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Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Book Review: A Hard Day for a Hangover (Sunshine Vicram Series - Book 3) by Darynda Jones

A Hard Day for a Hangover (Sunshine Vicram Series - Book 3)
by Darynda Jones
Dec 6. 2022
Pages: 352
A Hard Day for a Hangover is another humorous installment in Darynda Jones's wine mystery series deemed: "Laugh-out-loud funny, intensely suspenseful, page-turning fun." —New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan

Some people greet the day with open arms. Sheriff Sunshine Vicram would rather give it a hearty shove and get back into bed, because there’s just too much going on right now. There’s a series of women going missing, and Sunny feels powerless to stop it. There’s her persistent and awesomely-rebellious daughter Auri, who’s out to singlehandedly become Del Sol’s youngest and fiercest investigator. And then there’s drama with Levi Ravinder—the guy she’s loved and lusted after for years. The guy who might just be her one and only. The guy who comes from a family of disingenuous vipers looking to oust him—and Sunshine—for good.

Like we said, the new day can take a hike.

The blockbuster conclusion to the bestselling Sunshine Vicram trilogy, A Hard Day for a Hangover will have readers laughing and cheering to the very last page.

Amazon

Women have started going missing and Sheriff Sunshine Vicram is trying to put the pieces together while also keeping her daughter out of the investigation. But as much as Sunny tries, her daughter Auri is a chip off the old block and just can’t let a mystery go. Then theirs is Levi Ravinder who is hardheaded, stubborn, fierce, and would stop at nothing to protect those he loves.

Sunny and Levi are drawn to each other but tend to let misunderstandings get in their way. Auri is bright and falling head over heels for Cruz who now lives with Quince after his father passed away. Let’s not forget the mysterious town group who is secretly in charge of everything and definitely makes Sunny’s head spin. This is an excellent end to a fantastic series that we can hope Darynda might decide to do a little spin-off of this series because there is still stories to be told for each of the supporting characters as well as a few of the main ones.

One of my favorite things about Darynda’s books is the chapter headings. They will leave you giggling and probably wanting to borrow a few of them since they are so highly relatable and hilarious. Her books are so easy to read and the storylines flow that it’s so hard to put down until the last page.

Review: A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram Series - Book 1)
Review: A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram Series - Book 2)

Getting 5 sheep

Denise B

About the Author:
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NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Excerpt: Bly by Kelsey Ketch + giveaway

Bly
by Kelsey Ketch
September 22nd 2021
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, New Adult
I left the United States to find inner peace. Instead, I find myself confronting a malicious ghost.

Astyr Salt is a spiritual and emotional empath who moved to England with the intent to forget about a traumatic, supernatural event that occurred during her freshman year of college. However, when she takes a spiritual cleansing assignment in a haunted country home in Essex, she is isolated with all her own pent-up emotions.

These emotions energize the ghosts inhabiting the country home, helping them draw their own tragedies to the surface. Searching for the truth, Astyr is forced to relive the past. And the deeper she dives into the country home’s horrific history, the more the intertwined memories place her in the path of an evil and demented predator.

A blend of contemporary fantasy, horror, and mystery, Bly is inspired by Henry James’s classic novella, The Turn of the Screw.

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Excerpt 1
My dream from the past several nights continues to haunt my every waking moment. My mind recalling the few details I can remember of the strange, old mansion. The structure consists of unusual hallways that lead to lavish rooms and staircases that dead end at the ceilings or lay sideways along the walls and floors. It reminds me of the Winchester Mystery House in San José, California combined with a M. C. Escher print. In the dream, I wander aimlessly, searching for Nolyn. I never really see Nolyn in the dream, except a glimpse at the very end, where he looks like a ghost. Meanwhile, a presence hovers around my shoulders and neck, hindering my search until I finally reach a dead end. A dark room.

