Saturday, April 27, 2013

#Giveaway ~ Colour Wielders by Dawna Raver Book Tour ~ Guest Post


Colour Wielders         
Heirs of the Magykal Realm Series Book One
Dawna Raver

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy Romance
 Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
 Word Count: 133k
 Cover Artist: Ricky Gunawan


Book Description:

Behind the Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where Gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell. And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess lives.

 Quinn Sinclair is clueless to who she is. She thinks she's an ordinary young woman—well, mostly ordinary—living an ordinary life with her less than loving mother in Conifer, Colorado. On the night of her birthday, Quinn finds herself betrayed by a man who sends her life spinning out-of-control.

 As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she finds herself transported into a Magykal battle forever changing her life.

 Arik Morgaine—demi-god bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm—tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn Sinclair for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers. Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks, or will powers beyond their control destroy them and their world forever?



About the Author:

Dawna Raver is an the author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Colour Wielders, book one of the Heirs of the Magykal Realm series, is her first novel. When she's not spending time in her fantasy world, Dawna loves football, reading, and pretending she's a top chef in the kitchen. Oh, and worshiping her dogs and husband.


Author Links





The Magykal World of Colours

Thank you for having me on your blog, Michelle. I really appreciate. I'd like to talk a little about the Colour Wielder world. While it takes place mostly in Conifer, Colorado, there is also the land of Magyk, or the Magykal Realm know as Flaitheas DraĆ­ochta.

When creating this story, I thought long and hard about what my ultimate, magical world would look like. Most of my literary life, I've adored Arthurian legends and Celtic deities. I thought, what if there was a realm where characters from these myths and legends lived together? What would that look like? What if it was open to any and all gods no matter their pantheon? How cool would that be?

So I did a ton of research, and pulled out characters that interested me. Then, I jumped off from there. I don't hold strictly to what myth says. I figure since it's myth, I can twisted these characters to fit my own purposes, though I do try to keep their basic essence. You'll meet characters you may have heard of,  though they may not act exactly the way you've seen them act before. In this series, two infamous characters from Arthurian legend play a major role. Writing them has been a challenge but a lot fun as well.

Once I had the characters, I needed a setting for them. The fun part was coming up with this land. Flaitheas DraĆ­ochta territory encompasses all of Europe, but it is separated from Mortal eyes by the Faerying Mysts. When you're behind the Mysts, you're in a natural world where the people and the land are intimately connected—neither can exist without the other. This is why Magyk reigns here and why it's expressed in vivid Colours. Life here is more vibrant and alive and so are the inhabitants. Because there is Magyk, there is no need for modern conveniences or modern ideals. The law of the land is harsh. But when you live in a place where monsters and mystical creatures dwell, it's not surprising that you live and die by the sword.

I will admit this is a place I'd like to visit. So how about you come with me? Spend a day with me in a world of Colours, Magyk, and romance. A place where anything and everything is possible. Where things and people you thought only existed in myths and legends are real. I promise you'll you won't be disappointed.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


I will have a review out for this book soon, i only just had gotten it, so am reading it now. I will say, what I have read so far I love. It hooked me from the first few chapters. It seems to be a great fantasy to me. I can't wait to finish and see what all happens. 


Check out the rest of the tour Here


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

#Giveaway ~ Midnight Fire Series Book Tour ~ by Kaitlyn Davis




Ignite
Midnight Fire Series Book One
Kaitlyn Davis


Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 9781465852366
ASIN: B005U8GQT6

Number of pages: about 200-250 pages
Word Count: Roughly 65,000

Series promotional video –


Book Description:

"With one last look, one final search of the lines of his face for some sign, Kira turned and ran away from the sound of the man she loved laughing in the face of her death."

 When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heartbreaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.


Ignite is the first book in the Midnight Fire Series. It is approximately 65,000 words.


Simmer

Midnight Fire Series Book Two
Kaitlyn Davis


Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 9781476284392
ASIN: B007R82KLK

Number of pages: about 200-250 pages
Word Count: Roughly 65,000


Book Description:

"Slowly, like a whisper almost blown away in the wind, two words streaked across her mind: 'Kiss me.'"

 Kira may have survived the eclipse, but her troubles are far from over. She's headed to Sonnyville with one goal in mind: to learn more about her parents. But with Luke and Tristan competing for her heart and Diana gunning for her head, time is running out on the search for her mother. And the closer Kira gets to answers, the more terrified she becomes. The conduits fear her, the vampires fear her, and Kira is starting to wonder if maybe they're right...

