Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Book Review: Bound Across Time (Book One) by Annie R McEwen + giveaway

Bound Across Time  paranormal romance book cover
Bound Across Time (Book One)
by Annie R McEwen
May 7, 2024
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Ghost Romance
Publisher: Harbor Lane Books
Date of Publication:
ASIN: B0CV4RPDDX
Number of pages: 324
In a castle on the shores of the Irish Sea, she’s met the love of her life. Clever, witty, strong, fiercely attractive. What’s the catch? He’s a ghost.

Historian CeCe’s dream job in a Welsh castle goes sideways when she’s ordered to ditch the history and lead ghost walks. That’s the worst of her worries until she meets Patrick: strong, handsome, irresistible…and dead since 1761.

Desire and hope flare in Patrick’s heart when CeCe touches him while, for CeCe, Patrick is everything. But she’s in the bright world of the living while he’s trapped in the shadows.

Loving a ghost is deadly business. Patrick and CeCe struggle to outrace fate as it hurtles them toward disaster. Can the ancient riddle of an Irish seer save them? The spells of Welsh witches?

Or can powers CeCe didn’t even know she possessed bridge time and defeat death?



Bound Across Time by author Annie McEwen is book one in a new PNR series featuring Ghosts. Yes, Ghosts! I absolutely needed to try this one just based on that part alone.

Was I hopeful for some Patrick Swayze (RIP) and Whoopie moments? Hell yes I was! That was an awesome movie and obviously this author must have thought so as well, since she writes a whole dang new series about them. Send in the unchained melody, I was onboard from the jump and loved every minute of this one.

Some hot and heavy romance for sure lights up these pages. Adding the longing across the centuries to be freed from the half-life this dashing Irishman Patrick has limped through. CeCe is a very funny and believable leading lady, I would have enjoyed even more snark and humor in her character.

A very well thought out and planned new series by an author that seems to know her base audience and how to keep us fully entertained. I look forward to reading more and keep making those ghosts freaky cause this gal loved it!

Getting 4 and 1/2 "lets make some clay pots" Sheep

 
 
 
 
KD

Excerpt from Bound Across Time, by Annie R McEwen

You’re an idjit, Patrick. Death was always too good for you.

He should have gone slower with her, no doubt about it. He was a lout, a brute, to startle her so thoroughly, and that was never his intent. He could have—no, he should have—whispered, or moaned, or shimmered from a distance. Instead, he was hasty.

Hasty? He was a burning brand of desire. Who could blame him after two hundred-fifty…how long had it been? He’d lost count of the years.

That was still no reason to be an imbecilic knave, popping up like codswalloping Punch on a puppet stage while wearing the same filthy linen he was tipped overboard in when the Earl didn’t have the decency to give him a proper burial. At least the sea water had washed away the blood.

His honor, his common sense—perhaps they’d washed away as well. Within reach of this woman, he could remember nothing he’d learned of subtle romance and courtly manners. All he could think of was making her his, now until the end of time.

What an embarrassment he was, to his sainted mother, to his upbringing, to the gentleman he was reared to be. An embarrassment to every Irish bard who ever sang songs or wrote poems about women who were doves, and lilies, and other things he couldn’t remember.

He did remember that they were fragile and easily startled. Easily driven away.
Next time, I will be slow. I will slowly and gently explain things to her. Unusual things. Highly unusual, uncanny, frightening, nigh incomprehensible things.

Sure, now, Patrick, me boyo, that’ll be a stroll along the banks of the Shannon.

By the right hand of God, but she was beautiful. Slumbering on the stone floor, her skin smooth ivory but gilded, as though the sun had kissed her once and then fallen in love, unable to leave. She’d lost her cap, and her hair—rich, deep brown and burnished with red, like brandy—tumbled around her neck and shoulders. Her sun-brushed skin, high and perfect cheekbones, the delicate slant of her eyes, the plump swell of her breasts above the top edge of her bodice, the curves of the body he could imagine pressed to his own aching and lonely one…

Beauty itself, she was, not only of body but of mind. In the weeks before she’d seen him, he’d watched her exercise that beautiful mind among the slower thinkers of the Castle, who doubtless envied her. She was stubborn, spirited, and quick-witted—he liked that.
He crouched over her crumpled form, not touching, only taking in her scent. Rose attar and mint—he liked that, too.

The only thing he didn’t care for was the name she went by, See-see. What sort of name was that? It was something you called a canary. He would never call her that, not when the French name with which she’d been christened was just like her.

Céleste, meaning heavenly.

She was waking now. He rose and backed away. Time for him to depart, as he must, and breathe a prayer. Not for himself, there was no point to that. If God had ever listened to him, he wouldn’t be where he was, and he deserved no better. His prayer would be for her, the angel who defied or escaped God’s curse to light his endless night.

Come back, Céleste Gowdie. Please come back.

About the Author:

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Annie R McEwen is a career historian who’s lived in six countries, under every roof from a canvas tent to a Georgian Era manor house and driven herself to work in everything from a donkey cart to a vintage Peugeot. For her, it feels perfectly natural to create stories of desperate love and powerful secrets in faraway times and places.

