Book Blitz and Contest of A Vampire's Star by Marie-Claude Bourque (#contests-$25 Amazon gift card + Vampire Series Boxset)

A Vampire’s Star
Marie-Claude Bourque
(The Order of the Black Oak – Vampires, #5)
Publication date: November 19th 2024
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

A VAMPIRE’S STAR: An Unexpected Pregnancy Slow-Burn Paranormal Romance

When music producer and banshee Tilly Davenport learns that her pregnancy puts her and her child at risk from evil sorcerers who would use her as sacrifice to unleash powerful magic, she has no choice but appear at her powerful vampire baby daddy’s concert to ask for his protection.

Easy-going Montreal immortal and rock star Cass St-Amand is shocked when his one-night flame shows up heavily pregnant with his child, disturbing his carefree lifestyle. But panic gets the best of him when a mysterious prophecy threatens the life of his expected child, and he vows to protect mother and baby at any cost.

If you love loyal tough guys with hearts, steadfast heroines and satisfying slow-burn paranormal romance, the Black Oak World is for you.

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EXCERPT:

Bell Center, Montreal, Québec
October, Present Time

Mathilda Ethel Davenport! Come on, girl. Tilly chided herself in the chilly, autumn night as she cradled her pregnant belly under the stark streetlights behind the Montreal Bell Center. It’s his child. He’s the only one who can keep you safe.

She rallied the courage she needed to dive into the horde of Cass St-Amand’s adoring fans waiting outside to catch a peek at their favorite rock star after his show.

The midnight air was crisp around her, the wind picking up a few dead maple leaves littering the concrete sidewalk. Yet the fall breeze did little to dilute the mixed scent of cheap perfume and body odor emanating from the boisterous mob awaiting their idol to exit the concert venue.

Standing amidst the downtown glass skyscrapers and centuries-old stone buildings, most of Cass’s superfans were not yet twenty-five, sporting jeans, leather jackets, or bodycon dresses under tiny coats.

Tilly winced and rubbed her belly once more. Her little munchkin was his baby alright. Conceived in the middle of a frigid winter, exactly thirty-six weeks ago today.

Would he believe it was his? Vampires, even immortal ones, did not father children.

Except that Cass had chosen to spend those few fateful nights not with just any woman, but a supernatural one—Tilly was a banshee.

One who walked with Death. Everything was possible.

She bit the inside of her mouth at the task ahead of her.

He had no idea she was pregnant with his child. How would he react?

He would have to acknowledge he was the father. But she’d cross that bridge when she’d get there. For now, she just had to reach him.

Author Bio:

Marie-Claude Bourque is a Montreal-born Seattle-based author of slow-burn paranormal romance and the winner of the American Title V award with her first novel ANCIENT WHISPERS.

Her writing features modern-day fantasy skillfully weaved into infinitely romantic supernatural stories between smart strong women and complex passionate heroes.

Happily Ever After always absolutely guaranteed!

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Book Blitz of Bloody Is The Night by Robin Jeffrey(#Contests-Win An Amazon Gift Card)

Bloody is the Night
Robin Jeffrey
(The Night, #2)
Publication date: November 12th 2024
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Unbeknownst to humans, the werewolves of the world live in tight knit gangs, or “dens”, for protection from outsiders – and each other. Every major metropolis has one; to belong to a den is to have a family for eternity. Shaye Cassidy, an unhoused human woman scraping by on the streets of Los Angeles, hasn’t had anything close to a family in over ten years. Shaye left her home under a cloud to chase the dream of a new start, a dream that quickly turned into a nightmare; a nightmare that grows even more twisted when Shaye witnesses a werewolf killing a fellow unhoused man.

Andy Vasquez is a top member of Sangre Sagrada, second only to the den leader herself. When she tasks him with tracking down a werewolf gone rogue, someone who is killing humans for sport and risking the exposure of their world, Andy dedicates all his resources to the task. He couldn’t have predicted that the key to uncovering the identity of the rogue wolf would be a human woman, any more than he could have predicted that he would fall in love with her.

