Dark Secret by Danielle Rose

There’s no wrath like that of a witch scorned.

Seventeen-year-old spirit witch Ava López is the self-appointed guardian of the witches and humans of Darkhaven, an idyllic village nestled between the forest and the sea. Her watch: vicious and bloodthirsty vampires.

Ava is a novice in the eyes of her coven. If she expects to protect them and the secrecy of their powers, she must gain better control of her own. When a full moon ritual goes awry, control may be lost forever, and Ava is exiled from her coven. Forced to seek refuge among the beings she had always sworn herself to hunt, she vows revenge on those who have upended her life.

But the more time Ava spends away from her coven, the more she discovers a startling truth: the witches haven’t been honest with her. Ava’s quest to strip the truth from everything she’s ever known begins with the toughest realization of all—coming to terms with who she has become.

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My Review:

( I received a complimentary copy of Dark Secret by Danielle Rose for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.)

“This quick and easy read was interesting and kept my attention.

The storyline is well thought out, well written and cracks along at a good pace.

You get a detailed insight into what it’s like for Avah, a witch who has been brought up to hate all vampires, to become a vampire.

The characters are well-developed and brought to life. Avah especially is an interesting and complex character

I’d like to see what happens next.”

The review above is one I left for Blood Rose by Danielle Rose. The same review applies to this book as it seems to be a rewrite of the same story.

There are some differences to the story, and some of the names have changed, Avah Taylor is now Ava López, while others remain the same.

I read and enjoyed the Blood Books trilogy of which, Blood Rose was the first book. Dark Secret is Book 1 of the Darkhaven Saga, whether or not the following books in the saga continue the same story is something I won’t be discovering for myself.

 

Meet The Author:

Dubbed a “triple threat” by readers, Danielle Rose dabbles in many genres, including urban fantasy, suspense, and romance. The USA Today bestselling author holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.

Danielle is a self-professed sufferer of ’philes and an Oxford comma enthusiast. She prefers solitude to crowds, animals to people, four seasons to hellfire, nature to cities, and traveling as often as she breathes.

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Saturday Spotlight

 

The Maura DeLuca Trilogy by Claudette Melanson

 

Rising Tide: Dark Innocence

Book 1

ARE YOU A FAN OF VAMPIRE LITERATURE?
Rising Tide will sink its fangs into you, keeping you awake into the wee hours of the night

Could Maura’s life get any worse? …turns out it most certainly can.

Isolated and sheltered by her lonely mother, Maura’s never been able to make friends. She seems to drive her classmates away—except for the odd times they pay enough attention to torture her—but she doesn’t understand why. Maura considers herself to be a freak of nature, with her unusually pale skin and an aversion to the sun that renders her violently nauseous. Her belief is only worsened by the fact that almost everyone around her keeps their distance.

Even her own father deserted her before she was born, leaving Maura alone with her emotionally distant mother, Caelyn. Even though Maura is desperate for answers about her unknown parent, Caelyn remains heartbroken and her daughter can’t bring herself to reopen her mother’s wounds. Or is there a more sinister reason Caelyn refuses to utter a word about her long-lost love?

When a cruel prank nearly claims Maura’s life, one of her classmates, Ron, rushes to her rescue. Darkly handsome & mysteriously accepting, Ron doesn’t seem to want to stay away, but Maura is reluctant to get too close, since her mother has announced she’s moving the two of them to Vancouver…nearly 3,000 miles away from their hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania.

If life wasn’t already challenging enough, Maura begins to experience bizarre, physical changes her mother seems hell bent on ignoring, compelling Maura to fear for her own life. Vicious nightmares, blood cravings, failing health and the heart-shattering loss of Ron—as well as the discovery of a tangled web of her own mother’s lies—become obstacles in Maura’s desperate quest for the unfathomable truth she was never prepared to uncover.

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Undertow: Death’s Twilight

Book 2

 

Maura finally found the truth she was always seeking…or has she?

After being left in the dark for all of her life, Maura’s father, Maxwell, has finally returned to reveal sinister family secrets Maura could never have dreamed possible—including his revelation that she is one of The Born. But his daughter soon discovers both he and her mother are keeping pieces of her reality hidden, still. As Maura struggles to unravel the mysteries surrounding her new existence and discover every piece of the cryptic puzzle, life appears intent on casting stumbling blocks across her path with every step forward.

Tragedy seems to stalk Maura, and those around her, as she stumbles along, altering the young changeling’s family, just when they have all come back together. The changes left in its wake could be for the better, or may threaten their existence, entirely.