Winner of the 2022 Page Turners Award, Genre (Romance) Category, Annie also garnered the First Place 2022 RTTA (Romance Through Ages Award from Romance Writers of America; Post-Victorian to WWI Category), the 2023 MAGGIE Award, and the 2023 Daphne du Maurier Award. Her Regency murder mystery “Death at Dunarven” appears in the 2024 Murder Most International Anthology.

Annie’s books are published by Harbor Lane Books (US), Bloodhound Books (UK), and The Wild Rose Press. When she’s not in her 1920s bungalow in Florida, Annie lives, writes, and explores castles in Wales.

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She’s an American historian: rational, logical, sure that she’s found her dream job in a Welsh castle. The job comes with a dream man: clever, strong, fiercely attractive. What’s the catch? He’s a ghost. https://amzn.to/3uTAwNo
#paranormalromance #ghostromance #ghostlove #romance #witchcraft #timeslip #celticfolklore #Samhain #DayoftheDead #standingstones #magick #familysecrets #Wales #haunted #supernatural #series #welshmagick #Wicca #welshwitchcraft #Irishfolklore #hauntedcastle #castleghost

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Monday, May 6, 2024

A Moonrise in the Fire: A New Adult Romantasy (An Element of Fire, Book 1) by Tessia Ives

We're touring A Moonrise in the Fire by Tessia Ives this week! We're also OBSSESSED with this cover!

A Moonrise in the Fire book cover, new adult romantasy
A Moonrise in the Fire: A New Adult Romantasy (An Element of Fire, Book 1)

by Tessia Ives
February 2024
Genre: NA Romantasy/ Spicy
✨ Star-crossed lovers
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Hidden identity, Secrets
✨ Witty banter
✨ Reluctant (& hilarious) companions on a quest
✨ Fated soulmates
✨Relatable FMC
“A compelling, darkly imaginative, and deliciously sexy fantasy romance.” - The Prairies Book Review
How many realms would you cross to save your true love?
All humans possess an element – except for Talvi. Born without magic and dedicated to being the keeper of Starstone Temple, an ancient monastery in her small forest town, she’s plunged into a world-changing struggle when a mysterious and powerful guest arrives on her doorstep.

Caelan ignites a dangerous fire in her heart... but he guards a secret that could destroy them both. After Talvi’s childhood love is abducted by a terrifying threat from a doomed world, Caelan is the only one who can help her. Alongside her two best friends, Talvi must unravel the long-lost secrets of Starstone – and embark on a dangerous quest that will transport her to unknown realms.

Four elements. Three realms. Two lovers. And one impossible choice.
Hunted by deadly enemies and unable to contain the desire burning between them, Talvi struggles not to fall for the enigmatic fire elemental. His wickedly beautiful smile. His courageous passion. The seductive amber flames of his eyes. Can she decide where her loyalty – and her heart – truly lie? Or will embracing her destiny force her to pay a devastating price?

She was born powerless. Now the fate of the realms rests in her hands.

Dive into a steamy romantic fantasy adventure that sweeps you into an enchanting world of vast fjords, wild forests, elemental powers, and one woman searching for her destiny. With a stunning love story that spans multiple realms, A Moonrise in the Fire is Book One in An Element of Fire series but can be read as a standalone. A gripping read perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Holly Black.

IG: @tessiaives @rrbooktours

Tags #rrbooktours #rrbtamoonriseinthefire #amoonriseinthefire #nafantasyromance #newadultbooks #romanticfantasy #romantasybooks #romanticfantasybooks #spicyfantasyromance
 
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Saturday, May 4, 2024

Interview: Historical Paranormal Romance Author: Caroline Helenasdotter + giveaway

Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I have been writing stories ever since I learned how to read and write. When I was a child I loved fairy tales, that love never really subsided. The Moomins were some of my absolute favorites growing up. Today I love to read fairy tales with my children. Jan Lööf is one of our favorites. My daughter is particularly fond of Pippi Longstocking.

What is something unique/quirky about you?
In 2012, I had the unique experience of studying Russian in Russia, residing in St. Petersburg. I am also a taekwondo black belt and a capoeira graduada. Martial arts are a true passion of mine.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
The caracal definitely. It is my spirit animal.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
At the age of 12, I completed my first young adult book. For me, anyone who writes is a writer, regardless of whether they've been published. During my teenage years, my love for Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings fueled my passion for writing, particularly in the high fantasy genre. I was absolutely obsessed with Harry Potter and The Lord of the rings (I still am).

Who designed your book covers?
My mother, Anna Helena Annika Karlsson, is a brilliant artist. My surname, 'Helenasdotter,' actually means 'daughter of Helena' (since 'dotter' means 'daughter' in Swedish). In Sweden, surnames typically derive from the father's name, using 'son' for sons and 'dotter' for daughters, such as Andersson, Nilsson, or Karlsson. However, I chose to take a name that celebrates female energy and honors my mother instead.

In Swedish tradition, it's more common to create a surname from your father's name, even if you use a 'dotter' name instead of a 'son' name. My father is named Thomas, so conventionally, my surname would be 'Thomasdotter.' Yet, I wanted to pay homage to feminine energy and decided to take 'Helenasdotter' instead.

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?
So far, I have only published two books. My first one, 'Saga of the Swedish Water Spirit,' is much spicier than 'Whispers of the Nordic Draugr.' It would probably be difficult to adapt that one into a movie

Advice to writers?
I am going to quote Jack London on this one: 'You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.'