Now, Andy must protect Shaye not just from the rogue wolf, but also from those within his den who wish she would disappear. Shaye has her own secrets, however, and in the city of angels, everyone has a devilish side.

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EXCERPT:

I faced forward and froze.

Sitting on the stool across the table was the slim man from the library. He looked me over with an unimpressed glaze to his eyes, leaning against the table, his breathing somewhat labored.

“Shaye Cassidy?” he said casually, as if we had arranged to meet here on a blind date.

I pushed away from the table, my eyes widening. “Shit–!”

Two massive hands clamped onto my shoulders. I tried to twist around, to twist out of their grip, but I might as well have been trying to squirm out of handcuffs. “Stay awhile,” said the silver-haired man behind me, pressing me down into the stool, squeezing hard, but not hard enough to be painful.

Heart in my throat, pounding against my skin like it was trying to escape, I watched as the dark-haired man slid himself on top of the plush green seat across from me, reaching forward and picking up a few pieces of hard-shelled candy out of the bowl as he settled himself. “How did you even get into a place like this?” he asked, an amused quirk to the corner of his mouth that set me on edge.

Even in the midst of the chaotic bar, his voice was deep, cool, and clear, like water from a mountain river. I watched as he threw the candy into his mouth piece by piece, and he returned my stare, his brows lifting over his dark eyes.

My tongue darted out to wet my suddenly dry lips. I cleared my throat. “Are you going to hurt me?”

His lips twitched up into a lightning strike smile that was gone almost as soon as it appeared. “No.” Tongue probing the inside of his cheek, he leaned forward across the table, so he didn’t have to shout. “Are you going to answer my question?”

His calmness grated on my raw nerves. I rolled my eyes and gestured towards the back of the club, past the dance floor. “Fire door alarm around the back is busted. Has been for almost a year.” As I shifted my weight on my seat, the man’s grip on my shoulders remained steady and firm. I grimaced at the pressure. “I noticed it when they hired me for a day to wash some dishes.”

The man looked in the direction I indicated and gave a harrumph, his shoulders rising and falling. He returned his attention to me, nodding. “Clever.”

Frowning, I gripped the edge of the table tightly. “I’m homeless, not blind.” I looked around. No one seemed to notice that I was under duress. If I started screaming, what would happen? What would anyone do? I decided not to risk it, sighing and staring at the man across from me instead. “I’m not stupid either. You’re Andy Vazquez, right?”

His calm facade cracked, if only slightly. This time he actually looked impressed, his eyes widening slightly, faint surprise clear in the opening of his mouth. “Ah, yeah.”

“What do you want?” I demanded.

“I thought you said you weren’t stupid.” He smiled, his eyes narrowing. “What would someone like me want with someone like you?”

“I don’t know,” I answered with unusual honesty, throwing one hand into the air. “I don’t even know who you are; not really. Just that you’re looking for me. You and the LAPD.” Looking him over more closely, a thought occurred to me. “Is that it? Are you a cop? Like a detective or something?”

As soon as the question was out of my mouth, I knew the answer was no. Getting a closer look at him, he couldn’t have been dressed less like a police officer. A part of my brain I had not used in a long time recognized the deceptively plain white dress shirt he was wearing as Louis Vuitton, meaning it cost somewhere close to a thousand dollars. The pants they were tucked into? Armani, over a thousand. The jacket? Even at this distance, I could tell: a single-breasted affair in virgin wool and silk – two thousand at least.

But it wasn’t just the clothes. It was the way he wore them.

Like they were strictly temporary.

Author Bio:

Robin Jeffrey can almost always be found cranking out punchy flash fiction, lyrical essays, or world-rich novels. Her writing has been published in magazines across the country and around the world. She currently calls the Pacific Northwest of the United States home, where she lives happily with her husband and their out of control comic book collection. She currently resides in the rainy Pacific Northwest. More of her work can be found on her website, RobinJeffreyAuthor.com.