Simmer is the second book in the thrilling Midnight Fire Series. It is approximately 65,000 words.

Blaze
Midnight Fire Series Book Three
Kaitlyn Davis


Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 9781301583027
ASIN: B009H0U7FC

Number of pages: about 200-250 pages
Word Count: Roughly 65,000


Book Description:

“Kira gulped, unable to stop the growing sense that everything in her world was about to change.”


 With Aldrich’s note burning a hole in her pocket, Kira is off to England to finally reunite with her birth mother. But what begins as a dream quickly turns to a nightmare and Kira is left questioning everything she has ever known. Can she be the conduit Luke wants her to be? Can she be the rebel Tristan needs her to be? Or is she something else? Something no one, not even Aldrich, ever saw coming…

Blaze is the third book in the thrilling Midnight Fire Series. It is approximately 65,000 words.

Scorch

Midnight Fire Series Book Four
Kaitlyn Davis


Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

ISBN:
ASIN:

Number of pages: 200-250 pages
Word Count: Roughly 65,000

Scorch Blurb:

“All it did was remind Kira that time was running out. That she needed to choose. Or a lot more than a forest would burn. The whole world would crumble."

 Aldrich escaped…again. Tristan forgot…everything. And Luke, well, Luke was getting more than a little impatient. But those were the least of Kira’s concerns, because something else happened in England—something she was trying desperately to forget. A wedge of evil had lodged itself in her heart, a little black hole had nestled into her flames, and it wasn’t going away—not anytime soon…and maybe not ever.

Scorch is the fourth and final book in the thrilling Midnight Fire Series. It is approximately 65,000 words.


About the Author:

Kaitlyn Davis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars. She's been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to finally share her work with the world. She currently lives in New York City and dreams of having a cockapoo puppy of her own.




Excerpt from Book 1, Ignite

"Kira, come on," she heard the command in his deep voice, but couldn't respond. "Kira, wake up." A hand slapped her in the face, once, twice, a third time and then her eyes shot open and she tried to breathe, but her throat was stuck. Someone flipped her to her side as she began coughing, and finally she spit up what seemed like a gallon of water. Kira laid down again and closed her eyes, wanting to sleep.
"Kira!" She felt one more smack on her face. "You have to stay awake." She opened her eyes and saw the blurry outline of a boy with dark hair and pale skin.
"Tristan?"
"Hello," she saw the corner of his mouth curve upwards despite her uneasy vision.
"What happened?"
"You were being stupid." She started to remember the wave and wipeout, and then her anger brimmed back to the surface.
"Only because you were being an ass," she grumbled and he laughed.
"Come on, try to sit up." Tristan curved an arm around her back to help lift her up. She noticed, at that moment, that they both wore only bathing suits and she was basically sitting on his lap. Kira tried to discreetly look at his chest, which was quite chiseled, and then she noticed the nice bulge of a bicep in his arm. Kira let her eyes wander a few moments longer until Tristan picked her up far enough for the pain in her head to finally hit. She groaned, put a hand to her head and curled into his body a little more.
"Ow."
"Yeah, your board got you pretty bad."
"I know." Kira was starting to get annoyed by his habit of stating the obvious. She pulled her hand back for a moment. "Crap! I’m bleeding." He stared at her hand, which was covered in running red liquid, until she put it back to her head. Kira noticed he was staring again, but this time at her wound. She felt him lean in closer, inspecting it she hoped. After a minute, she couldn’t take it.
"Tristan, tell it to me straight. How bad is it?" She felt him jerk as if she had interrupted him mid-thought.
"Oh. It’s nothing. You’ll be fine. Might need a few stitches." He sat her up on her own and moved back a foot.
"Thanks…for helping me, I mean." She looked at Tristan, saw a few different emotions pass over his face until he finally settled on the half-smile she had started to like. Tristan grabbed a shirt from the unguarded towel next to him, looked at it, looked at Kira, and shrugged. He put it to her head, told her to hold it there, and helped her stand up.
"Get away from her." Luke’s voice boomed from behind her. He came barging in and pushed Kira to the side.
"Chill out, Luke. I didn’t do anything."
"I don’t care. Leave." Kira had never heard such anger in Luke’s voice.
"And if I don’t want to," Tristan asked. Kira knew he was saying it more to test Luke and less because he really needed to stay.
"Then," Luke paused, clenched his fists, looked around, and punched Tristan in the face. For a moment Kira thought she saw a flashing light, but she quickly realized it must have been the sun, which had previously been silhouetted behind the two boys. Tristan fell over and rolled once on the ground.
"Luke! Stop it. He just saved my life."
"Come on, Kira," Luke tugged her hand. She glanced back at Tristan, who just nodded to her, and followed Luke. "We have to take you to the hospital." She didn’t mention the punch, wanting to wait for a good time. Instead she went with her friends back to the car, listened to them talk about trivial things to distract her, allowed Luke to carry her into the hospital, and tried to process the thoughts churning in her head.

