Tag Archives: violence

OMG I need book three stat!

58523538._SY475_Crooked Shadows by M.A. Grant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, that ending wasn’t what I was expecting!

***

For the last 20% of this book my heart was racing so fast I thought it would beat out of my chest, the tension build up throughout this second installment in the Whitethorn Agency series is perfectly pitched.

As Atlas and Cristian venture to Romania to seek help from his father’s allies and find out more about the origins of the strigoi, we get to see inside the vampire’s head for the first time.

I love that MA is switching POVs for this series and it was fascinating to see how Cristian’s emotional connection to his bodyguard is not only strong, but supportive and loving – even if Atlas isn’t ready to accept it.

Throughout this book there is an edge of danger, the two men are walking a tightrope from the off with the politics of the vampire world dogging their every movement.

We also get to meet a wonderful new character, Daria, in this book and I loved her. She’s strong, a survivor of the strigoi herself and, while wary of Cristian, has the grace to not immediately try to skewer him!

It’s more focused on the investigation and the paranormal elements than the romance but there is still a major move forward for both men which comes after they’ve faced the thought of the other’s death being an all too likely outcome rather than an abstract scenario and I loved this bit especially.

But, bloody hell, that ending! OMG talk about dropping a WTF moment and then signing off. I am absolutely dying now to find out just what that means for Cristian’s family going forward.

As a PS, I think this cover is more indicative of a paranormal romance than the one for the first book was.

ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review

View all my reviews

Blog Tour: Windfall by Shawna Barnett

Shawna Barnett | Windfall

Legends of Vioria #1

Untitled-1

Release Date: August 12th, 2021

Publisher: Hansen House

Publisher | Amazon

Add to Goodreads

COVER - Windfall

Blurb

Captain Liana Foley knows a thing or two about fights. She fights the King’s Navy. She fights to balance power in oppressive Vioria. She fights for respect as a female, bisexual, pirate captain. But she’s losing her biggest fight: to escape her secret past as a lost Princess.

With a mysterious letter and a stranger threatening to expose her, Liana is blackmailed into attending a royal ball and protecting her counterpart, sheltered Princess Rhian. The pretenses are suspicious enough, but Liana takes the risk in hopes to finally unveil the magic plot that killed her parents and forced her into hiding.

When Liana encounters Rhian’s own lightning-wielding powers, the ball erupts in violence. The sheltered princess falls into the care of Liana—and her band of pirates. On the run, the only safe haven for the Windfall crew to hide is the most-dangerous place of all: under the thumb of Liana’s narcissistic, abusive brother-in-law.

In order to protect her crew, her family, and naïve Rhian, Liana must demand sacrifices from herself and the people she loves. Her choices will make powerful enemies; good thing Liana Foley knows a thing or two about fighting those.

Warnings: Violence, attempted rape, domestic violence, torture, murder.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

To Go on the Account

6th of Lengnath, 1715

The Capital of Caerwyn

A shadow crept around a stone archway, unseen by a passing pair of guards on patrol. The woman who cast it pulled down her hood and peered about. Her thick, unkempt black hair fell over her shoulders. A long cloak covered her curves, but she had flung it back to rest a hand on her hip, revealing a sword in its sheath. Her fingers, ruddy and coarse with use, pinched her bottom lip. She strained her ears to hear over the soft slaps of water in the harbor, the creaking of the ships’ hulls as they swayed, and the occasional caw of laughter from the nearby row of pubs.

Just as she began to wring her hands under the cloak, another duo approached. They weren’t dressed in soldiers’ uniforms, but sailors’ garb. She took a step forward and allowed her silhouette to be revealed. “There you are. What took you so long?”

“I’m sorry, Captain,” her quartermaster, Ameen Almasi, said, stopping at her side and turning on his heel to face his companion. “Our young friend was… distracted.”

The youth in question tucked his chin and smiled guiltily at his captain.

“Damn it, Squiddy,” she scolded. “Learn to keep up.”

Her expression softened to amusement as he scowled. His real name was Sava, but she’d settled on calling him “Squiddy.” Not much would be able to change her mind.

Ameen chuckled, deep and quiet. Sava looked much like a young Ameen—slight, lanky, and youthfully energetic. Ameen towered over him. He held his posture, straight and sure, lean with muscle gained by nautical labor. The boy still had some way to go before he would be able to carry himself so confidently. Tonight, he would have a chance to prove himself. She beckoned them to follow her.