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Book Blitz of Vampires of The Black OAk by Marie-Claude Bourque (#Contests- Win a $25 Amazon gift card + the previous 3 books in a boxset)

Vampires of the Black Oak
Marie-Claude Bourque
(Vampires of the Black Oak, #1-3)
Publication date: October 22nd 2024
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Meet the vampires of the Black Oak: a powerful order of modern-day warrior fighting evil to protect the ones they love.
Three vampire romances now together in this third installment in the Order of the Black Oak – Collection

“… a nanural master of the slow-burn…”

Book 1: A VAMPIRE’S SPELL: A Witch-Vampire Slow-Burn Paranormal Romance

A guilt-ridden legacy vampire teams with a powerful witch to protect their city from a crazed scientist seeking immortality.

Book 2: A VAMPIRE’S SIN: An Enemies to Lovers Slow-Burn Paranormal Romance

An immortal Montreal vampire teams with an ambitious real estate tycoon to rescue her kid sister from a child-trafficking ring run by a pack of daemons.

Book 3: A VAMPIRE’S SOUL: A Friends to Lovers Slow-Burn Paranormal Romance

When a female vampire teams up with a faithful immortal friend to escape a vicious hunter set to kill her, the centuries-old friendship turns into so much more than she’d anticipated.

★★★★★ Fantastic series of action, magic and awesome romance. You will fall in love with the characters and feel you are right with them.

“Marie-Claude has such a marvelous way of making the characters come to life and put the reader smack in the middle sharing it all. These books are binge worthy”. ~ Goodreads Reviewer

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EXCERPT:

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE – Valerian St-Amand

“So Valerian, tell me more about this witch you met this summer.” I watch him one cold December afternoon, sitting in a booth at the back the Serpent Maudit, his brother’s nightclub in Old-Montreal.

The immortal invited me here for the interview, so I don’t see the cursed vampires he has hidden in the crypt of his sanctuary while they learn to contain their extreme blood hunger so that they can function in the human world without hurting anyone.

Val shoots me a dark look. I see deep emotions raging in his gaze, quickly repressed.

He still wears his heavy outdoor wool-coat, the dark curls of his hair brushing the fox fur collar. Every one of his movement is measured, from the way he levels his chin to look at me casually, to the calm touch that lay on his dog, a hefty chocolate Labrador sleeping with his head on his master’s lap, the animal’s body stretched on the leather bench next to Valerian.

“Maisie Thibodeau,” he finally says, his voice hoarse.

“She’s a real witch?” I ask.

“Of the Coven of the White Holly. In the small town of Berwick Falls in Maine.”

“Your brother Magnovald said you were taken by her,” I pointed. “The first time you saw her.”

Valerian nodded then shrugged. “Maybe. But what does it matter?”

“She’s coming here, to Montreal.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“So, what will you do about that?”

“About her?” He let out a slow breath, his full lips a thin line. “Nothing. She’ll be here for Emmeline.”

“You’re ex-girlfriend?”

“The thorn in my side,” he said, lazily leaning back in his leather bench.

“You don’t love Emmeline anymore.”

He shakes his head, mixed emotions warring on his forehead. “I did once, I think. Over three hundred years ago, now.”

“But you don’t anymore.”

“She lost her soul. My fault.”

“You wanted her to be immortal, like you.”

“Yep.” He stretches his arm wider, pinning me under a smoldering gaze.

His intensity hits me full force, but I persist. I want to know. “So you did love her.”

“Look, Madame l’Auteur,” he shoots at me, as he leaned forcefully forward into the table between us. “Yes, I loved Emme, or at least I thought I did. I was eighteen. I turned her. And then she turned thousands. Vampires. There’s no stopping them. One mistake. And I now have to fix it.”

“For eternity,” I say. “You’ve been atoning for that one mistake for centuries.”