And believe in yourself. It can be really tough out there for authors. Do not let anyone make you feel that you are less than you are. Never give up, never give in; stay true to yourself and remember to be kind to yourself.

What inspired you to write this book?
I have always been interested in Scandinavian mythology and folklore, and I love to incorporate fantasy with folklore/mythology into my writing. My main female characters are always women over the age of 30. I believe there is a lack of female characters in the romantasy genre who are middle-aged or approaching middle age. I would love to see more books with female romantasy leads in their 30s, 40s, or even older than that!

What did you enjoy most about writing this series?
I have a very vivid imagination, and I love to write about fantasy and love. The brain does not know the difference between writing/reading about something or experiencing it in real life. The same neural patterns get activated in the brain when you imagine something or when it is actually happening. Writing and reading about love gives you the chance to experience falling in love time after time.

Have you written any other books that are not published?
Yes, several. I have about 10 unfinished books and even more ideas. When inspiration strikes, I just have to write it down and start crafting a story. Hopefully, I will have time to finish many of them. However, time with two small children is very limited; I only have time to write during the night. I also find that having limited time to write inspires me even more; it forces me to truly value the time I can devote to writing and make the most of it. Writing becomes my reward after a long day.

What can we expect from you in the future?
I have another book coming up at the end of the year. It is something that I have been working on for a very long time. I will continue writing romantic fantasy and folklore/mythology with a lot of romance

What book do you think everyone should read?
"The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle had a profound impact on my life. When you read this book, one of two outcomes is likely: either you'll stop after a few pages, feeling it's a waste of time and that you don't understand it at all, or it will deeply resonate with you.


In 16th-century Scandinavia, Katarina's fate intertwines with Ulrik's dark demonic past. Love and darkness converge in a captivating tale of redemption amidst ancient legends.

Whispers of the Nordic Draugr

by Caroline Helenasdotter
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance, Romantasy
In the misty realms of 16th-century Scandinavia, where myths dance with reality, Katarina finds herself ensnared in a perilous dance between the mortal and the ethereal. Possessed by the elusive mare, her world fractures, and the shadows grow darker. But amidst the chaos, a reluctant guardian emerges - Ulrik, the enigmatic master of her estate, harboring demonic secrets darker than the midnight sea.

Haunted by a past veiled in blood and sorrow, Ulrik battles not only his own demons but the sinister machinations of Vasilij, his tyrannical draugr maker. Bound by an unholy pact, their fates entwine with Katarina's, as love and darkness collide in a deadly game of fate.

As Ulrik and Katarina traverse the treacherous landscapes of love and fear, they must confront not only the malevolent mare but the looming specter of Vasilij, whose hunger for power knows no bounds. In a tale woven with romance and terror, their journey unfolds, where every step taken could lead to salvation or damnation.

Enter a world where passion ignites amidst the howling winds, and where the line between hero and villain blurs in the flickering light of ancient legends. Prepare to be ensnared in the spellbinding tale of Katarina and Ulrik, where love defies even the darkest of shadows.

Experience a spellbinding blend of love, passion, folklore and mystique.

**Only .99 Cents! **
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About the Author
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Caroline Helenasdotter is a Swedish author born in 1986, living in the south of Sweden with her partner and two small children aged 3 and 6. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science and language from the University of Lund. Helenasdotter has lived and worked in Switzerland, Norway, Portugal, and Russia, and she is fluent in Portuguese. When not writing or spending time with her family, she enjoys practicing yoga, martial arts, and running.

Giveaway
$10 Amazon
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Wednesday, May 1, 2024

99 Cents: Smuggler's Valor: A Sci-fi Action Adventure (Reese Daniels Smuggler Series Book 1) by Reese Daniels

We're thrilled to announce that the first two novella's in the Reese Daniels Smuggler Series are now available and the third will be released soon! To start, check out Smuggler's Valor!

Smuggler's Valor by Reese Daniels  book cover, sci-fi action adventure book
Smuggler's Valor: A Sci-fi Action Adventure (Reese Daniels Smuggler Series Book 1)

by Reese Daniels
June 2023
Smuggling precious cargo to a remote colony was supposed to be easy. I was dead wrong.

Smuggling is a dangerous business and Reese Daniels has the score of a lifetime within his grasp; however, getting shot down on one of Uranus' moons wasn't in his plan. Stranded and on the run in the middle of an alien invasion, Reese must work with a group of Marine cadets to escape a grisly fate.