For most, this would just be a repeating nightmare. Many blowing it off as an indicator of stress or anxiety over a possible budding relationship—like my friend and business partner, Kenya. Not for me. Dreams like this tend to be prophesies, and eventually, manifest in the real world. I had a dream repeatedly back in the United States, while I was working at my old job. Three months after I met my office crush, I started having dreams about him. In the dreams, we were sitting at one of the break room tables, trying to get away from the office Christmas party. He was talking about his baby girl and how he was trying to talk his wife into having a second child. At some point, his words became nothing but noise. Yet the words “you’re a great friend” still echoed vividly in my mind. Six months later, in real life, he’d married another woman in our office. And just recently, he announced the birth of their first child on Facebook—a baby girl.

At least those were happy dreams of a happy future, even if it didn’t involve me. As for my current dreams involving Nolyn, I’m concerned. In them, Nolyn is lost, and some force is preventing me from finding him. I wish I had more details. Anything to pinpoint a time or place of the event. Yet, like a labyrinth, it’s all muddled. I can’t find a clear path or any clues that might reveal Nolyn’s location. I’ve tried my seeing bowl, tarot cards, and my psychic tea blends. Nothing has helped.

Only time holds the key.

Returning to reality, I check the clock on the barren, brown wall of the office suite. It’s been an hour since I sat down in one of the stiff, cherry-red upholstered chairs. Half an hour since Mr. Hellings’s administrative assistant, Ms. Poole, placed some tea on the solid oak coffee table. Twinings English Breakfast. Steeped for five minutes in a warm tea pot. No milk. Just a hint of sugar to mellow out the robust flavor. Nolyn would’ve given me that seductive snicker of his if he heard the thoughts in my head right now. He knows I have a passion for tea, which amuses him. But knowing tea is a part of my business. Only my tea blends are meant for the promotion of emotional and spiritual healing, as well as other aspects of life: love, success, psychic awareness. As a practicing witch, the tea pot is my cauldron and the herbs are my special ingredients. Yet Nolyn, as much as he humors me, doesn’t believe in magic. Nor ghosts. Nor spiritual energy. In fact, Nolyn would think this meeting a joke and a waste of time. Especially, if my potential client causes me to be late for my lunch date with him.

About the Author:

Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.

For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

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Excerpt: Devouring Darkness (An Heirs of Chicagoland Novel) by Chloe Neill

Devouring Darkness (An Heirs of Chicagoland Novel)
by Chloe Neill
September 20, 2022
In the newest installment of the USA Today bestselling Heirs of Chicagoland series, vampire Elisa Sullivan unearths an ancient grudge, with potentially devastating consequences.

As the only vampire ever born, and the daughter of two very powerful Chicago vampires, Elisa Sullivan knew her life was going to be…unusual. But she wanted to make her own way in the world, preferably away from her famous family. Then supernatural politics—and perhaps a bit of destiny—intervened, and Elisa had to steady her nerves and sharpen her steel to fight for the city of Chicago. Luckily, Connor Keene, son of the North American Central Pack’s Apex wolf, is right by her side.

When Elisa and her Ombudsman colleagues agree to escort a vulnerable supernatural to Chicago, they inadvertently set in motion a scheme of long-awaited magical vengeance. The city may pay an arcane price it can’t afford unless Elisa and her allies rise to the challenge.

Praise for the Heirs of Chicagoland series
"Fans of the Chicagoland Vampires will be delighted by this new series, and all fans of urban fantasy should give it a try."

—Booklist

"Fans of urban fantasy will find their new favorite heroine in quick-witted, tough Elisa."

—Publishers Weekly

"Fans of Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series will rejoice to see the next generation in their spin-off. Featuring her trademark snarky characters and colorful backgrounds, this is a fun and action-packed urban fantasy launch."

—Library Journal

Excerpt
A human approached us-dark skin and dapper suit, trimly fit around a strong body. He smiled tentatively at me, then Lulu. "Lulu Bell?"

"That's me," Lulu said. "Hi."

"I'm Clint Howard," the man said, offering her a hand.