“I have.” He huffs and pats his dog’s flank with a calm and steady hand. The strong fingers dig into the deep brown fur while his dog raises trusty chocolate eyes at him.

“And what about Maisie Thibodeau?”

“I don’t know.” His gaze turns troubled. “I saw her only that one time at the parley between the Warlocks of the Black Oak, the Elders of the White Holly and us, Mont-Royal Immortals. She was on the fringe of the forest’s clearing, with the other witches.”

“You didn’t talk to her?”

“No. Just saw her. Couldn’t take my eyes of her. It’s like there was this strange connection between us. Seigneur! That flimsy summer dress she wore didn’t help either.”

“And now she’s coming here?”

“Yes. Diesel Stanford of the Warlocks wants Maisie to watch over Emme. To make sure she won’t hurt anyone. I have no choice. I don’t want an all-out war between the warlocks, the witches and the vampires.”

“So where does that leave you with Maisie?”

“There is no ‘with her ’happening. I’m not having another relationship. Too risky. And, she’s mortal.”

“I see. So how will you cope with her living at the Sanctuaire? Both of you under the same roof?”

“No idea.” He sneers. “I guess we’ll find out.”

Author Bio:

Marie-Claude Bourque is a Montreal-born Seattle-based author of slow-burn paranormal romance and the winner of the American Title V award with her first novel ANCIENT WHISPERS.

Her writing features modern-day fantasy skillfully weaved into infinitely romantic supernatural stories between smart strong women and complex passionate heroes.

Happily Ever After always absolutely guaranteed!

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Book Blitz of Magic Unleashed by Delta James (#contest- win an Amazon Gift Card)

Magic Unleashed
Delta James
(The Grimm Files, #1)
Publication date: September 18th 2024
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Mysterious deaths. Impossible magic. And the sexy dragon who might drive her to murder.

In the shadowy heart of modern-day New Orleans, where the supernatural simmers just beneath the surface, Phoenix Landry is a force to be reckoned with. As a formidable fairy enforcer, she stands as the city’s last line of defense against the demonic threats that prowl the night. She’s trained from childhood and is armed with lightning-fast reflexes, mastery over fire, and deadly weapons, Phoenix knows she’ll only come into her full power when she finds and bonds with her fated mate. But Phoenix has never been one to wait for fate—until it throws her into the path of Griff Cavill, a hard-nosed dragon shifter detective with secrets of his own.

Griff has been investigating a series of gruesome deaths that defy all logical explanation. As their paths intertwine, Phoenix is forced to confront the truth: Griff is her fated mate. Together, they form an uneasy alliance to combat a rising demonic cult. But as their chemistry ignites, so too does the danger surrounding them.

Griff becomes possessed by the very demon lord they’ve been hunting. Phoenix faces an impossible choice: uphold her duty as a fairy enforcer, or risk everything—including her life and the fragile balance between worlds—for the man she’s come to love.

As the battle for New Orleans intensifies, Phoenix must confront her deepest fears and make a heart-wrenching decision in a final showdown that will determine the fate of both worlds.

Magic Unleashed, the first book in The Grimm Files, is a gripping paranormal romance where love is a double-edged sword, and the price of power could be everything.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Well, if it isn’t Detective Broussard, bright and early. Are you doing the walk of shame as well? Come to sweep my sister off her feet again, or just drag her back to bed?”

Griff scowled, brushing past her without a word. He wasn’t in the mood for Savannah’s teasing, not when his mind was spinning with everything that needed to be done.

“Where’s Phoenix?” he asked, his voice low and gruff as he entered the front hall.

Savannah sighed dramatically. “Upstairs, brooding, as usual. You two really are made for each other, you know that?”

Griff didn’t respond; instead, he headed straight for the stairs. He took them two at a time, his boots echoing off the polished wood as he made his way to the second floor where Phoenix’s room was. He could feel her presence even before he reached the door, the faint pulse of her magic brushing against his senses like a whisper.