With the arrival of Christmas comes the opportunity for Maura to draw close to everyone she loves—and finally reunite with Ron, her long-distance boyfriend. But permanence has always eluded her, and in her current state of flux this pattern endures, as fate seems intent on snapping the threads that bind her to those she holds most dear. Maxwell’s good intentions pave a road for Maura, littered with misery, while her mother, Caelyn’s, desire to shield her family from pain may tear her away from them, altogether. The perfect happiness in the young vampire’s grasp is so easily swept away and dragged under, out of reach. Can Maura erupt from the darkness and confusion to break the surface and find the life she’s always dreamed of?

In the midst of chaos, assistance materializes in the form of another of her kind—ephemerally beautiful, yet explosively volatile, this new vampire may prove capable of unlocking the puzzle-box Maxwell seems intent on securing from her sight. Maura will discover the darkest parts of herself in her quest to understand the being she is destined to become. Her newfound friend has some shady intentions of his own—such as thwarting the love that has grown between Maura and Ron. Following in the wake of the impulsive vampire’s misguided instruction may further pull a naive Maura down into the depths of ultimate despair, heartbreak…and even destruction.

Undertow: Death’s Twilight is the second book in the Maura DeLuca trilogy and the sequel to Rising Tide: Dark Innocence. In this dark, urban fantasy, readers will discover a world full of uncommon vampires, troubled romance and a splash of blood—and uniquely devoid of werewolves. The rollercoaster that is Maura’s life continues in this YA, paranormal novel that fans of the Twilight series, Vampire Diaries, and Vampire Academy will love. Reminiscent of the classic Fairy Tale, the characters introduced in this series are at the other end of the spectrum from the vampire found in the age of Bram Stoker and his famous Dracula. Although there are ties to the myths created by Stoker and his timeless novel, the Maura DeLuca story possesses a sprinkle of magic, coupled with ‘monsters’ that—in most cases—retain the majority of their humanity.

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Riptide: Betrayal of Blood

Book 3

Maura has never felt so alone in her life…nor has her existence ever been so overshadowed by peril …

Not only do both her parents—her distant but loving mother and recently- returned father—remain absent from her life, but due to the hideous error in judgement executed in collusion with her best friend, Valdamir, and adoptive sister, Susie, Maura has been cut off from the pair’s friendship and support, forbidden by both her father and the fallout from the dire outcome to see either of them. The heartbreak she suffers, brought on by the weight of these estrangements, is only intensified by the continued mysterious absence of her supernaturally-destined mate, Ron…whose disappearance delivers grave consequences Maura would have never dreamed possible…

Despised by her vampire cousin, Aldiva, for reasons Maura cannot yet comprehend, the young changeling will be forced to guard her back with every step, as she comes to realize this member of her vampire family would love nothing more than to bring about her demise. Aldiva’s wrath calls forth other members from both Vancouver covens, forcing them to rush to Maura’s aid—even though her father, their king, has expressly forbidden the other vampires to initiate contact with his daughter. Will her extended family on Vancouver Island obey, abandoning Maura to her doom, or will they instead rebel against Maxwell’s wishes in order to save her life?

In addition to the menace personified in her unsolicited enemy, the unlikely vampire princess will find herself drowning as she is pulled down into the depths of a far more devastating crisis…one which may condemn her to a fate she considers much more undesirable than death. But in order to tear herself free from the deadly pull which is drawing her under, Maura must enlist the help of her preternatural family, exposing her newfound friends to a danger none of them have ever had the misfortune to face before. Can she be saved or will the riptide drag Maura under…along with those she loves the most…

In this third and final book of The Maura DeLuca Trilogy, the reader will delve even deeper into the secrets guarded by Maura’s father, the mystery of Ron’s role in her life and the identities of the mysterious Vancouver Island Coven members who have, up until now, remained hidden in the shadows. This trilogy rounds out the segment of Maura’s life during which she discovers she is a member of The Born—a human destined to complete her transformation into a vampire! This series of young adult fantasy novels has been enjoyed by readers of nearly every age and are found by them to be dramatically different from any other vampire books they have read in the past. Discover a magical world filled with fae, angels, elves, pixies and other enchanting creatures in addition to two families made up of some of the most likeable vampires—for the most part—to ever exist.

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Boxset also available

The Maura DeLuca Trilogy

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My Review:

This trilogy is one of those that you want to read from beginning to end without stopping.

The storyline is fantastic and flows seamlessly from one book to the next. The plot is well thought out, with great twists and turns throughout, and I loved the multi-dimensional characters.

I really enjoyed theses books, and am looking forward to reading the first book of the follow-up trilogy, The DeLuca Vampires.

A well-written supernatural series for readers of all ages.