My  Review of Ignite (I will only have the review for book one here, so not to spoil anything with the next few book, for those who have not read any yet in this series. I have mini reviews is all of books 2-4 so no spoilers for any of the books, its safe to read them. )

really loved this new spin on vampires and the totally new group of people who protect humans from them. I found the premise of this series extremely entertaining. I devoured the first 2 books in less than a day and a half, as I could not get enough, and of course was thrilled I could then pick up books 3 and 4 right away.

This first story really hooks you fast. I just love both Luke and Tristin. I also think the Kira is a great main character. She is a strong kick butt female, which I love.
We have some fun witty parts, some swoon worthy scenes, and also some sad parts that bring tears to your eyes. (when you read, or if you did, it’s a memory part I really was sad about)

Anyway. I really think anyone who like the paranormal at all, even if you don’t usually read YA, to give it a try, at least this first book, as the price is right to try it out (Free on ebook)
Here is a few teasers I liked:
"Well then, I’ve been dying to tell you what a freaking god Tristan looked like when he carried you out of the water. You, of course, were dangling there like a dead fish, but let me tell you." Emma shook her head as if there were no words and fanned herself."Wait, he carried me out?" Kira grabbed a chocolate chip cookie. Reliving a near death experience required chocolate, especially when someone just said you looked like a dead fish in the arms of a god. Great description.

And
"Is that why you punched Carter?""I just couldn’t stand the way he was touching you." Kira smiled to herself."Jelly belly," she said, wishing she could get her mouth to stop word vomiting. She could feel his chin on the top of her head as he pulled her in closer."Maybe." He said, but it sounded more like a begrudging yes.

And
Tristan cupped her cheek with his hand, staring into her eyes as well. Kira wondered what he saw there. Were her eyes a raging fire that had suddenly calmed to a flickering flame? Her heart seemed to stop as he kept looking, reading her fears and desires, her vulnerability, and the parts of her she tried to keep hidden from everyone else. Then, almost as if in slow motion, he leaned his face down to hers, letting his lips gently grace Kira’s, and the moment of calm was gone. Her heart pounded and she stood on her tippy-toes, eagerly returning his kisses.
Yeah, awesome story, exciting, with the bit of sweet forbidden romance too.
5 huge stars out of 5 for me. Check this series out!


Simmer (Midnight Fire #2) (partial mini review, so not to spoil book 1)

I loved this book even more than the first one Ignite, I loved watching Kira mature and grow into her powers.
The relationships between her, Luke and Tristin are still going, won’t say much there.
Over all, a great continuation of the series. Love the cover on this one, more unique to the story, and looks cool. Much better than all the others.
5 out of 5 stars. I will have full reviews of them all up later for those who want to read them, after reading previous books, here and at other places.

Blaze (mini review, no spoilers for previous books)

I loved this one the most so far. So much excitement and adventure and suspense. We get a huge twist in this one, and some major questions are answered.

Look for my full reviews soon, that you can read after reading previous books
Only thing I do not like, is the cover, it’s too generic (meaning I have seen that same model on at least 5 other covers) and the Photoshop work on the face of the guy is awful, makes him look ugly. That’s the worst of that one.
I give this 3rd book 5 stars too. Love this series.


