The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire by Molly Harper

In the next book in Molly Harper’s beloved Half Moon Hollow paranormal romance series, Gigi starts her first job (at Vampire Headquarters), gets over her first love, and may even fall for her first vampire!

Gigi is no longer an innocent teen. All grown up and looking for love, her family and friends worry she’ll go for the sexy, alluring vampire instead of a nice, safe human. But sexy and alluring, with a penchant for biting, could be just what Gigi wants...

My Review:

If I'm being 100% honest... it's a 4½ (not the full 5 stars/hearts/flowers rating that I show below - why, oh why, did I not make ½ ratings?  *Note to self: make ½ ratings*)

OK, moving on.  The one single thing that made everything worthwhile (and my eagerness to round up my rating to 5): Ophelia getting punched in the face.  *Boom*

*and there was much rejoicing*




 *and there was even more rejoicing*



Seriously, if any character was ever asking for a punch in the face, it's Ophelia.  I've developed a long, slow, burning dislike of this perky 'teen' vampire.  Well, perky is really more of a nice way of saying sociopath, but I'm a Southern lady and would never use such a crass tone.  *smirk*

You want snark?  Yup, this one is strong with the snark.  Looking for a slightly New Adult Paranormal slant?  Why, yes.  Rebound's got ya covered.  Romance?  A strong yes, although it's not so steamy that you'll be embarrassed to read in public.  Vampires?  Indeed.  No sparkles anywhere, just the occasional trashy T-shirt the Dick managed to save.  Want to see characters from other books?  Granted, not the entire team assembled, but it was quite close and lovely to see previous characters I fell in love with.

I feel I should give a bit of a disclaimer here... the combo of Molly Harper and Amanda Ronconi (narrator) are one of my feel-good drugs of choice.  Well, specifically the Jane Jameson and Half Moon Hollow series varieties.  They are my happy place, and a near instant auto-buy in audio format.  I'm a fan of Molly Harper's PNR books, but her contemporary romance can be hit or miss for me.  Long story short, my overall love of the series might be coloring my thoughts a bit on this specific installment.  It's not outside the realm of reason.

The reason I'm fighting the full 5 rating on this... while sexual angst and tension ran rampant, it was a hair speedy and I really wanted more background (and just plain MORE in general of) "Mr. Tall Blonde and Bitey".  On one hand, this is a fun, flirty PNR in it's hayday - so one expects a little 'fast forward' and improbable, dangerous situations that create a fast, firm bond between Gigi and the mouthwatering vamp.  But on the other hand, there are moments I wish for a little less flirt and a little more show and tell of the building relationship.  Throw in the fact that this is Gigi we're talking about, and we can throw those hands ALL out the window.  She's like the angsty, young adult/new adult little mascot... for vampires?

In the grand scheme of the series, it's not my favorite but it's most definitely not my least favorite.  I will most definitely put this on my re-read rotation.  If you're looking for some fun and have followed the series*, I'd highly recommend picking this gem up. 

*There are some spoilers unless you read the Jane Jameson series first, then read the Half Moon Hollow series.

While I received a free paperback book from XOXOAfterDark  as part of their XOXOperts street team, I also purchased the audio as well.  I also will happily give Audible my money each and every time there is a Molly Harper/Amanda Ronconi audio available. That should be a BIG NEON SIGN that my thoughts are honest and not just stroking the metaphorical hand that feeds me.  My acceptance of the book in no way guaranteed my review would be favorable.

Author Bio (from website)

When Molly Harper was eight years old, she set up a “writing office” in her parents’ living room, complete with an old manual typewriter and a toy phone. And she (very slowly) pecked out the story of her third-grade class taking a trip around the world and losing a kid in each city. She had a dark sense of humor even then.

 

When Molly was considerably older, she headed for Western Kentucky University, where she majored in print journalism. After graduation, she landed a job with The Paducah Sun and married her high school sweetheart, David, a local police officer. After six years at the newspaper, Molly took a more family-friendly secretarial position at a local church office.

Her husband worked nights and Molly was alone with their small child in the “The Apartment of Lost Souls.” A big fan of vampire movies and TV shows, she decided to write a vampire romance novel. Molly created Jane Jameson, a bit of an accidental loser. Jane is single, almost 30, and a librarian working in Half-Moon Hollow, Ky. She has become a permanent fixture on her Mama’s prayer list. And despite the fact that she’s pretty good at her job, she just got canned so her boss could replace her with someone who occasionally starts workplace fires. Jane drowns her sorrows at the local faux nostalgia-themed sports bar. On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer and shot by a drunk hunter. And then she wakes up as a vampire. The three-book Jane Jameson series–which includes Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs,Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men and Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever—was released in 2009.  A fourth and final installment, Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors, was released in 2012.