 

The Author:

Claudette Melanson writes dark fantasy in Kitchener, Ontario with seven bun babies: Tegan, Pepper, Butters, Beckett, Sansa, Daenerys, & Caramel. She graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, BS in English Education and an MA in Literature. Harboring a deep admiration of vampires since the age of five left her with the desire to eventually become one, and now fuels the creation of her favorite paranormal characters. She hopes to one day work full time as an author, since there are many, many stories playing out inside her head.

In her very scant spare time, she enjoys watching Japanese Anime and reading vampire stories…along with other genres of great fiction, as well as riding every roller coaster she encounters in both her hometown and away at signings. An advocate for good health and ketogenic eating, her favorite foods are bulletproof coffee, cashew-flour crust pizza and treats made with xylitol and almond, coconut or cashew flours.

Future dreams include a cabin boasting a roaring fire, isolated inside a snow-filled wood in the Yukon—the perfect writing spot—and the completion of dozens of future novels and stories. A Rabbit Rescue fanatic and loving bunmom, she also hopes to help rescues all over the world save many innocent lives.

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. The weekly Meme wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading.

• Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  -BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

He should have a cloak and pointed teeth and be able to turn into a bat, but the reality was so much more mundane: he couldn’t fly or change into anything and had no superhuman powers, except much greater strength than someone of his age and build would normally be expected to have, plus, of course, an insatiable craving for fresh human blood and also, of course, he was immortal – but whether that was a good or bad thing depended very much on his frame of mind at any particular time. If someone had asked him last week he would probably have said it was a curse, but after last night he suddenly felt much more positive.

~Scouse Gothic: The Pool of Life… and Death by Ian McKinney

Paroled From Heaven by Lily Luchesi

 

Death is not the end.

 
The Lieutenant of Hell is dead. The vampiric Empire has fallen, and the Paranormal Investigative Division is barely surviving. With no one controlling the demons and humanity left vulnerable, it’s about to become a literal Hell on Earth.

But Heaven has a plan. Angels can’t step in to fight, and only humans can save humanity. With a little grace, and a lot of power, there’s one way to stop the demonic onslaught and impending rise of Lucifer: a temporary parole from Heaven. Who says death is forever?

The final Paranormal Detectives novel is available
99c or FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Add the book on Goodreads!

Teaser:

      Sean Wireman had fallen asleep at his desk at the Paranormal Investigative Division of the FBI in Chicago. He did that often in the past few months since the deaths of Angelica Mancini (nee Cross) and her husband, Danny Mancini, at the hands of Danny’s great grandson, also named Daniel. Sean figured that Danny’s relations hadn’t been very creative individuals.
      With the vampiric Empire fallen, the PID had greatly diminished. Many people thought the organization was a joke now, something that made Sean’s heart break. Angelica had built the company up in eighteen-eighty-one, and it became a worldwide organization, saving countless lives of both humans and paranormal creatures. He was doing all he could to hold what was left of it together, frequently corresponding with the London branch and its leaders, Mahon Quinn and George Linwood.
      Mahon and George were psychic vampires, or Psis, and they were immortal and also immune to the vampiric purge that had happened when Angelica had sacrificed herself to save humanity.
      All vampires were dead now, but Psis weren’t affected because they didn’t drink blood, they fed on life energy to survive.
      Angelica was the most selfless person Sean had ever met. To sacrifice not just herself, but the species that she led as the Empress, took more guts than he’d ever have. There was one thing she hadn’t counted on: how poorly the PID would fare without her. Or how poorly he would fare without her.
      Sean looked at the photographs he had framed on his desk: one of his old band, Lycancore, before the three other band members had become dinner for the old vampire Emperor; Devon Von Aber, his girlfriend who had died in World War Two, fighting with him and the Resistance to stop the Nazis; him and Angelica, taken at a cemetery where Lycancore had filmed a music video. She had been a vamplet then, her black parasol over her head to protect her from the sun. It had been a semi candid shot: they’d been talking and laughing, God only knew about what. They’d caught the camera being turned toward them at the last minute, and in the photo, you could see Angelica’s long black hair moving as she turned her head, her hand on Sean’s shoulder and his on her leg.
      He accepted that she’d never love him how he loved her, and had been content with being her friend and confidant ever since Danny Mancini came into the picture. With both of them being immortal, they were friends for eternity. Sean had never thought about Angelica dying so soon, or dying before him. Her loss was killing him inside, eating away at whatever was good and useful in him.
      I miss you, Angie. And I’d do anything to get you back, he thought. Her last days on Earth had been wrought with anger and fear and sadness. It had been too long since he’d seen her smile and laugh like she was in the photograph.
      The floor began to shake beneath his feet. He leapt off the chair, thinking that it was an earthquake. They were rare in Chicago, but they did happen. But this felt different, and as it didn’t stop, his concern grew. Grabbing his gun from the holster, he ran out the door. He was the only person on this floor, but he could hear screams coming from below. It seemed no one was any wiser about what was happening.
      He knew better than to take the elevator, but he wasn’t exactly fast, so taking the stairs to the main floor where the cubicles were took what seemed like an age.
      “Does anyone know what’s going on?” he asked loudly, to be heard over the din.
      “The energy readers are going insane,” one agent called. “It’s coming from somewhere below the building.”
      His heart stuttered in his chest. Few people knew that there was a sub-basement to the PID that contained one of the six portals into Hell. If the energy was coming from there, he had a funny feeling they were fucked.
      Without saying another word, he ran down the stairs as fast as he could, while the lights began to flicker wildly above him. The closer he got to the first floor, the stronger the stench of smoke and sulfur became.
      Coughing, he ran around the building to the secret side entrance that led into the sub-basement. The moment he unlocked the door, he was thrown across the alleyway into the next building, whacking his head.
      The door stayed open, the barrier of magic warding weakened, as thick coils of black smoke, so dark it was like looking into the Void, began to pour out in droves.
      Demons, Sean thought. He sent a message to the Grand Coven to get a few magicians in there, but he wasn’t fooling himself. It was too late to remake the wards. The demons had escaped, and now all of humanity was at risk.
      Like so much fiction had predicted, the demonic Apocalypse had begun.