Scorch (mini review, again, no spoilers for the previous books)

I also really like this book too. I was pleased with the outcome, and enjoyed going on the adventures with Kira. I won’t say much more, being the final book, it can spoil a lot for the previous one. I will have full reviews up soon, for those who have read the previous books. (not in this post)
The only thing I didn’t like, is the cover, its cool, except when looking close you see her hand behind her, making it seem as flames are coming out her butt, lol, yes, it’s her hand, but just first reaction to it was that.
5 stars as well. Overall a great series.




a Rafflecopter giveaway


See the rest of the tour Here

Monday, April 22, 2013

Cover Reveal & #Giveaway: Sacrifice (The Tate Chronicles .05) by K.A. Last

Sacrifice – A Fall For Me Prequel by K.A. Last
Series: The Tate Chronicles, #0.5
Publication date: May, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:

Seth’s heart is breaking. He knows his decision will hurt the one person he keeps breathing for, but he can’t take it anymore. He can’t be near Grace knowing she will always be just out of reach.
  Grace is oblivious to Seth’s turmoil. She loves him unconditionally, but not in the way he wants. They both know that in Heaven physical love is forbidden, and to break the rules is to defy everything they’ve ever been taught.
  When Grace and Seth are sent on a mission to save a young mother and her unborn child, Grace must face the fact that Seth won’t be returning home. She doesn’t understand Seth’s decision and hates him for it. But what neither of them realise is how big a part that single decision will play in shaping their entire future.
  What would you sacrifice for the one you love?



AUTHOR BIO

K. A. Last was born in Subiaco, Western Australia, and moved to Sydney with her parents and older brother when she was eight. Artistic and creative by nature, she studied Graphic Design and graduated with an Advanced Diploma. After marrying her high school sweetheart, she concentrated on her career before settling into family life. Blessed with a vivid imagination, she began writing to let off creative steam, and fell in love with it. She now resides in a peaceful leafy suburb north of Sydney with her husband, their two children and a rabbit named Twitch.

Author links:


Check out Fall For Me, Book 1



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Broken Faith by Brandy Nacole Book Tour ~ Excerpt & Review


Broken Faith (Spiritual Discord #1)

by Brandy Nacole 
ISBN13 9781300852094



Summary:

"This is it. The moment Heaven and Hell clash. But which unearthly being will win, the fallen angel or Hell's hounds?
Overtaken by fear, I close my eyes."


Kayson is a Fallen Angel who has spent decades running from the Hell Hounds while searching for something that no one else believes can be so, not even God. Kayson is determined to find a Blood Child. But when a hound finds Kayson first, he is sure his end has come.

Falon, Alpha of the Hell Hounds, destroyer of the blood children, and devoted believer in his master’s plan, is bound and determined to drag Kayson back to Hell with him. 

Sabrina is a Vampire, a half-breed created from one of Lucifer’s original blood children. After years of hiding, Sabrina’s fate changes when she finds Kayson barely alive. Against her instincts, Sabrina saves him. Now she and Kayson are both marked by the Hell Hounds.

Emma is an ordinary human, whose only problem is making ends meet, and getting over the hurt caused by her untrustworthy brother. Her everyday problems become supernatural ones when she finds Kayson and Sabrina hiding in her parent’s backyard shed.

Kayson, Sabrina and Emma are unlikely allies, thrown together by chance to fight against the most powerful creatures of the underworld in order to follow their world-changing quest. But will the broken faith of one break the faith of all?

Author Bio

Brandy Nacole resides in Arkansas where her imagination runs wild.  Her obsession is reading but her passion is writing.  She put her dream of becoming a writer on the back burner and went to college to become a psychologist.  Three years after endless classes in a field she only felt half satisfied with, Brandy picked up her pen once again and wrote the outline to Uniquely Unwelcome.  She finished out her degree in psychology but traded her dream of writing for the degree and put psychology on the back burner.  Whenever she’s not reading or writing, Brandy is spending time with her family and friends, throwing around crazy ideas, and laughing through the crazy moments. 

She is the author of The Shadow World Series and The Spiritual Discord Series. 

You find Brandy Nacole on


My review

Loved this book. I am not surprised as I absolutely loved Brandy’s Shadow World series. This is just as good as that one.

This story has a great new spin on vampires and angles (well fallen angels)  with the creepy Hell Hounds thrown in too. I was on the edge of my seat right from the start. I loved how it goes between multiple points of views.

I really got to care a lot about most of the characters. Mostly loved Kayson, Sabrina, and Emma, and Briston grew on me as well.
I didn’t like all of Emma’s friends at first, but when I learned more about them, I then liked them as well.

I don’t want to give anything away, won’t mention who is what, but it’s a great mix of the supernatural, and I just loved it.