He pushed the door open without knocking and found Phoenix standing by the window, her back to him, arms crossed. The sunlight streamed in through the tall windows, casting her in a golden glow that made her seem even more untouchable than usual.

“You didn’t even say goodbye?” Griff growled; his voice thick with frustration as he closed the door behind him. “After everything that happened last night, you just disappear?”

Phoenix didn’t turn to face him, but he saw the slight tension in her shoulders. “Griff, last night was…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “It was what it was. But we both know it doesn’t change anything.”

“Doesn’t change anything?” Griff’s temper flared, and before he could think better of it, he crossed the room in quick strides, grabbing her by the arm and turning her to face him. “It changes everything, Phoenix.”

She met his gaze, her eyes a storm of emotions. “No, it doesn’t. You can’t just—”

Whatever protest she had died on her lips as Griff moved faster than she could anticipate, tossing her over his shoulder with ease, his arm wrapped firmly around her dangling legs. Phoenix let out an indignant cry, her fists pounding against his back.

“Griff! Put me down, you bastard!”

Ignoring her protests, Griff carried her out of the room and down the hallway, the echo of his footsteps loud in the otherwise silent mansion. Her sisters and Aunt Maeve were already standing in the foyer, watching the scene unfold with wide eyes full of mirth—okay, her aunt was pissed, but her sisters seemed delighted.

Geneva chuckled. “Well, this just got interesting.”

“Out of the way,” Griff barked, pushing past them as Phoenix continued to squirm and protest.

He reached the front room, a spacious parlor with high ceilings and elaborate decor, and set her down none too gently on her feet. He’d known he needed to be in a room other than her bedroom. He needed a room where they could have some privacy without the temptation of her big four-poster bed staring him in the face. With one hand, he slid the pocket doors shut, sealing them both inside and locking out her meddling sisters and aunt.

Phoenix glared at him, breathless and flushed. “Have you lost your mind?”

Author Bio:

Delta James is a USA Today Bestselling Author known for her captivating paranormal and contemporary romantic suspense novels. She crafts stories featuring complex, curvy heroines and the dominant alpha males who adore them, creating a romantic journey filled with challenges and thrills.

After embarking on a transformative second chapter in her life, Delta now calls Florida home. She enjoys relaxing on warm summer evenings with her lovable pack of basset hounds, watching birds, squirrels, and lizards. When she's not weaving fast-paced tales, she indulges in horseback riding, beach walks, and white-water rafting.

Discover more about Delta, including her complete list of books and audiobooks on her Delta James website.

Delta deeply values her readers and strives to respond personally to as many messages as possible. Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, or join her private reader group: Delta's Wayward Pack

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Book Blast of Spellcaster Wild Card by Nikki Jefford (#contest- Win an $50 Gift Card to the Authors Store)

Spellcaster Wild Card
Nikki Jefford
Publication date: October 1st 2024
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

 

Win the game. Change the world.

Winning the show means living forever. It is the golden ticket to fame, fortune, and a place among the vampire elite.

Being remade isn’t on my wish list. I like being me, and with nearly a million online followers, it’s working. My parents and big sister are the do-gooders in our family who want to make the world a fair and just place for all humans and paranormal creatures. I just want to finish high school and keep doing what I do best—sharing hair and beauty tips while discussing Spellcaster and how the show’s vampire judge Malachi Rayne is the hottest male on the planet.

Then, life as I know it ends. There are evil forces who will stop at nothing to maintain world dominance—indefinitely.

It’s hard to care when I’ve become dead inside and out.

After my family is violently attacked, the host of Spellcaster insists I audition for Season 13. For the first time in the show’s history, they want to represent every species of paranormals. That’s me now. Not human. Not vampire. Not the class of creature anyone EVER cheers for.

This season’s prize is power beyond anyone’s imagination. It is the kind of reward that contestants and their sponsors would kill to possess.