 

 

Join the release party!

 

 

For a limited time, books 1 & 2 are FREE!
Books 3-8 are only 99c each!

 

 
My Review:

A brilliant end to a brilliant series.

Nothing keeps Angelica down for long… not death… not being human!

In this book Angelics struggles to come to terms with human frailties, but that doesn’t stop her taking on demons and even the King of Hell himself.

As sad as I am to come to the end of my journey with Angelica and Danny, this was a super read. I loved that the author brought back Brighton and Mark to help the Mancini’s with their last ‘case’ at the PID.

Lily Luchesi couldn’t have written a better ending.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.)

 

 

Meet The Author:

Lily Luchesi is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of the Paranormal Detectives Series, published by Vamptasy Publishing. She also has short stories included in multiple bestselling anthologies, and a successful dark erotica retelling of Dracula.

Her Coven Series has successfully topped Amazon’s Hot New Releases list consecutively.

She is also the editor, curator and contributing author of Vamptasy Publishing’s Damsels of Distress anthology, which celebrates strong female characters in horror and paranormal fiction.

She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and now resides in Los Angeles, California. Ever since she was a toddler her mother noticed her tendency for being interested in all things “dark”. At two she became infatuated with vampires and ghosts, and that infatuation turned into a lifestyle. She is also an out member of the LGBT+ community.

When she’s not writing, she’s going to rock concerts, getting tattooed, watching the CW, or reading manga. And drinking copious amounts of coffee.

She also writes erotica and BDSM as international bestselling author Samantha Calcott.

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Have your e-books autographed!

 

 

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. The weekly Meme wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading.

• Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  -BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

I am a hero, she thought, looking at her unvarnished reflection, wet hair clinging to the sides of her neck. No matter what my traitorous mind tells me, I have done good and I will do more.

~Paroled From Heaven by Lily Luchesi

 

Vampires Don’t Babysit by Candice Gilmer

Title: Vampires Don’t Babysit
Series: Vampire Mythicals Book 1
Author: Candice Gilmer
Genre: Dark Romance, Fantasy and Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Shifter
Cover Artist: Flirtation Designs

 

Surviving should have been enough. It wasn’t.

Jake Reynolds and his fellow vampires survived the slaughter of their master, Melios, at the hands of the Immortal Knights Templar.

Call it luck. Call it fate. Call it whatever the hell you want.

Jake just knows that he should have been dead—another pile of sooty ash on the ground. Now he must find his place in the mythical world—vampires aren’t all that’s out there.

Even his doctor is a super-hot werewolf. He’s not even sure if he should find her sexy, but he does. And he wants to see if wolves and vamps are compatible.

In all the ways.

But the world’s a chaotic mess, and he’s been tasked to help fix it. Penance for previous crimes. They do what they’re told, and go where they have to, learning to live without being monsters among men. And kick ass, occasionally, in the name of Jackstone Foundation.

But when The Kid—Melios’s pet—needs help, Jake will not leave her out in the cold. She fed him too many times on the sly to leave her hanging now.

Mythicals are coming for her. And it’s up to Jake to keep her safe.

But what can one lone vampire do against an army and an ancient bloodline?