Molly continues stories in the Jane Jameson universe through her Half-Moon Hollow series,Driving Mr. Dead, The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires, Undead Sublet, and A Witch’s Handbook of Kisses and Curses.  Undead Sublet is a short story in The Undead in My Bed anthology.  A Witch’s Handbook of Kisses and Curses will be released in June 2013.  A special free audio holiday novella, I’m Dreaming of an Undead Christmas, was released in December 2013.
Molly will update her popular Naked Werewolf romance series in 2013. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf, was released in February 2011, quickly followed by The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf. A third installment, How to Run With a Naked Werewolf, will be released in December 2013.  Her first-ever “haunted house story,” Better Homes and Hauntings, will be released in June 2014.

Molly will launch her first-ever contemporary romance series with My Bluegrass Baby in December 2012.  Rhythm and Bluegrass was released in October 2013.
Molly’s books are published by Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. They are available in print, as e-books and audio books at major book stores and on Amazon. Molly is a native of Kentucky. She lives in Paducah with her husband and children.

Molly Harper/Snarky Romance with Bite website

... and did you know there was merchandise at Zazzle?  I feel like Yogurt from Spaceballs, "Merchandizing, Merchandizing!"

This is one of my personal favorites:

Buy it for yourself 

Have fun with her 

'Half-Moon Hollow Vampire Name Generator'

mine is:  Bellatrix Snodgrass

Visit her 'Character Graveyard' 

 ... and as one final fun addition, if you're a fan of this series, you'll get it.

Shirt says, "This is a disguise. I'm a possum."

Outsider - Blitz - Giveaway + Sale

Outsider Book Release and Goodies

This week marks the release of Outsider, the second book in Becca J. Campbell's New Adult Paranormal series Flawed. To celebrate, Becca is hosting a giveaway and a book sale! The Prize Pack The giveaway at the end of this post is for a prize pack that includes: one autographed paperback of Outsider, one 12" x 18" poster of the cover art, and two square collector's buttons (one of Empath and one of Outsider). Please note, this giveaway is open to those with an address in US or Canada.
   
The Book Discount The regular price of the Outsider eBook is $3.99, but for the first week, you can purchase a copy for only $2.99 (ends January 12th). On Jan. 13th, the price increases to $3.99, so make sure to get your copy now! Here are the purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

About Outsider (Flawed #2)

After a psychopath tried to kill his friends, Josh Schuyler figured 'normal' was far off. The real problem: Josh's friends have all acquired supernatural abilities, while he's still the same average guy. Josh has always believed he was destined for greatness, but he's been out of college for two years without a clue of his purpose. After watching his friends and siblings develop superhuman traits, he wonders if he might be meant for something grand, too. Can Josh even hope for an extraordinary event in his own future? And how long must he wait for this transformation - if there is one? When Alex met the Schuylers, she was grateful for new friends to whisk her away from her lonely life in California and give her an escape from her divorced, bickering parents and aimless future. But Josh won't drop his defenses, and Alex isn't sure she wants to trade her old life for this new, uncertain one. Nicodemus has an amazing ability he's been milking for years to get whatever or whomever he wants. Things are going great until a young woman - Alex - inadvertently busts his latest swindle. Nic is furious when he discovers his power has been disabled, and he vows to find her in order to wreak his vengeance. She will be punished. All he needs is a little help from his friend, Ethan Black. Josh has been waiting for his big break, or for the chance to be a hero, or just the opportunity to stand out in his own, extraordinary way. Will Josh discover his purpose in time to stop Nic?

More Flawed Books

Empath (Flawed #1) Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her. Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings. When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her, unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal. Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Kobo | Inktera | Scribd

Pulled (A Flawed Short Story) Eight-year-old Juniper has been labeled many things—troubled kid, orphan, runaway—but none of her foster families have known what she really is: a girl with a unique and brutally inconvenient ability to teleport. Her spontaneous jumps are not only beyond her control, they get her into trouble. When Juniper disappears, no one believes her wild stories, so she's stopped trying to convince them. One day when Juniper gets pulled away, finding her way back is harder than ever. Stranded on the side of a deserted highway, she must rely on her own instincts to determine who is a creepy stranger and who she can trust. Resourcefulness may get her home, but is getting home enough when you don't have parents that love you? Juniper knows something most people don’t: there are others like her with unexplained abilities. Until now, she’s exercised stranger-danger caution, but maybe these people can offer what she needs. Will Juniper find a family she can share her secrets with?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Kobo | Inktera | Scribd

About the Author

Becca J. Campbell is the author of the Flawed series as well as Science Fiction novels Foreign Identity and Gateway to Reality, and Sub-Normal, a series of short stories. An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality, Becca looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity. You can find her on her Author Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Amazon.