The Capital of Caerwyn rose before them in layers, on a crest overlooking the sea. The docks formed its base, spanning out south, east, and west like the fingers of an outstretched hand. The rest of the city stacked upon the palm; rows upon rows of buildings, each one smaller than the width of the one below it. The Royal Palace stood at the zenith of this view, like a crooked mountain range, sporting banners of blue and silver. The ocean-side of the palace stretched out like the hand’s thumb, wide and thick.

“Liana,” Ameen breathed her name rather than her title. His voice plucked her from the high towers of the palace and steadily anchored her back to the alley behind the harbormaster’s office.

She looked about the alley to make sure they hadn’t been noticed creeping about. “This is it?” Sava’s voice cracked.

“Yes. Do you remember what you have to do?”

He nodded. Even in the dark, she could see him shake. Placing a firm hold on his arm, she looked into his face. His eyebrow twitched.

Liana breathed in deeply, nodding to invite him to mimic her. “You can do this.”

“I’m ready,” he said as he twisted a lockpick between his fingers.

The building had suffered some damage since the last storm season and was under renovation, therefore it had an outer shell of scaffolding that looked sturdy enough to climb. Ameen knelt to give Sava a lift, and he was off, scaling the walls as easily as strolling the streets. They watched as he reached the third story, settled himself on a beam, and picked open the window. He scrambled through it and disappeared.

Liana saw Ameen lift his hand to his chest, where a Circle of the Divine hung on a chain under his linen shirt.

“He’ll be alright,” she assured him.

His eyes grazed over her face, then downward. “You weren’t supposed to bring that.”

She followed his line of sight to the cutlass at her side. “It’s for protection, if we’re caught.”

“If we are caught, we agreed you would distract them while Sava and I get away. Soldiers won’t harm an unarmed Caerwyn woman.” He looked straight back at her expectantly with an extended hand, wagging his fingers. After a meaningful silence, she begrudgingly loosened her belt. He was right, after all. It was the reason she was wearing her Mass dress.

“Insubordination is what I call that, Almasi,” she spat. Her tone could cut as deeply as the blade she handed over. But Ameen knew her well enough not to be offended. He grinned, obviously pleased with himself. His amber eyes lit up as he caught her looking for a moment too long. Liana began to pace, her shoulder purposefully knocking against his side as a final jab. She didn’t need to look back to know he was still smiling.

The lighthearted energy between them evaporated as they heard a whistling call in the distance—a warning. Sava’s head emerged from the window. Liana waved for him to come down. In return, he made an exaggerated shrugging gesture and went back in.

“That stupid little—” She rushed to the base of the scaffold and gathered her skirts. “Lift me up, I’m going to get him.”

“You’re in a dress.”

“And whose brilliant idea was that?!”

Deep voices and the light of a lantern cut through the darkness. Despite the cool breeze, she began to sweat. She could hear the patrolmen at the front of the building now. They must have taken a shorter route than usual.

An object landed at Liana’s feet with a flutter and thud. She snatched up the book and flipped it open. The ledger was unreadable in the pale moonlight, but she knew it was exactly what they had come for. “Blimey, Squiddy! You’ve done it.”

“Who’s back there?” came a gruff voice from the front, cutting their victory short. The sound of the ledger’s landing had alerted the patrol.

Liana whirled around and shoved the ledger into Ameen’s hands. She unfastened her cloak and threw that at him as well. “Wait for him but go as quickly as you can.”

He tucked it under his arm with her sword. “Be careful, Captain.”

As she lifted her skirts and sprinted off, Sava was already halfway to the ground.

But, by the Divine, this dress!

She hadn’t gone to Mass in years and had outgrown the gown. Ameen had insisted on this particular one—the rest she owned were plain, albeit comfortable. She’d been a fool to think she could have climbed after Sava. Between the binding bodice around her torso and carrying the weight of the layers of the skirt, she was out of breath within seconds. Still, it made her distress all the more convincing as she collided into the chest of the soldier before her.

The man grunted in surprise and took a step back to steady himself. She clung to his dark blue long-skirted coat. His jaw unhinged.

“It’s a woman!” his friend declared.

“Thank the Divine you’re here!” she gasped out. “Th-these men had me cornered and robbed me!”

She gave a doe-eyed shrug, feigning helplessness. The soldier settled his hands on her shoulders. It made her feel uncomfortably small. The other one, a fair young man, threw himself in the direction she had come.