"Oh my god, sure!" Lulu said brightly, shaking and then gesturing to me. "Elisa, this is Clint. He owns the gallery."

"Nice to meet you," I said. "You've got a lovely space here. And . . . an eclectic collection."

His grin was wide and a little sly. "We're a space for emerging artists. And speaking of which, I saw your piece on Halsted. I'd love to talk to you about an installation."

Lulu's eyes went wide. She was a muralist and specialized in outdoor projects; her brightly colored creations covered at least a dozen brick walls in Chicago. We were here, in part, because she wanted to improve her connection to Chicago's art community. Mission accomplished.

"I'd love to. I love the installation you organized at Garfield Park."

Clint's smile was wide and bright. "Thank you. That was nearly a year in the planning. Bureaucrats," he added with an eye roll.

"Sups have them, too," Lulu said. "Anyway, it's gorgeous."

He nodded. "We're looking next at a spot in Hyde Park. Not far from Cadogan House, actually," he said, offering me a smile.

Hyde Park, a Chicago neighborhood on the city's South Side, was home to Cadogan House, one of the city's four vampire houses. My dad, Ethan Sullivan, was the House's Master, and my mother, Merit, was its Sentinel. I'd been born and raised there, although I rarely spent time at the House now.

Someone across the room called Clint's name. He lifted a hand. "Right there," he said, then smiled at Lulu. "I'll call you," he said, then nodded at me and moved across the room.

"Merry Christmas," I said, grinning back at Lulu. "You got your present early."

"Oh my freaking god," she said, the words a single roller coaster of sound. "That was Clint freaking Howard."

"So I heard. You're amazing, and he recognized it." I gave her a poke. "You're going places, kid."

"I'd like to go to that spot in Hyde Park," she said, then narrowed her gaze at me. "You don't think your mom had anything to do with this, do you?"

"Arranging murals? No. She loves you like her own kid, but that's not really her style."

But my father? Entirely possible. Vampires loved making deals, although I had no idea what an art gallery owner would want from the Master of a House of vampires. And besides, "You have the talent. You don't need anyone making calls for you."

"Thank you," she said, and before I could respond, she'd wrapped her arms around me. "Thank you," she repeated.

"You're welcome."

Two more hours of chatting, of deciphering paintings, of reading artist statements . . . and I was done and ready to be somewhere else. This wasn't my scene.

But because Lulu deserved my support, I put on a smile when she came toward me, the light in her eyes still as bright as it had been when we'd walked through the door. It was the happiest I'd seen her since I'd returned to Chicago a few months ago. Maybe she'd finally found her place-a place where she belonged. That possibility lifted a weight I hadn't known I'd been carrying.

"Hey," she said, and gestured to a group of people behind her. "So Clint asked if I want to go get drinks with him and a few of the others." There was hope in her eyes. "I don't want to bail on you, but . . ."

"Go," I said. "Absolutely go."

"You're sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all. But take an Auto home."

"Oh, of course." She leaned in. "He wants us to talk about art and installations and-oh my god, Lis. What if this is my moment?"

I squeezed her into a hug. "There will be a million moments, Lulu. But yeah, this could be one of them." I let her go and grinned as she blew out a breath and tried not to look too eager. Then she joined the others, leaving me alone beneath a pinpoint light.

My screen beeped, and I pulled the slender and signaling rectangle of glass from my pocket and checked the display. It was a call from Roger Yuen, Chicago's supernatural Ombudsman and my boss. I was an associate Ombud, and new to the team, so I answered it quickly.

"Hey, Elisa," he said. "I know it's your night off, and I'm really sorry for the interruption, but we have an emergency."

"Just a minute," I told him. "Let me get somewhere quiet." I walked outside as Lulu's group began discussing where to find the city's best craft cocktails.

When I reached a small grassy area a dozen feet away, where metal sculptures made from old tractor parts hulked in the grass, I lifted up the screen.

"Okay," I said. "What's going on?"