Giveaway

Enter the Outsider prize pack giveaway below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bright Fire Released!

Bright Fire

MJ Austin

YA Fantasy

Synopsis

Delfia thought she was a normal girl about to turn sixteen until her adoptive parents are murdered by creatures from the underworld. Her life gets thrown into chaos as she teams up with her best friend, a strange guy, and a prophetess. 

She soon discovers her biological father, Hades, ordered the attack on her and her family because a prophecy names her as the one to take him down. She must first complete a set of tasks to free Persephone, her mother, from the underworld and defeat Hades. 

Will she be reunited with her mother or will she get sucked into the underworld?

*Book is geared towards readers that liked Percy Jackson Series, Need Series, etc.*

Purchase Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Excerpt

Mondays are the epitome of all evil. It's just a fact.

Do you ever get those feelings deep in the pit of your stomach? The ones that make you feel all queasy and anxious? Well, that’s how I feel right now. I am standing at my locker at a way too early hour, and I am in Dragon Bitch mode; which is surprising because today is my birthday.

Normally, I love my birthday. I officially turn 16 at 11:59 tonight, and instead of reveling in the excitement, am I staring at my locker without really seeing it. I just keep trying to figure out what’s causing this annoying pinch in my stomach. I jump when I hear the locker next to mine slam shut.

Lyla.

"Jeez, Lyla,” I huff. “How many times do I have to tell you not to do that? Now excuse me while I find a doctor to remove my heart from my nasal passage." I’m not in the mood for the early morning antics of Lyla Browning, even if she is my best friend.

"Soooorrry, but it seems to be the only way to get your attention. I say 'Happy birthday, Dell' and what do you do? You ignore me and stare at your locker. What is up with you?"

"Nothing, just a funny feeling."

She eyes me for a minute, then shrugs her shoulders and in a matter-of-fact tone tells me, "It's probably PMS."

“Yeah, maybe I dunno...” I trail off, the feeling still bugging me. I understand that she is trying to snap me out of it so I muster up some enthusiasm and sing, “Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me.”

She perks up instantly, and before I can clamp my hand over her mouth she starts bellowing out “Happy Birthday” in the middle of the hall that is seriously starting to fill up. By the time she finishes, everyone is staring at us, and my face is burning red.

“Aww come on, you love me and you know it,” she beams.

I smile because I do love her. Lyla and I have been best friends since forever. We first met in kindergarten when this little twerp, Zach Moreno, decided to pull my hair, and she punched him square in the nose.

We’ve been joined at the hip ever since then.

“But hey, you should be thrilled you’re turning 16.” she nudges me in the ribs a little.

“Yeah, I know, but my parents still won't let me get my permit till I’m 18.”

“No offense, but your parents are a little...intense.” She says.

“What do you mean by that?” I ask getting a bit defensive.

“Well, it’s just that lately they seem to be taking your safety to the extreme. You can't have sleepovers anymore, a car or a life. I mean it’s sweet that they care, but I thought parents got more lenient the older you get.” She fidgets with her wavy blond hair, afraid that she has gone too far.

The truth is she’s not wrong. My parents are great people, and I love them, but lately they have been too over-protective. When I ask them about it they just tell me, “the real world is full of dangers, kiddo.”

and that’s the end of that conversation. “Yeah, I know, I’m sure that is just their way of showing me that they care.”

“By the way, are we still on for binge night Friday?” She sees right through my attempts to change the subject. Binge night has been happening every Friday since the 6th grade. We start off at the roller rink and end up at my place with a large bag of cheddar popcorn, candy, and cokes.

“Uh, duh.” She says rolling her eyes. She grabs her stuff out of her locker. “Come on, we have homeroom.”

I turn to grab my bag out of my locker when the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Everybody gets those feelings now and then, but it was so intense I had to shiver to shake it off.

“Dude, what is your problem? Take a picture it lasts longer.” Lyla clicks her tongue, her usual reaction when something annoys her.

I whirl around to see who she is talking to and meet the gray eyes of Alec Hales, who is staring at me intensely like he’s waiting for something to happen. He would be the hottest guy in school if he weren't so weird. He continues to stare at me unabashed. I can’t help but stare back.

“Come on,” she grabs my arm. “This guy is freaking me out” She throws him the stink eye, and we head to class.

I spend the rest of the morning stumbling through class in a daze worried about that creepy stare. I’ve never seen anything like it.