Let the other contestants and judges underestimate me. They can gossip all they want about the hotshot wizard and the alpha werewolf behaving as though I’m another prize to be won. And if Coach Malachi can’t handle a bold influencer with abilities, then he can suck it. I preferred watching him from the other side of the screen. He’s about to discover that Haylee Hutchins is a force to be reckoned with. The whole world will.

Someone thought they could silence my family for good. Instead, they created a monster. I’m still here, and I am much harder to kill.

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EXCERPT:

Everything is spinning. My body. My vision. My brain. I clamp my mouth shut to keep from vomiting. The cleaning crew just got the stage cleaned. Then there’s the second reason I keep my lips pressed tight. I refuse to beg Malachi for mercy.

My hands flail and grasp for something to hold on to, but the wind rushing between my fingers is no help. If this is what flying feels like, then it’s highly overrated. I lean forward in an attempt to go vertical, which has the ill effect of pitching me forward so I catch a brief view of how far I am from the stage. My body flips around another time. I don’t want to land on my feet and crush my ankles. I certainly don’t want to land on my head and shatter my skull. I don’t want to break anything on my body!

If I won this season’s prize, I could defend myself instead of swirling helplessly like the roof of a house caught in a tornado.

The wind rips out my hair tie and blows my braid out in an instant. Blond hair whips me in the eyes. My body begins to descend slowly, while the spinning continues in full force. The tornado fades little by little into the stage until I am set down gently and it disappears altogether. I try to remain standing while the theater seats and stage continue to spin, but I tilt to one side and misstep. Thump. I fall to the stage, sprawled out on my side. It could have been worse, though. Way, way worse.

It’s a little hard to feel grateful as partially digested lunch rushes up my throat. I swallow it down.

Malachi stomps over. “What the hell was that, Hutchins?”

Great. He’s using my last name. The coaches never use contestants ’last names. I must be in trouble.

It’s a serious effort to get to my feet, which takes outstretched arms to keep my balance, but I’m not about to listen to this lecture in a crumpled heap on the stage.

My loose hair tickles my cheeks. I swallow again and cover my mouth with my hand. Malachi’s not in my face, but I don’t want him scenting my vomit breath. Well, not technically breath, but whatever foul waft might originate from the leftover taste on my tongue.

Malachi doesn’t wait for me to answer his question before drilling into me. “First rule of magical combat—never lose hold of your wand.”

“You lost yours,” I mutter, which is the wrong thing to say.

Author Bio:

Nikki Jefford is a third-generation Alaskan nomad married to an amazing Frenchman. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt! Books, travel, TV series, hiking, writing, and motorcycle riding are her favorite escapes. The dark side of human nature fascinates her, so long as it's balanced by humor and romance.

To get in on the fun and adventure, visit Nikki at her website for release alerts, updates, exclusive giveaways, and a free story when you subscribe to her newsletter: https://nikkijefford.com/newsletter/

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Cover Reveal of the book Winds of Change: A Steamy Paranormal Romance Collection (#Paranormal, #Romance)

Winds of Change: A Steamy Paranormal Romance Collection
Publication date: October 31st 2024
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

An accident and a magical breeze will forever alter their destinies…

Weird stuff happens in San Destino. Some accept it without question. Others know and protect its secrets.

Cross the bridge over Starfall Bay to a town where the paranormally gifted live in peaceful anonymity. When ten couples are drawn together during the mystical time of Beltane, their hearts and minds will be challenged and changed.

Whose magical world is threatened? Whose ordinary world will be transformed by magic? Find out in this limited-edition collection of steamy paranormal romances by established and emerging authors.

 

 

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Review of the Book The Man in Black and Other Stories by Elly Griffiths (#review)

I want to welcome Elly Griffiths to Books R Us. Elly is the author of numerous novels that include The Ruth Galloway Mysteries, The Brighton Mysteries and other works. She recently published a collection of short stories called "The Man in Black." The Book will be available on October 15th. 