"I need you to rescue someone."

Photo by Dana Damewood.

About the Author:

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Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Captain Kit Brightling, Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires, Devil’s Isle, and Dark Elite novels. She was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest, where she lives with her gamer husband and their bosses/dogs, Baxter and Scout. Chloe is a voracious reader and obsessive Maker of Things; the crafting rotation currently involves baking and quilting. She believes she is exceedingly witty; her husband has been known to disagree.

Chloe is represented by Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency and is a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.

Monday, September 19, 2022

Book Review: To Wake a Kingdom (Curse of Thorne Book 1) by Nisha J Tuli

To Wake a Kingdom: a fantasy romance fairy tale retelling (Curse of Thorne Book 1)
by Nisha J Tuli
August 23, 2022
Sleeping Beauty meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this twisted fantasy romance retelling, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Raven Kennedy.

AFTER 100 YEARS, I AWAKE NOT TO TRUE LOVE'S KISS, BUT TO A BLADE AT MY THROAT.

Enchanted into an eternal slumber to escape an evil fae, Thorne is awakened, not by true love’s kiss, but by a man with a sword at her throat. So she does the only thing a princess can do—nails him in the balls and sticks him with a dagger.

But something has gone wrong because now her entire family isn’t waking up and Ronan, a warrior from an enemy kingdom, arrives on her doorstep seeking answers she doesn’t want to give.

Bent on revenge, the evil fae returns to claim the princess and kill everyone asleep in the castle. So Thorne strikes a bargain—thirty days to break the curse or Thorne becomes her property forever. But Thorne has no idea how to break a hundred-year-old spell that’s gone awry.

As time ticks away and she scrambles for a solution, her feelings for Ronan become entwined in her fate. Now she must find a way to protect her heart, save herself, and rescue everyone she’s ever loved.

To Wake a Kingdom is the first book in a duology. There is no cliffhanger at the end of book one, and it can be enjoyed on its own.

Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and sex. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.

Amazon

To Wake a Kingdom is a new take on an old classic fairy tale, sometimes I do really enjoy these updates. Taking nothing away from the original, the author did an excellent job making this "sleeping beauty" come to life.

This one is for the romance readers, hands down. It is not meant as a children's story, if you want an adult read that has lots of romance and action, this is the one. Violence for sure and darker themes, it is really meant for the mature crowd. The ending seemed a little bit off after reading a very well-written storyline. Not sure if the author didn't know how to give it that HEA but maybe the next installment will be flawless.

Overall a very enjoyable story with lots of colorful characters to entertain you. Worth the time!

Getting 4 Sheep

About the Author:

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Nisha writes steamy fantasy romance featuring Fae, vampires, witches and anything else that's magical and hot. When she's not busy writing about heroines with swords in glittering dresses, she's re-reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas or watching The Princess Bride for the millionth time.

If you like her books, she recommends you also check out Jennifer L. Armentrout or Raven Kennedy.

Excerpt: A Lesson in Love and Death by W.H. Lockwood

Welcome to the book tour for the gorgeous, genre-blurring book, A Lesson in Love and Death by W.H. Lockwood! Read on for more details and a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-gift card!

A Lesson in Love and Death (Endymion College #1)
by W.H. Lockwood
September 26th, 2022
Genre: Cozy Horror Romance/ Dark Academia
Anna James dreamed of only two things in life: to read books and to not die.

The day she is offered a scholarship to study literature at the beautiful, exclusive and gothic Endymion College, is the happiest day of her life, but soon after arrival, Anna finds it is nothing like the brochure.

Instantly thrust into a dangerous conspiracy, sent to live in a haunted dormitory with a captivating rival, Anna struggles to keep control of her only chance at a better life and to maintain her already tenuous grip on reality.

Things soon go from bad to worse when a séance goes awry, and finding herself pursued by a terrifying spectre, Anna finds comfort and a kindred spirit in her professor of literature: young, devastatingly handsome and completely off-limits.