 
 
About the Author
Website
T.D. Wilson was born in 1968 in Troy, Ohio and has been an avid fan of science fiction and fantasy from a very young age. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and has supported the systems and networks in several of the largest Supercomputing data centers in the world. His early thirst for adventure in reading began as he explored many of the great stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As his reading scope expanded, Mr. Wilson was fascinated by strange new worlds from the magical of Middle Earth and Narnia to the far reaches of space in Star Trek and Babylon 5. As a science fiction author, he strives to integrate a realistic flavor to his worlds by providing his readers a feel for the real science in science fiction. A topic he loves to discuss with his friends and readers. Mr. Wilson still lives in Ohio wi

X: @TDWilson3 @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours
IG: @wilsontd4655 @rrbooktours
Tags
#rrbooktours #rrbtsmugglersvalor #sciencefiction #scifibooks #scifiadventure


Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Comic Review: Universal Monsters: The Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives! #1 (of 4)

The Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives! comic book cover
Universal Monsters: The Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives! #1 (of 4)
April 24, 2024
Writers: Ram V, Dan Watters
Artists: Matthew Roberts, Dave Stewart
Publisher: Skybound (Image Comics)
Lunar Code: 0224IM219
MINISERIES PREMIERE
A NEW HORROR DREAM TEAM RESURRECTS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC MONSTERS
Acclaimed creators DAN WATTERS (HOME SICK PILOTS, Lucifer), RAM V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Batman: Detective Comics), and MATTHEW ROBERTS (MANIFEST DESTINY) rise from the depths for an all-new epic.
Years after the events of the original film, journalist Kate Marsden hunts for a notorious serial killer in the heart of the Amazon. Hot on the trail of this madman, she soon encounters an unexpected new threat—but is it friend or foe? Or is it simply...THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON?


This miniseries resurrects one of the most iconic Universal monsters. Acclaimed creators Dan Watters, Ram V, and Matthew Roberts rise from the depths for an all-new epic.

Years after the events of the original film, journalist Kate Marsden hunts for a notorious serial killer in the heart of the Amazon. Hot on the trail of this madman, she soon encounters an unexpected new threat- but is it friend or foe? Or is it simply… THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON?

I have been waiting for this comic book since last year, when I first I heard they were spotlighting the Universal monsters from my childhood. And the Creature is still my favorite monster of all time! (Sorry, C.H.U.D.) Image and Skybound did not disappoint.

I have to begin by applauding the artwork. I’m not a fan of comic art that wants to prove how artsy it is, or overdoes splash pages, or worse of the worst- draws my horror or heroes cartoonish. Roberts creates perfect images that hit the realism and never distract from the story. The creators wisely let their multiple variant covers do their bragging. And they are beautiful. It’s hard not to collect them all. Or pick just one to be my new tramp stamp.
The story flies fast, yet doesn’t skimp on plot or characters. We know all about Kate, the attempted drowning that almost murdered her, and her tortured life every day since. Strung out on amphetamine, she follows her target, the serial killer Collier, into foreign countries and unknown territories. It’s clear her need for revenge and closure override most of her common sense and caution towards danger. With the help of a few locals, she is able to close in, as an interesting subplot is laid out.

But here’s the reason I’m diving into this miniseries. My beloved Creature. Watters and Ram V treat him with respect. When another body is found in the river, Collier’s M.O., the gathering of townspeople explain it was the Creature. Kate dismisses the urban legend. She knows fact from fiction. But, uh, no. She don’t. I love how the old woman explains the Creature is not cruel. It is not a monster. It simply takes people for the river. Most importantly, the Creature does not like to be spoken of. My grandmother was very much the same way.

As any good cliff hanger does, our star makes his appearance in the final pages. It’s done with suspense, with horror, so well you can hear the Creature’s classic theme music. I cannot wait for the next issue and the entire series. But at the same time, it’s kinda like Christmas. The anticipation of opening my next present is a huge part of the fun. 

Definitely five waterlogged sheep!


 

 

 

Reviewed by Olga Dickie (the reviewer's name has been changed to protect the guilty) 

 

YA Paranormal Romance: Curses of Midnight Springs Serird by Valerie Jo + giveaway

When a lost wolf shifter meets a beautiful thief, their lives will change forever . . .

 
Brooke and the Wolf (Curses of Midnight Springs Book 1)

by Valerie Jo
April 25, 2023
Genre: Clean YA Paranormal Romance
When a lost wolf shifter meets a beautiful thief, their lives will change forever…

Brooke has been forced to grow up and take care of her ten year old sister all at once during her senior year of high school. With her drug addict mother mostly out of the picture, keeping a roof over her and her sister is more than a challenge. Without any money or food, she resorts to stealing at the farmers' market.

Peter first started turning into a wolf at age eight. When he gets too emotional, the wolf takes full control over his body and mind, and he doesn’t remember anything during that time. To avoid hurting anyone, Peter lives in isolation in the woods, only emerging to sell fish at the farmers' market to get money for supplies.

When Brooke steals a fish from Peter, both of their worlds turn upside down.

Brooke is just trying to get through her last year of high school. With too much responsibility already, is getting entangled with a potentially dangerous wolf boy a huge mistake?

Or will the love Brooke and Peter find in each other be enough to carve out a home in a world that has rejected them both?

If you love young adult paranormal romances, Brooke and the Wolf is for you. Featuring a cursed wolf shifter finding love with a human girl, this story hits all the good stuff. Get ready for one epic love story filled with surprise, danger, and drama as you discover if Brooke and Peter will find happiness in the end.

**Only .99cents!**
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Raven and the Ghost (Curses of Midnight Springs Book 2)

If you know the guy you love is lying, do you call him out on it?

If you love young adult paranormal romances, you will swoon over Raven and the Ghost. Featuring a fake relationship, a terrible secret, magic, and ghosts, you will stay up late to read “one more chapter.” Get ready for the second installment in the Curses of Midnight Springs series, full of more surprises, romance, and drama as you discover if Raven and Nash can find their way to each other through the web of lies.