 

About the Book:

 

Elly Griffiths has always written short stories to experiment with different voices and genres as well as to explore what some of her fictional creations such as Ruth Galloway, Harbinder Kaur, and Max Mephisto might have done outside of the novels. The Man in Black gathers these bite-sized tales all together in one splendid volume.

In the title story, Ruth Galloway crosses paths with a mysterious man in a bookstore, setting in motion a rescue mission that hinges on the legends and lore of Norfolk.

Looking into the past, a young magician in 1920s Leeds wonders just what happened to his missing landlady in “Max Mephisto and the Disappearing Act.”

In “Justice Jones and the Etherphone,” a witty girl detective investigates the dire prediction of a fortune teller in dreary postwar London.

A flashback in time reveals Harbinder Kaur as a Detective Sergeant surviving her first day on the job at Shoreham DCI.

To celebrate the holidays, Ruth gets her very first Christmas tree, and her beloved cat narrates his own seasonal story in “Flint’s Fireside Tale.”

And readers can armchair travel with stories set on the Amalfi Coast, in Capri, and in Egypt as Ruth and DCI Nelson experience their very own version of Death on the Nile.

The Man in Black illustrates the breadth and variety of Elly Griffiths’s talent for blood-chilling, page-turning stories all with her trademark humor and heart.

My Thoughts:

I recently had the opportunity to review "The Man in Black," a collection of stories by an author whose other works I haven't read. The book features a mix of themes, including mystery, magic, ghost stories, Christmas traditions, and tales of love and loss. While I didn't enjoy every story, one highlight for me was "Flint's Fireside Tale," which offered a unique perspective by being told from the point of view of Ruth Galloway's cat. This story made me smile and wonder what my cats might think when I interact with them. However, I felt that I would have better understood the characters' backgrounds if I had read some of the author's other novels.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

Disclaimer:

The publisher gave me a copy of the book for my honest review, and I was not compensated for my review.

REVIEW OF HEXES AND HOOLIGANS (Magical Mystery Book Club #5.5) BY ELIZABETH PANTLEY

The Magical Mystery Book Club is a group of adventurous people who travel into books and become amateur sleuths. Every time they enter a book a new adventure begins. I want to welcome Elizabeth Pantley to Books R Us. Thanks for stopping by.

 

About the Book:

 

Hexes and Hooligans takes the club into a charming and idyllic world of gnome-like people who love the earth, celebrating, and honey. What they don’t like is the mysterious ailment that is turning students at the local college into hideous versions of themselves.

The timing is terrible, as it coincides with the upcoming Honeybee Moon Festival, the community’s biggest celebration of the year.

The event is only a week away. Can the motley group determine what’s causing the students’ transformations, stop it from spreading, and get them back to normal? They better, since it’s the only way they can exit the book and get back home to Colorado

My Thoughts:

This novel is a delightful blend of fun, charm, and adventure. It's the first book in the series I have read, and I fell in love with the cat Frank and the ghost Molly. The author's creativity is evident; all the characters, including these two, contribute to an interesting and engaging story line. I am already excited about the next book in the series and eager to see where the Book Club takes us next.

Disclaimer:

The author and Voracious Readers gave me a free copy of the novel in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

 

 

INTERVIEW OF NINA CROFT AUTHOR OF BREAK OUT

 I want to welcome Nina Croft to Books R Us. Nina is the author of Break Out (Blood Hunter) a Paranormal/Sci-Fi romance. Thanks for stopping by.

Can you tell me who or what was the inspiration for the book?

Break out is a mixture of sci-fi and paranormal romance, and there were actually two things that inspired it.

The first was watching the sci-fi series Firefly for about the third time. I love the series and I decided I wanted to write a space opera, because they’re fun and absolutely anything can happen.