What’s worse is that I’m pretty sure he’s the reason I had a chill that ranked 100 on the creep factor. OK, Dell get a grip, I tell myself as I walk into the cafeteria.

I do my normal scan and Lyla’s waiting for me at our usual table in the corner of the room, trays in tow. We are not the least popular students, but we are definitely not a part of the in-crowd. Lyla could be, but she sticks with me. Aside from her slightly crooked nose, she is the picture perfect replica of a Barbie doll, with her blond hair, green eyes, and mile-long legs. You get the picture. Me, on the other hand, my height is OK, not too short or too tall, but my drab brown hair and beanpole body are nothing special. The only thing I have going for me is my clear blue eyes. Lyla always calls them hypnotic.

“Ugggghhh,” she whines as she rolls her shoulders back and forth. “I think the teachers are secretly evil demons sent to torture teens with tests on Mondays. Seriously, who wants to take tests on Mondays?”

“Who wants to take tests at all?”

She throws a piece of lettuce at me. With a mouth full of food she asks, “What are your birthday plans?”

“Dinner with the family.”

“Same old, same old,” she laughs “maybe we can do something special for binge night like go shopping before the roller rink.”

“Yeah, that would be...” I trail off instantly when I feel the same eerie feeling I had by my locker. I lean into Lyla and whisper, “Is Alec staring at me?” She lifts her head up, and I pull her down. “Can’t you be discreet?” I hiss.

She subtly does a sweep of the cafeteria and relaxes, “Nope; nowhere in sight. Why do you ask?”

“I just got this creepy feeling earlier and again just now. I thought maybe it was his intense stare earlier.”

“Wow, I hope your weird doesn't rub off on me. Do you think it happens to everyone when they turn 16?” she jokes.

I laugh half-heartedly unable to shake the strange feeling.

About the Author M.J. Austin has always found the world of fantasy preferable to the real world. She channels this love of mystical worlds and creatures into her writing. She is an avid reader and proud bookworm. She has a Master's Degree in Project Management, but her true passion is writing.
When she isn't working or writing she is diving into random projects as often as possible. She lives in Tennessee with three children, husband, and three dogs.
Read more about M.J. at http://www.mjaustinbooks.com

Contact MJ Austin

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Dealth Waltz... It's Released, Would You Care to Dance?

Are you ready for more Jurgasms?  I sure am! ~ Alana

**This is an Adult Romance and is not suitable for younger readers due to its mature content and strong language.**

Dark Creatures have descended upon Earth and Abaddon has taken control. He wants Liasare as his own mate because she is the Key to the Light. With her by his side, he can manipulate her power to unleash his evil across the universe.

Jurek and Liasare’s fight continues to prevent this. Unknown to them, a Praestani traitor resides among them. Can Jurek teach Liasare to wield her immense power in time to halt the traitor’s plans? Or will they end up in Abaddon’s clutches, waltzing to their death in this stunning conclusion to Dark Waltz.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1z2pyLn

Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1AlCC2i

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1C6mDYb

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1wRG1DH

iBooks:  http://bit.ly/1sFa25D

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1x468uv 

I'm working through a re-read of Dark Waltz before I dive into Death Waltz.  Beyond having the first book fresh, I get jurgasms all over again.  Win-Win.  But, it'll take a wee bit longer for my review of Death Waltz.
 ~ Alana

Liasare entered their quarters as Jurek poured himself a drink. She stood and watched him toss back the entire glassful and pour himself another. When he was finished with the second, he faced her. The anger she’d expected wasn’t there. In its place was disappointment.

“You could’ve at least warned me. Do you think that was fair?”

“No. It wasn’t fair. I am sorry for that. But if I had told you ahead of time, we would’ve fought and argued for hours over it. And the end result would’ve been the same. We both know it’s coming to a head. I have to face him sooner or later and the truth is, I’m scared to death. So I’d rather not sit around and wait anymore, because all this waiting only makes it worse. The thought of January’s children locked in Abaddon’s realm brings me to my knees. So I must act.”

“You emasculated me, Liasare. In front of everyone. Those are my people. My subjects. Our subjects.” He threw his glass against the wall and she watched it shatter into dozens of tiny pieces. Oddly enough, it was the glass breaking that made her focus, because that was exactly how she didn’t want this to end.

“I’m sorry that’s the way it felt to you. To me it’s a way of drawing the hunter out. He knows we travel together. He may think I’m more vulnerable without you. My intentions were never to make you feel that way.”