Anna must find a way to fight both her desire and a relentless supernatural force out for blood, all while completing her work on time to hold on to her precious scholarship.

Darkly humorous, crushingly awkward, deeply romantic, Endymion College: A Lesson in Love and Death is a celebration of the books we love and an action-packed, supernatural, feminist, horror story all rolled into one.

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Teaser
“Name?”

“Anna James.”

“Anna… Ah, I see your roommate has already been and got her key. One moment.”

The handsome yet bored-looking man disappeared into a dimmer and smaller room, only to return seconds later with a faded envelope. “So, we have a small problem, Anna. Your key is missing. Whoever had it last year didn’t bring it back. But it’s all right. We found this one. Except it comes with a warning.”

The man, clearly amused, leaned close in a conspiratorial manner, and raised one expectant eyebrow at Anna as she took the faded envelope from him. The words ‘Do Not Open’ were written across the front in beautiful cursive. Anna’s big eyes and delicate fingers traced over the words.

“Don’t worry, it’s not as sinister as it sounds,” he continued. “In here is, or should be, a skeleton key. It will open all the doors in your apartment. Which is fine, because there are only two, but one of those is the old hanging door.”

“Hanging door?”

“Hanging door. You’ll see when you get there. You’re on the second floor. There used to be a staircase leading up the exterior of the building to the door. That staircase has long since rotted away, and now only the door remains. A hanging door. A door to nowhere.” He smiled a dashing smile and Anna couldn’t decide if he had gone insane with boredom or if he was flirting. Or both.

“Oh, I see.”

His tone and face changed in an instant. “Do not open that door. I don’t care what happens. Don’t let the air through, don’t look at the view, don’t touch the thing. Health and safety, you know? It’s rotting in its hinges and it could fall out at any moment. I shouldn’t even be giving you this, but, well, I know how it is. You can’t always rely on your roommate.” He tapped on an old, laminated map that was stuck to the counter with brown, peeling sticky tape. “You’re in the old building, here.”

“Older than this building?”

“Oh yes. A good two hundred years older. Go back the way you came and straight across the courtyard. Your building is opposite this one. You will be in the east wing, so turn right when you go inside. You’re on the top floor at the very end of the building. You have the corner view.”

Anna was absolutely delighted. She signed for her key, thanked the man, and made to leave.

“Ms James?”

“Yes?” As Anna looked at him, she noted a strange intensity in his manner, in his stormy, blue eyes.

“That key—that’s our little secret. Really, I probably shouldn’t have given it to you. Don’t tell anyone and don’t let anyone else borrow it. Not even your roommate. And whatever you do, don’t bring it back here…”

About the Author

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W.H. Lockwood writes feminist gothic and historical fiction, dark academia and cosy horror, all with a romantic twist.

Raised on a diet of Point books and Pepsi, only willing to leave her den to attend chess club at public school, W.H. Lockwood started writing at a young age and has kept this passion throughout her life.

Always a voracious reader, she obtained an undergraduate degree in literary studies from a gorgeous sandstone university, following that with a master’s degree in publishing and editing, then another master’s degree in astronomy, thus uniting her two great loves of the arts and science, leaving her utterly unqualified to cope with the real world.

These days, W.H. Lockwood works as a professional editor and can often be found aimlessly wandering through the coffee shops and bookstores of the beautiful city she calls home.

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IG: @w.h.lockwood.books @rrbooktours #rrbooktours #alessoninloveanddeath #darkacademiabooks #cozyhorror #horrorbooks #romancebooks

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Book Tour Schedule

September 19th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@books_inthecity (Review) https://www.instagram.com/books_inthecity/

@fblackthornbooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/fblackthornbooks/

@leirajadewrites (Review) https://www.instagram.com/leirajadewrites/

@louturnspages (Review) https://www.instagram.com/louturnspages

@the_pageling (Review) https://www.instagram.com/the_pageling/

@bhaneereads_ (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bhaneereads_/