Buy this book to continue the epic series today!

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Juliet and the Assassin (Curses of Midnight Springs Book 3)

Would you fight to remember your past, no matter how terrible it was?

Read Book Three of the Curses of Midnight Springs Saga today to find out!

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Holly and the Unseen (Curses of Midnight Springs Book 4)

If your greatest enemy was your only hope, could you trust them?

Order Book Four to read the epic final installment of the Curses of Midnight Springs Saga today and find out!

Amazon-Bookbub-Goodreads

Darcy and the Wildfire (Experiments of Midnight Springs Book 1)

Who would want to live forever in chains?

Can Jeff and Darcy save each other from their seemingly sealed fates?

How many casual kisses does it take to fall in love?

Read Book One of the Experiments of Midnight Springs series today to find out!
**Only .99cents!**
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**Check out the newly released coloring book! **

Curses of Midnight Springs Coloring Book

This coloring book is a must-have companion for the Midnight Springs fandom!

Featuring 46 colorable pages, the Curses of Midnight Springs coloring book will help readers dive even deeper into the world of Midnight Springs. Included are a variety of mandalas, quote pages, object-based designs, and decorative floral patterns--all printed on one side of the page with a blank back to avoid bleed-through (because everyone hates that, right?)

Elements from the following books are included:

Brooke and the Wolf
Raven and the Ghost
Juliet and the Assassin
Holly and the Unseen

If you can't get enough of the Curses of Midnight Springs series, this coloring book is for you!

(Also, be sure to check out the next series in this world, the Experiments of Midnight Springs.)

Get it on Amazon!


About the Author:
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Valerie Jo is a young-adult paranormal romance author. Her goal as an author is to merge the fantasy worlds of Sarah J. Maas and Richelle Mead with the contemporary romance styles of Simone Elkeles and Katie McGarry. (If you haven't read anything by these authors, add them to your tbr list. You won't regret it.)

Valerie is a Christian, a wife to an amazing man, and a mother to two beautiful and brilliant children, so she knows all about love and being loved well. Sadly, she had to experience much heartache to get to this point. Her greatest desire is for her readers to find love and peace in the pages of her books, and to never settle for less than that in their own lives. ❤


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$20 Amazon giftcard,
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Monday, April 29, 2024

The Musician and the Monster: A Gothic Beauty and the Beast Retelling (The Castamar Duology Book 1) by Megan Van Dyke

If you’re looking for a gothic romantasy that’s a fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast, this book is for you! Pre-order The Musician and the Monster today!

The Musician and the Monster book cover, Gothic romantasy
The Musician and the Monster: A Gothic Beauty and the Beast Retelling (The Castamar Duology Book 1)

by Megan Van Dyke
May 7, 2024
Genre: Gothic Romantic Fantasy
💖 Forbidden love
☑️ Morally grey MMC
⚔️ Determined heroine
🎶 Music is powerful
🔥 Slow burn to steamy
❄️ Wintertime
🥀 Gothic vibes
❤️‍🩹 Hurt/comfort
🗡️ Touch her and 💀
✨ Magic
🎭 Masquerade
Music says things words never can. I love you. I miss you. I’m sorry I killed you.

Every night, Ceridwen Kinsley plays music on her rooftop for the spirit of her dead mother. A peaceful if odd ritual, until she witnesses a murder by something not quite human. The monstrous encounter earns her notoriety within the city and a visit from the reclusive Lord Protector Drystan Winterbourne.

Charged with protecting the backwater city of Teneboure by the king, Drystan is failing at his task, and he can’t afford another slip up. But when fate and the very monster he means to conquer bring Ceridwen to his notice, he seizes the opportunity and presents her with an offer: play music for him at his manor in exchange for the money her impoverished family desperately needs. Music eases the strain of his magic, and who better to hire than the woman whose tunes he secretly listens to at night?

At first, Ceridwen is put off by Drystan’s unkempt appearance and harsh demeanor, not to mention the odd ailment that plagues him. But as he embraces her passion for music and she draws the recluse out of his lonely tower, the two develop an unlikely attachment. Class lines begin to blur as fearful indifference shifts to unexpected desire, and Ceridwen yearns to help Drystan subdue the monster as well as provide for her family. However, the monster prowling the night isn’t their only enemy, and as terrible secrets come to light, protecting those they love may risk their lives and their hearts.

This retelling of Beauty and the Beast incorporates themes and motifs from Phantom of the Opera, and is set in a gaslamp fantasy world with strong gothic vibes. It should appeal to fans of romantic and atmospheric retellings and fairy tales by authors such as Hannah Whitten, Tessonja Odette, and Stephanie Garber.


About the Author
Website
Megan Van Dyke is an award-winning fantasy romance author with a love for all things magical and romantic, especially fairytales and anything with a happily ever after. Many of her stories include themes of family (whether born into or found) and a sense of home and belonging, which are important aspects of her life as well. When not writing, Megan loves to cook, play video games, explore the great outdoors, and spend time with her family. Megan currently lives with her family in Florida.

