’s rusted-out Mustang sat waiting just outside.
“Okay. Let‘s run for it,” Mom called, and we sprinted to the car.
Holding my plastic bag above my head, I ran, flinging open the door of the vehicle. But just before I climbed inside, I cast a glance down the sidewalk.
The man was still standing there. He pulled something from his pocket and tapped on it. He waved to me, a broad smile on his face.
“Lacey, you’re letting the rain in,” Mom yelled.
I slipped into the car, slamming the door behind me.
Mom revved the engine then drove off, her nineties rock springing to life. I leaned forward and clicked off the music. The last thing I needed was the dulcet tones of Nirvana shouting at me post suicide watch.
Sighing, I leaned back into the seat and closed my eyes.
Why was I seeing them again?
The white-haired man had been pointing at a pocket watch. A pocket watch.
What in the hell did that mean?
I hadn’t meant to kill myself.
Not this time.
It figured. On the morning I’d been discharged from the psych ward, I was beginning to lose my mind.

Author Info
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Melanie Karsak is the author of The Airship Racing Chronicles, The Harvesting Series, The Celtic Blood Series, Steampunk Red Riding Hood, and Steampunk Fairy Tales. The author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Southern New Hampshire University.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

Hosted by

Presented by