The second was a serious case of paranormal deprivation. A while back, my husband asked me—why didn’t I write a good book? By ‘good’ he actually meant without any romance, vampires, werewolves or aliens. So, I wrote him a thriller, which I loved doing (it’s called The Descartes Legacy and will be out early next year!) And while a little (okay, a lot) of romance sneaked into it and maybe just a little bitty alien, there were no vampires and no werewolves, and by the time I’d finished writing I was in desperate need of a paranormal fix. So when I started plotting Break Out, and the pilot of my space ship turned out to be a vampire, I wasn’t too upset and actually welcomed him with open arms.

So there I was – vampires in Space.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

I go through stages where I find it difficult to get the words down. When that happens, I tend to just force myself to work through it. Usually though, I’ll give myself a change of scenery and perhaps try a different method from typing into my laptop. I’ll maybe take a notebook into the garden or up the mountain or… and I’ll write longhand for a change. It usually gets me going again.

Can you tell me your experiences in finding a publisher for the book?

I always knew that Break Out would be hard to find a publisher for, because it’s such a mixture of genres: sci-fi, romance, paranormal. I’d had another book accepted by Entangled Publishing through a pitch competition on the Savvy Authors site (that book was Bittersweet Blood, a paranormal romance to be released this December). I’d loved my dealings with Entangled up to that point and so when I saw that they were actively seeking space opera submissions I thought why not—maybe they’d like my space opera with a vampire. My manuscript found its way to Liz at Entangled who got back to me within the day. She asked me if it was part of a series, and if it wasn’t could it be? It was one of the nicest days of my writing career!

How long did it take you to write the book and how long did it take to get the book released?

Break Out was first released last July as a novella. The first draft took me probably a month to write and then another to edit. It was accepted in April last year and released in July so things moved pretty fast.

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?

Definitely the hero of the book, Ricardo Sanchez or Rico. He’s probably my favourite of all my characters. Rico turned up almost fully formed. He just about wrote himself and in fact, has a tendency to take over every scene he’s in (which was okay for Break Out, as he’s the hero but a bit of a pain for the later books.)

What are your current / future projects? 

I tend to have a few things on the go at once. I’m contracted to write another three Blood Hunter books so I’m planning those, but right now I’m working on a paranormal romance, a sequel to my December release, Bittersweet Blood.

Do you have any tips for a young writer just starting out?

Write what you love, because that’s what will sustain you when the going gets tough—which it will.

If your book was to be made into a movie, Who would you like the main character to be played by and why?

This is so hard. I think as writers we get such strong images of how are characters look that it’s hard to accept a real person. But I think for Rico, maybe a young Antonio Banderas (Rico is Spanish) or maybe Ian Somerhalder (I’ve just started watching The Vampire Diaries!) he could pass for Spanish.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?  Where do you like to vacation?  Can you tell us briefly about this?

I live on an almond farm in southern Spain with my husband and a whole load of animals. So when I’m not writing, I’m usually either walking the dogs, riding my horse, Gencianna, or lying under an almond tree reading.

We used to travel a lot before we moved to Spain, and we loved getting off the beaten track. We visited Africa, India and South East Asia. But we don’t really get to go on holiday anymore, it’s just not possible because of all the animals, so we spend holidays at home. But as we live in a spectacularly beautiful part of the world, that’s not really a hardship.

Can you tell me where we can purchase your book?

Buy Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

About the Book:

The year is 3048, Earth is no longer habitable, and man has fled to the stars where they’ve discovered the secret of immortality—Meridian. Unfortunately, the radioactive mineral is exorbitantly expensive and only available to a select few. A new class comprised of the super rich and immortal soon evolves. The Collective, as they’re called, rule the universe.
Two-thousand-year-old Ricardo Sanchez, vampire and rogue pilot of the space cruiser, El Cazador, can’t resist two things: gorgeous women and impossible jobs. When beautiful Skylar Rossaria approaches him to break a prisoner out of the Collective’s maximum security prison on Trakis One, Rico jumps at the chance. Being hunted by the Collective has never been so dangerous–or so fun! 

 About the Author:

Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia, which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.

Nina writes all types of romance often mixed with elements of the paranormal and science fiction.

Find me at:

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