X: @AuthorMeganVD @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

IG: @authormeganvandyke @rrbooktours

TIKTOK: @MeganVanDyke @shannon_of_rrbooktours

Tags:
#rrbooktours #rrbtthemusicianandthemonster #TheMusicianAndTheMonster #romantasy #fairytaleretelling #beautyandthebeast #beautyandthebeastretelling #forbiddenlove #gothicromance #meganvandyke #gaslampfantasy #morallygrey #gothicfantasy
 
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Sunday, April 28, 2024

PNR: Alder King Spring (Wild Wanderings Book 2 - Standalone) by Talia Greer

It's release week so you don't need to wait any longer for Talia Greer's latest book, Alder King Spring!

Alder King Spring book cover, paranormal romance by Talia Greer
Alder King Spring (Wild Wanderings Book 2 - Standalone)
by Talia Greer
April 30, 2024
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Shifter Romance
⛈️Grumpy/Sunshine
🌲Small-Town Wooded Setting
Woodland Magic
🔥Slow Burn
💭Sentient Forest
🏳️‍🌈Demisexual and Bisexual Rep
🕰️Loose Beauty and the Beast Vibes
📖German Folklore Inspiration
As his curse’s deadline approaches, Kaspar and his beloved enchanted forest stand on the brink of doom.

Deep in the snowy forests of Germany, the Alder King of legend runs short on time. Cursed by a vengeful sorceress for his father’s misdeeds, Kaspar’s desperate quest for the one elusive remedy–love–becomes increasingly dire. Each passing day, his hope dwindles, for who could ever see past his face, marred by the scars of ancient magic?

Eliza Wilson has two missions: write her dissertation and savor her fleeting days of freedom. Her fiancé considers her interests pointless, and while her family loves him, Eliza longs for a deeper connection. With their wedding on the horizon, this research trip is her last chance to indulge her interest in all things mythical.

Though the country house she rents a room in is breathtaking, the surly landlord–who covers his face and seems reluctant to acknowledge her unless they’re discussing literature–soon becomes more fascinating than her research.

As her determination to unravel his secrets brings them closer, Eliza unearths the grim destiny of the ailing king and realizes that she holds the sole key to his salvation–if only he would allow himself to be saved.

Will she make a dutiful return to her indifferent fiancé? Or will she choose the risk of a lifetime and indulge her forbidden attraction to a stubborn and lonely mythical king who refuses her help at every turn?

Perfect for readers of Kathryn Moon and Lillian Lark, Alder King Spring is a dual-POV, full-length paranormal monster romance that draws inspiration from German folklore. It has a guaranteed HEA and features a grumpy/sunshine dynamic and a loose Beauty and the Beast retelling. See author’s website for more detailed content warnings.

Alder King Spring is the second in a series of small-town standalones, each set in a different location and season. All books in the Wild Wandering series can be read in any order.

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Thursday, April 25, 2024

YA Fantasy: A Bond of Fate by Stephanie Duley

A Bond of Fate
by Stephanie Duley
Publication Date: March 23, 2024
Genre: YA Fantasy
🗣️Witty Banter
💕Fated Mates
🥨Plot Twists
🐺Fey, Werewolves, & Vampires
🥰Love Triangle
"A Bond of Fate" presents a captivating narrative about two destined young mates in a world where supernatural beings coexist with humans. The tale follows the incredible journey of Evelyn Latham, a strong and self-reliant young woman, and Liam O’Leary, a compelling and resilient young man.

One fateful night, Evie and Liam's paths cross, revealing an ancient prophecy that designates them as the world's saviors. Unaware of a looming malevolent threat rising from Hell, endangering both humans and supernatural beings, they embark on a dangerous quest guided by destiny. Together, they seek to unravel their origins, unlock their latent powers, and confront the encroaching darkness.

As their bond strengthens, Evie and Liam navigate through the challenging landscapes of the Fey lands, facing formidable foes and battling their inner demons. To restore balance to the realms, they must embrace their true selves, wield their unique abilities, and confront the impending darkness.

This enchanting story blends romance, fantasy, and adventure, delving into themes of love, sacrifice, and the timeless clash between good and evil. Will Evie and Liam fulfill their destined roles, triumph over evil, and bring light to the world, or will darkness prevail, casting the realm into eternal gloom?


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Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Excerpt: The Divine and Deadly (Magorian and Jones Book Five) by Taylen Carver + giveaway

The Divine and Deadly urban fantasy book cover by Taylen Carver
The Divine and Deadly (Magorian and Jones Book Five)
by Taylen Carver
April 18, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Publisher: Stories Rule Press
ISBN: Amazon 9781779432049
ASIN: B0CQ98S9GK
Number of pages: 220
Word Count: 81,000 words
Cover Artist: Dar Albert
The old gods have arrived, ready to punish humans and Old Ones with tribulations that resemble hell on Earth.

Magorian, the world’s first modern wizard, and Dr. Michael Jones, failed to stop the Siren, Aurelius, from summoning the old gods. Now the world is reeling from the destruction that Agrona, God of Slaughter and Carnage, is hailing down upon every mortal, no matter what their race.

Magorian and Jones must find a way to send the old gods back to where they came from before their ways crack open the world and destroy everyone upon it, both human and Old Ones.

The Divine and Deadly is the final book in the urban fantasy series, Magorian & Jones, by Taylen Carver.