Here is a nice teaser that won’t give anything away, thought it was a bit funny:

Before he pulls himself under the cover of their branches, he looks back up at me with a smile. “That was probably the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me.” I scrunch up my eyebrows, “What? Almost falling in a ditch?” “No, being carried by a girl.”

If your like me and like paranormal books, you should give this one a try. I loved it, and can’t wait for book 2 now. Hope it is soon.

5 out of 5 stars for sure.

I was provided a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.


Guest Post By Brandy Nacole
5 reasons I write Fantasy

          So, what are five reasons I like to write Fantasy?  How about I narrow this down to five words instead: Seriously, what’s not to love?  I have been a fan of fantasy/paranormal books, movies, shows, and local myths since I was a little girl.  My first memory of the fantasy genre was with Interview with A Vampire.  I was four years old and my aunt, who’s just as big a fan as me if not more, was watching the movie on Halloween.  I don’t remember every detail of course, but I remember watching it with her and being totally enthralled.  From there it was R.L. Stine books, more Anne Rice, and so on. 
          I started writing when I was around 7 and while my writing wasn’t too farfetched with fantasy it was about a young boy and his pet alligator Sam.  They had all sort of adventures together.  Then as I aged, my writing became more involved with pure fantasy. 
          With Fantasy writing you can create the most unique of worlds and fill them with unique characters.  There doesn’t seem to be any line of ‘not possible’ when creating a Fantasy book.  Worlds can be made inside of worlds, powers can be limitless, battles and villains can be twisted, and romances can be epic. 
          With my Shadow World series, I wanted to reach these fantastic limitless possibilities.  My main character, Racquel, is a hybrid that is made up of four different Shadow lines.  She’s part lycan, witch, vampire, and shifter.  Sounds complex doesn’t it.  Well she is a complex character.  She’s also an outcast.  Her powers seem to be limitless and the Shadows not only consider her an abomination but they also fear her.  I also incorporated the Greek Gods with their creations.  Each line of Shadows has a Greek God that created them.  If it wasn’t for my love of Fantasy and the limitless ideas that come from creating such books, then I wouldn’t have had the chance to share the story of a unique girl like Racquel.
          With my Spiritual Discord series, I continued my grasp on the open possibilities.  Broken Faith, which is written so that the story alternates points of view, is about a fallen angel named Kayson who is from the lower realm of Heaven.  After being on the run since his fall, Kayson faces off with one of Hell’s hounds.  After barely escaping with his life, Kayson is found by Sabrina, a vampire who is a half-blood child.  This two unlikely beings work together to outsmart the very beings created to destroy them.  Because of fantasy, I get the chance to share this battle of faith and good will. 
          Fantasy gives readers an escape outside the everyday life, much like most stories.  The thing with Fantasy books, it’s something we just don’t experience on some level on a daily basis.  Now if vampires and shape-shifters start skulking the world, then Fantasy writers are going to have to step it up and reach out for a new level of fiction.  Until that day happens, readers and writers get to live out a world that isn’t our everyday hum bum routines and escape into a world filled with magic, love, rivals, and heart racing wonder.      