Pre-Order Links

 
About the Author:

USA Today and NY Times bestselling author Candice Gilmer leads a dangerous double life as a mommy and a writer.

In between boo-boo healing and fixing broken toys, she writes stories usually to the tune of children’s television shows.

Her books range from vampires and werewolves to mermaids and fairies to contemporary and fairy tale romances–a huge variety, just like her broad, geek-girl heart.

She adores Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, and DC, (you CAN love them all), and her hero will always be Captain America.

Growing up in the Midwest, Candice stays close to her family, especially the ones with basements when the tornadoes come around.

All in all, she stays very busy, but really, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Well, maybe a little less children’s television.

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Day Of Execution by Lily Luchesi

 

The penultimate book in the award-winning series is available now for only 99c for a limited time, and FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Blood is not thicker than water.

The Undead are restless, and the Empress feels powerless to heal the rift within the vampiric empire. As tensions rise, Angelica and Danny must hold a crumbling paranormal world together. But a knocking from the portal into Hell makes for a dark distraction. What horrors will the new Lieutenant of the Underworld heap upon them?

 

Excerpt:

 

      Danny was walking through the PID offices, but it wasn’t the PID he knew. Not anymore. Corpses were strewn across the floor, all people he recognized, most of them humans. He went to touch one, an older man with white hair, to see if by chance he was still alive, but he couldn’t. It was then he knew what was happening: he was having a vision.
But how? When he turned into a vampire, he had knowingly given up his psychic powers and hadn’t had a vision for over twenty years now. Despite his uneasiness, it was like riding a bike as the vision unfolded. He simply followed it to see it to fruition, knowing that he had no control over it now.
It was vivid, much more vivid than his visions used to be, which was saying something. The smell of blood was everywhere, but there was something wrong with it. It was sour, and made him cover his nose and mouth with his jacket so he wouldn’t gag. He’d never smelled it before, but when he saw the needles on a table filled with red liquid so dark it looked black, he knew: it was dead man’s blood.
Deadlier than garlic and more lethal than holy water to a vampire, dead man’s blood could kill a vamp nearly instantly. It had to be from a corpse that was dead for at least twenty-four hours, and the older the blood, the quicker the death of the vampire. Angelica had been testing out a new weapon which fired arrows filled with dead man’s blood and holy water, to better fight against any other possible Undead defectors.
He gave the table with the needles a wide berth, walking further down the hall to the training room. He wanted to stop, to turn and run, at least to wake up. But like any good nightmare, vision of the future or not, he could only keep walking at a steady but slow pace.
He could hear screaming and crying from the other side of the training room door, and his stomach rolled when he realized it was Angelica he heard crying. It didn’t sound like she was in pain, exactly. She sounded angry and desperate and … sad?
He pushed open the door with a shaking hand and saw a bloody corpse pinned to a pile of workout mats, eyes wide in horror. He had no idea who the man was: he was in his sixties with greying hair and wide, hazel eyes. He’d been killed via vampire bite.
Danny turned the corner around the pile of workout mats the corpse lay on and saw another body, this one so far into decomposition that it was unrecognizable save for the fact that it wore male clothing. Angelica sat before it, blood leaking from her eyes, nose, and mouth as she sobbed.
Before his eyes he watched as his wife, the woman he loved, began to deteriorate and decay, turning into a skeletal corpse just like the one on the floor.
He tried to call out to her, to run to her, but he was still and silent.
From behind him, a voice slithered into his ear. He usually couldn’t hear voices clearly in his visions, they sounded like they were underwater. However, this one was as clear as a bell, and damn familiar, though he couldn’t place it.
“The time for revenge is upon us, Detective. Are you ready to see your world crumble before your eyes?”

 

The whole series is on sale January 1-6. Seven books for $6!

 
My Review:

This penultimate book of the series, is yet another awesome book from Lily Luchesi. From page one I was immediately transported back into Angelica and Danny’s life, their Empire and the PID.

The return of an old enemy threatening Angelica and Danny’s world kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end… and what an ending! I was not expecting that!

With plot twists, plenty of action, betrayal and much more, this book did not disappoint. I can’t wait to see what Lily has in store for the finale!!

I highly recommend this book, and the series.

 

 

About The Author:

Lily Luchesi is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of the Paranormal Detectives Series, published by Vamptasy Publishing. She also has short stories included in multiple bestselling anthologies, and a successful dark erotica retelling of Dracula.

Her Coven Series has successfully topped Amazon’s Hot New Releases list consecutively.

She is also the editor, curator and contributing author of Vamptasy Publishing’s Damsels of Distress anthology, which celebrates strong female characters in horror and paranormal fiction.