Praise for the Magorian & Jones Series:
1.0: The Memory of Water
2.0: The Triumph of Felix
3.0: The Shield of Agrona
3.1: The Wizard Must be Stopped!
4.0: The Rivers Ran Red
5.0: The Divine and Deadly

Plenty of exciting twists and turns.

Feel the tingling of danger, the aha's of escaping death, and the excitement of magic.

I loved this and will continue on with the series.

I’m a sucker for wounded, conflicted heroes, and Jones was just that.

I loved it; a magnificent first book in this really different new series.

Will definitely look for further books by this author and series.

Fast paced, exciting reads you won't want to put down!

I'm overjoyed to be back in this amazing world building series

I highly recommend this series to all who love fantasy with a twist, adventure, surprises, and the occasional human, aside from one of our human heroes of course

story manages to be more intimate than ever

This book gets dark and gritty right from the beginning and does not shy away

the kind of story that will drag you in and keep you reading

Well paced, good balance between action and character development

Such is the joy of reading the works of an excellent writer with a great imagination and the ability to tell an absolutely fascinating story.

Excerpt: Chapter One
I have watched hundreds of humans suffer through their transformation from human to Old One. Some say I am an expert in this, but I would dispute that. I don’t think there are any experts. Too little is known about the transformation process for anyone to claim the status. The experience I have lets me ease my patients’ agony a little, and avoids harming them in the process. But no skill of mine changes the course of the transformation by a single micron.

I watched Henry Magorian writhe and twist on the bed I stood beside, reviewing my uselessness, and finding it ironic that I was so helpless. Henry was Benjamin Magorian’s older brother, and a slimey wretch of a man. Yet he was my patient. I was required to give him the best care possible. His family had flown us out to Montreal from Toledo, Spain, on a private and very expensive jet, for this purpose.

Pain is pain. I hated seeing the man claw at the expensive sheets, the tendons in his neck and wrists standing out like ships’ hawsers. He wore only boxer briefs and his entire body was bathed in sweat. He had been sweating for hours, now. We had changed the sheets twice.
I made myself look away. Watching him helped no one. I put the stethascope on the tray table the family had thoughtfully provided and looked at Jaimie.

She held her hands out over Henry’s body, just above the thrashing shoulders, concentrating on whatever information travelled through her palms. I wasn’t certain what she could detect, for the mystery of fae magic was not readily shared by any of them.

Jaimie wore her thick pale hair up in a pony tail at the back of her head, which allowed her pointed ears to be seen. Normally, she was careful to drape her hair over her ears when among humans, but we’d long since passed that consideration. We’d been in this room for nearly thirty hours, and members of the family had stopped stepping in to check on their cousin/uncle.

She held her flawless face in a stiff, neutral expression. She was not allowing herself to show how worried she was. But I’d had seen too many transitions. I was worried myself.

“He’s fighting it,” I said.

Jaimie looked up, then back down at her patient. “Yes.”

It was the first time either of us had said it, although I think we’d both guessed as soon as we’d walked into the elegant pale blue and cream room. The family had bundled all three of us, including Ben, onto a jet on standby at Toledo’s small private landing field, the moment Henry Magorian had shown the first signs of transition. It had taken nine hours to reach Montreal, plus an hour at either end for local travel and ten minutes of lightning-speed packing.

So we had first seen Henry over eleven hours after he had begun transitioning, and we’d been here, save for small cat naps in the bedroom next door, for thirty hours.

Forty hours, more or less, and he still showed no physical changes.

Henry kicked and moaned, then curled up into a tight ball.

“I can take away the pain. A little, at least,” Jaimie said. Her voice was strained. She had slept less than I. Fae could reduce pain by breathing in bad humours—which was not a medieval conceit for them. It wasn’t as effective as an angel breathing on the patient, but it did work.
“You know the danger in that.” We’d both learned that reducing the pain too much let the patient relax. The transition required that they move, so that the metabolism was elevated, allowing the organs to evolve. The extreme fever was another function of the transition. It was the mechanism that changed the patient’s DNA expression, the key to the transition. Lowering the body temperature could suspend the transition, too.

Jaimie put her fingers to her temples. She had no medical training in her human history. She had been a soldier in the British army. It was only her transition to a fae that made health work feasible. She was less used to watching a patient suffer than I, although she would always find it stressful, no matter how used to it she became. We all did, despite a hardening of one’s empathy once exposed to too much of it.

“He should have changed by now.” Her voice wavered. “I don’t know of anyone taking this long.”

“I have seen some cases last this long,” I said grimly. I didn’t add the remainder of that statement—that everyone who had fought their transition for this long did not survive. Jaimie didn’t need that additional worry. It was quite likely she was well aware of this statistic. I just didn’t want to bring it to the forefront of her thoughts.

“Is there anything else we can do?” Her wonderful silvery eyes were red-rimmed, but still worth staring into. Even after thirty hours of hard work and worry, even wearing the travel creased clothing she’d arrived in and slept in, she looked wonderful.

I pushed away the betraying thought and tried to find an answer to her question, for the fear in her voice was real. It wasn’t fear of death. She had been a soldier and now was a fae who dispensed magical healing. She was accustomed to death.

I knew the source of her fear. This was Henry Magorian. Ben’s brother. Jaimie did not want to let Ben down. She wanted to save Henry for him.

So did I, even though I had learned to loathe Henry not long after meeting him.