Excerpt
            Branches scrape at my skin as I run through the dense forest.  My heart is beating with a terrifying force.  I can hear the beast close in on me, ready for the kill.  His growls echo through the forest.  I don’t know where he is, I just know I have to keep moving.
          I feel like a coward for being so terrified.  Once, I would have stood unwavering, waiting for the beast to show his face.  But since my powers were stripped−my wings torn away−I have been left defenseless, weak, and vulnerable to the beasts set out to destroy me.
          I run as fast as I can, never faltering.  I may not have my powers anymore, but I still have the agility that was so unique to the angels.  Moving and gliding with the winds and earth, flowing with the water as it flows lazily through the fields, to become terrorizing rapids through the twists and turns of some faraway canyon.  
          I burst out of the thicket that is hindering my progress, and see nothing but a dead end up ahead.  I still do not falter.  I make a hard left to climb up the ravine, hoping that the forest is more open at the top.  That’s when the beast steps out in front of me. 
          The being is massive, his tremendous weight and size is such that as he passes between two trees, branches snap, and large bushes are crushed underneath his feet.  I’m expecting him to attack me, pounce on the poor defenseless being he sees before him.  Instead, he shifts out of his beastly form into the human disguise that he uses to inflict havoc into this world. 
          “That was quite a chase.  I must say I haven’t had a rush like that in quite some time.”  His smile is taunting.
          I give him nothing; say nothing, not letting him get the satisfaction out of my fear.  That’s what the hound wants, he wants to feed on me before killing me.  My fear and poor show of bravery, however, is obvious, and it is feeding his pathetic excuse for a soul. 
          “Unfortunately for you, it will be your last attempt at saving your life.” 
          He lunges at me, his beast-like yet still human claws balling into fists as he tries connecting with my face.  I dodge his blow as I unsheathe the only weapon I have, my trusty sword. 
          The beast steps back for a moment, taking in the sword in my hand.  A menacing smile spreads across his face before he lunges for me again.  I swing my sword out, going straight for his head.  If I can get enough momentum and find the right angle, I can take his head off and end his reign of terrorizing evil.
          He blocks my blow with his forearm, while his other fist connects with my ribs.  I can hear as the bones break, the pain shooting through my abdomen.  Ignoring the pain, I take another swing at him, but it’s blocked again as he grabs the blade, yanking me forward, the momentum smashing me into a tree.
          I turn, swinging my sword with all my might.  It doesn’t connect with his head but it does land a blow against his side, doing some damage.  The beast screams out in pain, clenching at his side.  Then it looks up at me, pure hatred and disgust radiates from the menacing scowl on the human mask it wears.  “You will feel the true wrath of the hounds.  I was trying to be lenient in your death but now you will have no mercy.”
          The man shifts back into his true form.  His smooth skin stretches, as black fur covers his body.  His hands become sharp claws, and his snout extends, as razor sharp teeth that can rip skin and break through bone erupt from its jaw.  When the hound stands on his back legs he towers over me by more than three feet.  Snapping his jaw of razor-sharp teeth at me, I swing my sword, connecting with his snout.  The tear in his skin is barely a scratch. 
           With lightning speed, my sword is torn from my hand as his jaws close on it and he tears it away, tossing it through the air.  I know I’m no match against this beast without it.  Seeing the hilt sticking up from the ground, I roll in the direction of the sword to retrieve it.  The hound swipes at me with a long clawed hand, tearing into my back as I roll by him.  With no time for slip-ups, I ignore the pain and continue for the sword.   I can hear the beast coming after me, though this particular spot in the woods is thick with trees instead of bushes and briars, making it harder for him to move. 
          The beast swipes at me again through the trees, catching my leg in his grasp.  Bones snap as he twists my leg, lifting me up off the ground.  I scream out but continue to reach out and grab at the sword’s hilt.  Pulling the sword from the ground, I swing it through the air, stabbing the hound’s hand to release me.  It growls and lets me go.  I land on the ground with a thud.  My shoulder takes the brunt of the blow. 
          A loud snarl fills the air as the hound lunges for me.  His jaws snap at me, ready to bite me in half.  But he can’t move; his shoulders are stuck between two trees.  He tries pushing forward through the trees as he stretches his neck to get a hold on me.  But the hound makes no leeway past the trees.  I know I can’t move in this condition, my leg is too busted up to carry me very far.  My panic rises as the trees start to creak and snap from the force of the weight being pushed against them. 
          With each snap, the hound’s slavering muzzle comes closer.  The beast lets out a growl so loud I cover my ears, then he pushes harder, snapping the tree with his mass and strength.  Just as he’s about to deliver the final blow, I stab my sword up, piercing his jaw and coming out through the top of his head.  The hound collapses to the ground.  I guard myself as the hound falls, landing extremely close to me.  His massive body shakes the ground, cracking the dry dirt. 
          I use my arms to drag myself away from the menacing heap of fur.  Once I’m a safe distance from the hound lying on the ground, I pull myself up.  I do my best to keep the weight off my busted leg.  I have no choice but to leave my sword behind.  The hilt is jammed under the hound, and I don’t have the strength or time to pull it out from under him. 
I slowly climb out of the ravine, knowing I have to get away as fast as I can. I know the other hounds will be coming.  It may take some time, but they will come.  If only I had killed the hound before he unleashed the hell call.   


Sunday, April 21, 2013

Cover Reveal: The Return (Book #2 in The Witch Hunter Saga) By Nicole R. Taylor

Title: The Return (#2 in the Witch Hunter Saga)
Author: Nicole R. Taylor
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal
Age group: New Adult / Adult (17+ some language and violent situations)

Synopsis:

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.

About the Author

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 currently available in e-edition and print.

Learn more about her writing at: www.nicolertaylorwrites.com

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