“It’s alright, ye’re safe now,” the soldier who stayed with her said, beginning to stroke her upper back. He had a slight Northern accent, and his features were darker than the other soldier. She arched away.

The fair soldier returned at a slower pace this time. “Whoever attacked you, miss, they’ve gone now. Likely pirates who’ve come to port for the season.”

“Thank you.” She spoke as demurely as her pride would allow. “I’ll be on my way, now.”

“Shall we escort you home—?”

“No!” She realized too late she had interrupted him. “No… Thank you.”

About The Author

Shawna Barnett is a mother, life-long advocate and author of swashbuckling tales. After receiving a BA in Politics from UC Santa Cruz, Shawna worked in victim advocacy and behavioral health. Born in San Diego, California, her experiences have taken her all over the United States.

After settling in Tennessee with her daughter, Shawna seeks to speak out through writing and contribute to a world where everyone is safe and respectfully represented.

Social Media

Website: https://www.shawnabarnett.com/

Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/sbarnettauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBarnettAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sbarnettauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20653893.Shawna_Barnett

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shawna-Barnett/e/B09235XR1H

Giveaway

Shawna is giving away a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other Worlds Ink logoMEME - Windfall

Blog Tour: The Vanished by HM Wolfe & CJ Bishop

The Vanished| HM Wolfe & CJ Bishop

The Island #1

Island BT Banner

Release Date: July 12th, 2021

Cover Design: CJ Bishop

Crossover Novel for Cowboy Gangster and The Base

Universal Link: https://bookgoodies.com/a/B095DWLGDH

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58089983-the-island

Island Book One

Blurb

THE GANGSTERS… Clint, Cochise, and the men return home from Canada, looking forward to some much-needed rest and relaxation. But they soon discover there is no rest for the weary—as they are immediately faced with another crisis—missing loved ones that seemed to have disappeared into thin air. With no leads and no idea if their loved ones are dead or alive, the gangsters are desperate to dig up a single clue—anything to set them in the right direction.

As the gangsters are about to lose hope, an unexpected lead takes them to the last place their loved ones were seen. With a reluctant witness and a forced confession, they are left with little to go on… until a group of strangers—in search of their own lost loved ones—provide another piece of the puzzle that ultimately leads the two clans to a place of hellish imaginations… and terrifying revelations.

THE BASE… After the unexpected, violent encounter with his arch enemy Alexander Kane, Ardan MacNamara, the founder of The Base sanctuary for child prostitution victims, finally closes the door on his dark past. His honorary adoptive father, Fabian Bloom, who also suffered horrific physical, sexual and mental abuse at Kane’s hands, no longer looks over his shoulder, enjoying his new life to the fullest.

But then, Ardan’s three sons and their friends are kidnapped in broad daylight, only a few hundred yards away from The Base, and the two men’s world collapses. Numerous search parties are organized and no stone is left unturned, but the kids are nowhere to be found. The evil force behind the kidnapping seems to be greater and more dangerous than anything Ardan and Fabian fought against.

Desperate situations require desperate measures and, for the first time, the two men search for help outside their circle of traditional allies. Even if they’ll find it, Ardan and Fabian are aware that, this time, they may not make it out alive.

THE VANISHED 3

The Hunted

The Island #2

Island Book Two

About the Authors

 
CJ Bishop
 
cj bishop logo
 

Born and raised in scenic Coos County, Oregon, CJ enjoys the small-town atmosphere and down-to-earth country folk who populate the area. She lives with her 3 dogs and 2 cats deep in the country woodlands, which gives her plenty of time to write.

She is a Christian and strong supporter of the LGBT community and favors M/M themed fiction. She hopes that her stories of love and acceptance will help further compassion and understanding for LGBT people whom she feels is greatly misunderstood and persecuted – in large part by the Christian community.

Most of all, she is hopeful her stories will bring comfort to those who have been told that God hates them because they are different. It is her steadfast belief that God loves everyone and His love covers all.

FACEBOOK PAGE:
 
FACEBOOK GROUP:
 
AUTHOR WEBSITE:
 
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE:

***

HM Wolfe

18683377

H.M. Wolfe lives with the coolest Mom in the Universe and a fat, gay, submissive tomcat. She loves writing stories about boys and men who love, cherish, respect and protect other boys and men.

 
Website:
 
Facebook:
 
Amazon:
 
Twitter:
 
Goodreads:
 
Bookbub:
 

LIP SERVICES PR

@LipServicesPR

Island Vanished 3d
 

« Older Entries