I’d sent Ben out of the room hours ago. His pacing and his unhelpful suggestions, along with his anxious questions every time Henry moaned or moved, had not helped either Jaimie or I concentrate. As far as I knew, Ben was in the next room and, as it was two in the morning, Toledo time, he was probably sleeping, even though bright summer sunlight streamed through the windows.

It was eight in the evening, Quebec time, on a blazingly hot day, but none of the external weather reached us, for this house had a controlled environment kept at a pleasant twenty-three degrees with just the right degree of humidity. The window of the room we were in had remained closed and sealed against the heat outside. The view from the window was magnificent, for the house stood high upon the exlsuive Summit area, with a jaw-dropping view of the Old City and the St. Lawrence river twinkling on the horizon.

The Magorian family could afford the luxury of whole-house environmental controls, just as they could afford private transatlantic flights, and bribes to ease an Old One through two nations’ customs and immigration border checks.

Ben had insisted that they make the arrangements to bring Jaimie into the country. He had argued that Jaimie could help Henry as much as I could. The family, desparate as they were, had complied, although I had no idea what it had taken to make it happen. Canada was particular about who they let into their country, especially when it came to the Old Ones. Unlike Spain, Canada had so far refused refugees, although there were many unofficial refugees flooding across the Canada/United Stated border. Canada was not xenophobic, though. It was the first country in the world to acknowledge the Old Ones legally.

Here, Old Ones were not automatically considered “dead” after turning. They were in a legal limbo, still, but the assets they’d held as a human, and might acquire as an Old One, were also held in legal stasis, rather than passed onto heirs. It was a half-step toward giving Old Ones full citizenship, or at least residency, and the rights and obligations that came with it. The government was still arguing the point in Ottawa.

But Jaimie, despite a lack of indentity documentation, had merely received a nod of acknowledgement from the customs official who had stamped Ben’s and my passports. I had spotted a photograph of Jaimie attached to his clipboard.

She stared at me now, hope showing in her eyes, as I appeared to be thinking of another way to save Henry Magorian.

I desparately wanted to come up with a solution. I wanted her to look at me with relief and gratitude. I wanted her to….well, that was never going to happen. But still, I wanted to please her.

So I made myself consider every single possibility. What had we not done for this horrible man? What else could we try?

I stared down at his curled up body. If he continued to fight the transition, it would not end well. Did he know that? Did he resent the idea of becoming an Old One so passionately, that he was putting up this marathon resistance?

That gave me an idea. I looked at Jaimie. “It’s a long shot.”

“I don’t care.”

That was exactly what I had expected her to say. “That thing Ben did, in New York, with the proto-wizard?”

“The mind meld?” She didn’t smile at the pop culture name we’d adopted for whatever it was that Ben had done to the man, as she usually did. She was a huge Star Trek fan, which I found, well, illlogical, given her former profession. Or perhaps that was exactly why she liked the show so much. A professional soldier would appreciate a peaceful utopia. “What of it?” she added.

“If he could reach Henry, he could tell him to stop fighting the transition.”
Jaimie looked down at Henry, who certainly couldn’t hear us now. “Do you think he doesn’t already know that?”

“He quite likely does know that. But Henry likes to get his own way.” He’d fooled Ben into signing over his portion of the family inheritence because he didn’t like Ben’s choice of lifestyle. “If Ben could appeal to him, let him see…” I made myself say it. “Let him see that if he doesn’t let this happen, he’ll die. Henry’s sense of self-preservation might kick in.”

Jaimie pressed her lips together. She hadn’t met Henry, but I’m sure Ben had shared with her the reason why he had to rely on his income as a wizard, when his family was so well off.

“I’ll go and get him,” she said. “A long shot is better than the nothing we’ve got without it.”

About the Author:
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Taylen Carver is the pen name used by bestselling author Tracy Cooper-Posey.

As Taylen Carver, she writes contemporary, epic and urban fantasy stories and novels. As Tracy Cooper-Posey, she writes romantic suspense, historical, paranormal, fantasy and science fiction romance, plus women’s fiction. She also writes science fiction, including best-selling space opera, under the pen name of Cameron Cooper.

She has published over 180 titles under all pen names since 1999, been nominated for five CAPAs including Favourite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award. She turned to indie publishing in 2011. Her indie titles have been nominated four times for Book of The Year. Tracy won the award in 2012, a SFR Galaxy Award in 2016 and came fourth in Hugh Howey’s SPSFC#2 in 2023. She has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at MacEwan University.

She is addicted to Irish Breakfast tea and chocolate, sometimes taken together. In her spare time she enjoys history, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction and fantasy and ignoring her treadmill. An Australian Canadian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a former professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line.

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Last book in Taylen Carver’s contemporary fantasy series, The Divine and Deadly, now out! See how the goblyns, fae, dragons, survive the arrival of the gods themselves. https://books2read.com/DivineandDeadly https://amzn.to/4a9pDGA
#contemporaryfantasy #fantasy #orcs #dragons #newrelease #magic #wizard

Tour Giveaway
3 sets of ebooks of the first five titles in the series
1.0: The Memory of Water
2.0: The Triumph of Felix
3.0: The Shield of Agrona
3.1: The Wizard Must be Stopped!
4.0: The Rivers Ran Red