She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and now resides in Los Angeles, California. Ever since she was a toddler her mother noticed her tendency for being interested in all things “dark”. At two she became infatuated with vampires and ghosts, and that infatuation turned into a lifestyle. She is also an out member of the LGBT+ community. When she’s not writing, she’s going to rock concerts, getting tattooed, watching the CW, or reading manga. And drinking copious amounts of coffee.

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Saturday Spotlight

 

The 12 Terrors of Christmas
by Claudette Melanson

 
Award-winning author Claudette Melanson offers eleven new and original stories to make your skin crawl at any time of the year. This horror anthology also includes an original short by Amazon International Best-Selling Author, Lynn Lamb, titled “Bring Me Flesh and Bring Me Wine.” A special bonus story is also included by Melanson, “Mislead,” previously published only on the Halloweenpalooza blog. Grab a cup of cocoa and make sure the windows and doors are locked tight as you settle in by the fire to enjoy these tales of terror, but be warned…locks have never succeeded at keeping Santa from gaining entry. If you enjoy a slice of horror with your holiday cheer, this collection of Christmas horror shorts will satisfy all your dark cravings during the holidays…and beyond.

Terror One: Who is Santa really? Does something sinister lurk beneath the red suit and apple-cheeked visage? More importantly, what does Santa want for Christmas?
Terror Two: It is said that every wish bears a cost…even a wish of good intent. What do Detective Talbot and his son, Mallory, stand to lose when the pair seek to right a wrong on Christmas Eve?
Terror Three: Christmas can be a time for great joy…but also for heart-wrenching regret. Can the magic of Christmas Eve turn back the clock before time runs out for Morana and her family?
Terror Four: Snow falls white and clean, seeming to purify the small town of Moon, Pennsylvania, but the woods behind Vaughn’s home have taken on a sinister cast. The snow keeps falling in record-breaking depths, but does evil lay hidden beneath its seemingly-innocent luster?
Terror Five: As his elves scurry to fill the toy orders for the busy season, unknown terror creeps toward the workshop intent on releasing an evil meant to cancel Santa’s yearly deliveries forever.
Terror Six: A well-meaning elf casts a spell which could inadvertently reveal the dark truth about Santa’s workshop and its inhabitants. The world’s children may end up paying a terrifying price, proving that the path of good intention oftentimes does indeed lead to hell.
Terror Seven: A scary twist on a classic Christmas poem
Terror Eight: Santa’s sleigh plummets to the ground, tearing all hope of a merry Christmas to bits and pieces. Will the elves be able to employ enough magic to stitch together some sort of solution? Or will their efforts only deliver greater horror and loss?
Terror Nine: Trinette is preparing to celebrate her first Christmas in love. Her boyfriend says he found the perfect gift for her, but beneath the shiny red paper and ribbon lies a secret he’s kept hidden during all the months of their courtship…
Terror Ten: The world’s population explosion means business is booming at Santa’s workshop, with the need to expand making a difficult excavation below the permafrost necessary. But the elves should use caution lest they dig up an evil best left buried.
Terror Eleven: A special holiday treat for Maura DeLuca fans! Riptide ended on a happy note, but how did Maura’s extended family celebrate Christmas? Could it be that the holiday didn’t quite play out the way the vampires planned?
Terror Twelve: It’s a dangerous time to call oneself a non-believer. Those who scoff at Santa’s existence are melting all over the world. But could the benevolent head elf turn out to be the murderer?

Vampires, ghosts, demons, elves, werewolves, serial killers and a rampaging Krampus are just a few of the monsters creeping amongst the pages of The 12 Terrors of Christmas. Are you brave enough to venture inside to experience the flip side of the typical Hallmark-themed Christmas?

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My Review:

A wonderfully creepy take on Santa… and Christmas.

I enjoyed these 12 dark and disturbing stories that explore a less than jolly side of the holiday season.
The short stories include zombie elves, were-deer and vampires to name but a few, and many of the tales were interlinked which added to the interest.

This is a well-written and descriptive anthology, and an entertaining read.

 

The Author:

Claudette Melanson writes dark fantasy in Kitchener, Ontario with seven bun babies: Tegan, Pepper, Butters, Beckett, Sansa, Daenerys, & Caramel. She graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, BS in English Education and an MA in Literature. Harboring a deep admiration of vampires since the age of five left her with the desire to eventually become one, and now fuels the creation of her favorite paranormal characters. She hopes to one day work full time as an author, since there are many, many stories playing out inside her head.

In her very scant spare time, she enjoys watching Japanese Anime and reading vampire stories…along with other genres of great fiction, as well as riding every roller coaster she encounters in both her hometown and away at signings. An advocate for good health and ketogenic eating, her favorite foods are bulletproof coffee, cashew-flour crust pizza and treats made with xylitol and almond, coconut or cashew flours.

Future dreams include a cabin boasting a roaring fire, isolated inside a snow-filled wood in the Yukon—the perfect writing spot—and the completion of dozens of future novels and stories. A Rabbit Rescue fanatic and loving bunmom, she also hopes to help rescues all over the world save many innocent lives.

In her spare time–what’s that???–she loves to watch anime, game the XBox 360–especially Silent Hill Games, read great works of fiction & play with the bunnies. Coffee Lover, occasional blogger, Keto eater & movie watcher.

Her first novel, Rising Tide, was the winner of the Gold Medal for YA Mystery in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Competition. Her second, Undertow, took Honorable Mention, for YA Horror the same year for Readers’ Favorite. Rising Tide was also the medalist winner for New Apple’s Summer Ebook competition.

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Great Summer Reads 2018 Countdown Blitz: Day 20

 

Aeonian Dreams by Morgan J Muir

 

Mariah has chosen to become a vampire, but she can’t remember why.

 
Upon waking in the labyrinthine caves of Sophus, a centuries-old vampire, Mariah can’t remember all the choices that brought her there, but she does know there are dangerous secrets hidden within her.  As she learns to control her powerful new body— and its bloodthirsty urges— Mariah discovers a unique ability to travel through a world of spirit, the key to remembering her past, and possibly the future.

At first, it seems her path is simple: learn to control her bloodlust, find her missing husband, and return with him to raise their son. However, things are more complicated than they seem, and neither Sophus nor her husband’s captor is willing to let them go. Mariah must use whatever skills she can to find her husband and protect her still-mortal son, but will it be enough?

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Morgan J Muir lives in Utah with her fantastic husband, three offspring, and as many cats (but she doesn’t carry them with kits in sacks, and has never been to St. Ives). She grew up riding horses and motorcycles and listening to her grandmother read poetry. She grew up reading any sci-fi/fantasy novel she could get her hands on and so was surprised the day she discovered that she also really enjoyed historical fiction.

Morgan always loved to write and draw and her parents always liked to say that they knew she’d write a book some day.  Ever since she was small she told stories and drew pictures for her tales.  When she got old enough, all of her spare time between classes was spent writing and she always had a notebook with her.

Her first novel was originally written after her first child was born, to help her pass the long, lonely hours as a new stay-at-home mom.  As her kids got older and more came she was too busy to do much with her stories, until one year she was introduced to NaNoWriMo, which finally rekindled the spark that led her to finish what she’d started.

Morgan’s favorite authors are Brandon Sanderson, Kristen Britain and Marion Zimmer Bradley.

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Top Ten List:

10 random facts about me.

 

1. Blue Roan is my favorite color of horse

2. I prefer off-road motorcycles to street bikes

3. I published my first book in 3rd grade

4. I can’t act worth beans

5. My favorite jersey number is 13

6. A ring inscribed with the phrase “Prone to wander” reminds me to write

7. Despite having a cell phone for over 15 years, I still don’t have a smart phone

8. Reading my teacher’s ratty old copy of “Birth of the Firebringer” by Meredith Ann Pierce in 4th grade is what first inspired me to start writing.

9. Horses are my favorite mammal

10. I think top 10 lists are as difficult to compile as writing a book cover blurbs
    

 

 

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Loving the Book

Skin Deep by Lily Luchesi

 
Coming June 12th from USA Today bestselling author Lily Luchesi
Published by Vamptasy Publishing
Cover design by Rue Volley
Edited by EAL Editing Services

 

The animal inside wants to come out and play.

Skin changers are able to look like anyone of any race and gender, which makes them the most dangerous criminals in the paranormal community. Only one person in modern history has ever successfully captured and executed one.

When a skin changer starts attacking government workers in Chicago, they have no choice but to call in their last resort. However, their solution might create even more danger for the city and its people. What does the skin changer want, and how does it fit into a possible Undead uprising?

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Excerpt:

         “What do you look like under that mask?”
         The man Dakota Harvell had been dancing with all night was smirking at her from beneath his own, much smaller, mask. It was a masked ball Chicago hosted every Halloween to honor the bygone era of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Since the twenty-second century had begun ten years ago, many Chicago landmarks held annual “classic” celebrations.
         Dakota hadn’t been back to the city since her girlfriend had visited and that visit had and resulted in her girlfriend’s body being torn almost literally to pieces.
         “Why do you want to ruin the mystery?” she asked, her voice deep and reverberating, lower than the old-time orchestra’s bass. She tightened her grip on his hand ever so slightly. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
         The man, who had introduced himself as Eric Rodriguez, grinned. “I do love a woman who takes charge.”
         She chuckled along with him, twirling along to the old song. “Then you’re in luck tonight.”
         During a break in the dancing Dakota asked him what he did for the Illinois government.
         He chuckled nervously, tugging on his collar. “Ah, I work with murderers, in a way. Help keep the city safe.”
         Dakota winked. “FBI?”
         “Close enough,” Eric replied, finishing off his drink. “You know, I might be getting ahead of myself, but is there any chance a lady like yourself would take off with me tonight?”
         Dakota smiled; this was what she had been waiting for. “I’d be delighted. Get your car, I’ll meet you out front.”
         She watched him leave and then performed a quick change in the ladies’ bathroom: her slim, tanned body becoming short and chunky, her long blonde hair becoming short, dark, and wavy. Her dress hung oddly on her new frame, but she didn’t have time to fix it. She wouldn’t remain in this form for long, just enough to evade the security cameras as she exited the hotel.
         As soon as she was out in the brisk autumn air, she dashed into an alley and shifted back into her previous form, taken from a model in Europe some years ago. She left yet another pile of flesh and blood beneath her from the shift, and walked toward Eddie’s ugly beige Hyundai.
         As he drove he commented, “Can you believe that we had snow already? In October?”
         Dakota laughed. “It’s Chicago, we’re lucky the weather hasn’t been even stranger.”
         They headed toward Foster Avenue and stopped right where Norridge and Chicago met. He lived down the street from an elementary school and evidence of children was all around in the houses on the block surrounding his. Snowmen and sleds dotted many lawns, and one house across the street from his was already decked out in their Christmas decorations.
         “I hate that: can’t they at least wait until Halloween is over?” Dakota commented as they got out of the car. Her purple heels sank into the snow that had not been properly shoveled. She walked around to his side of the car and leaned against it, gesturing to the house.
         “Yeah, and they leave ’em on all night, making my bedroom blink through the curtains,” Eric replied, standing in his driveway. He glanced toward Dakota, opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. His eyes were bulging in shock or fear.
         What is he … oh. Dakota looked at her reflection in the car window. Instead of the beautiful visage she had stolen was in place the true image of a skin changer, only seen in a reflection: wet grey skin, covered in slime, no hair, no nose, white, cataract covered eyes, and a gaping hole of a mouth.
         Eddie opened his mouth and was about to scream, but Dakota silenced him with a punch to the stomach. But her fist did not stop there: it went through the fabric, past the soft, paunchy belly, and into the wet warmth of his flesh. It moved through muscle, organs, and blood until the fist reached the other side, boring a perfect hole into his guts.
         Eyes wide, too shocked to feel pain, Eric just stood there while her fist was going into him, creating a crater that looked like a baseball had gone through his midsection.
         Dakota pulled her fist out with a wet sound, dragging his guts with it in her grip. She yanked and they pulled free, sending Eric to the ground in his driveway, blood soaking the pure white snow like art.
         She put a piece of intestine in her mouth and began to chew, grinning. “Not quite the penetration you were hoping for, was it?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

Angelica Cross is forced to curb her travelling and return to the Paranormal Investigative Division to stop a skin changer from killing employees of the PID and quell an undead uprising.

Once again I was taken on an intense and emotional trip filled with mayhem, action and suspense, and enjoyed every minute of it.

All my favourite friends were back and better than ever. (Thank you, Lily, for bringing Angelica and Danny back to the PID!)

I love that Lily’s writing makes me feel like a part of the story, that I’m living alongside the characters and experiencing their adventures first hand.

If you like paranormal mysteries with awesome storylines and great characters, and haven’t yet read any of this amazing series, now is a good time to start… you won’t regret it!

The entire series is on sale June 12th-17th.

You can start book one for FREE, and books 2-5 are only 99 pennies!

 
Author Information:

Lily Luchesi is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of the Paranormal Detectives Series, published by Vamptasy Publishing. She also has short stories included in multiple bestselling anthologies, and a successful dark erotica retelling of Dracula.

She is also the editor, curator and contributing author of Vamptasy Publishing’s Damsels of Distress anthology, which celebrates strong female characters in horror and paranormal fiction.

She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and now resides in Los Angeles, California. Ever since she was a toddler her mother noticed her tendency for being interested in all things “dark”. At two she became infatuated with vampires and ghosts, and that infatuation turned into a lifestyle. She is also an out member of the LGBT+ community. When she’s not writing, she’s going to rock concerts, getting tattooed, watching the CW, or reading manga. And drinking copious amounts of coffee.

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