Jurek knew within his heart what he needed to do, but abhorred the very idea of it. “Nevertheless, I suppose my feelings in this matter are irrelevant. Liasare, listen to me. Do not, under any circumstances, let your mind shield slip. He will attempt every trick he knows to cajole you into thinking you are safe. You are never safe. Understand me? When you enter Club Down, you will feel the worst brushes of evil abrading your power. Do not succumb to it. And whatever you do, even if you must sacrifice the lives of the Praestani that accompany you, keep yourself safe. Our species depends upon you. You are The Light. This is a great burden you carry, but it is also one you must protect at all costs. Tell me you understand this.”

His words imparted the gravity of what she would face in the hours ahead.

“I understand every word.”

Memories forced their way into Jurek’s mind, ones he didn’t particularly care to think about. They were when Liasare had been held captive by one of Abaddon’s minions. Then other memories infiltrated his head and pushed the hideous ones aside.

“Tell me something. Remember back in our early days together when I asked you never to lie to me?”

Liasare laughed. “How could I not? You scared me half to death most of the time.”

His voice was gruff with emotion when he said, “But you never cowered from me. You stood up to me like a soldier going to war, just as you do now. So tell me, what is the real reason you want me to stay behind?”

She flinched at his question. It wasn’t possible to avoid the truth, but by answering him, she knew it would cut him to the core. There was only one thing to do and that was to face him, head on, with brutal honesty.

“I need you here because I’m fairly certain when I return I will need all of your powers to heal me. Not only will you have to piece me back together again, Jurek, I will also need you to tend to Justus while I am healing. I don’t know what kind of shape I will be in, or whether I will be able to see him. I don’t want him to see me until I am myself again. At least if you remain here, you will be able to care for him while I am recovering.”

Though he expected an answer he wouldn’t like, her words viciously punctured his heart. “Christ, Liasare. And how do you expect me to send you out there, knowing this?”

“I’m not giving you that choice because it’s not yours to make.”

He reached out his arm and touched her face. “How can I do this?”

“This isn’t anything you can or can’t do. Don’t you see? It’s what must be done. It’s the prophecy, Jurek. It’s been written about centuries ago. I was born to do this. And either I go to him or he comes to me, but it will happen, one way or another.”

Their clothes were gone, vanishing like smoke in a breeze. His hands surfed her body, like he was skimming across the waves of the sea, memorizing every dip and curve as they moved. His lips followed the path his hands began, touching, kissing, and tasting every solid inch of her, pressing into her skin, molding themselves to her as they trailed along. He inhaled her scent, committed to memory her essence so when she was gone he could call it forth. The room brightened with his power as a burst of energy danced across her skin where his hands touched her.

Liasare responded in like, as her fingers weaved themselves into Jurek’s hair.

Emotion smothered her words as she began to speak but she forced it back because she wanted him to know what she felt at this moment. Her hand trembled when she raised it to brush a lock of his hair off his forehead. “The first time I ever saw you was that night as I sat drinking my beer. I believe it was in Cosmos. Do you remember?”

She waited for him to nod and when he did, she continued.

“Your skin was so glorious. You looked like an exotic gladiator, like the kind I had read about from the old history books on Earth. You were dressed in your leathers and your tawny skin glowed. I could see it even in that dim club we were in. And I couldn’t stop thinking about how handsome you were. I had never seen anyone like you before. And there I sat, holding my beer bottle, and I looked down at my arms as they were covered up because I was so scarred. I thought to myself then, ‘I wonder how it must feel to be that beautiful?’” Her hands lightly cupped his neck, thumbs tenderly pressing the hollow at his throat. Then, following the curves and arches of his shoulders and arms, fingers spread wide, she outlined every inch of him as if she were caressing him for the very first time. When she reached his fingertips, she kissed each one, and then journeyed to his torso, discovering the remainder of his body.

“I was so afraid back then. Of everything. And then I remember the first time you took me to the sanctuary, after you found and healed me. But I couldn’t forget what happened. You came to me that one night and knelt before me, begging me to talk to you.” Her brow was creased as she thought back to that night. She touched her lips to the center of his chest right over his heart before she continued. “I begged you to erase my memories. I had this burning need for you to make love to me to help me forget. I was madly in love with you. And I didn’t care if you loved me in return. I just needed to feel you inside of me. But I was afraid you’d refuse, like you’d done so many times before. I was slowly cracking into tiny pieces, bit by bit. And there you were, right in front of me, and I wanted so much to throw myself at you. I remember thinking again that you were the most beautiful site I’d ever seen in my life. I couldn’t imagine how any man could be so perfect. And as much as I was falling apart, I was more afraid that night that you would push me away one final time. Do you know something? I think if you had refused me, I would’ve found a way to end it all. But you didn’t. You said to me that if I consented, there’d be no turning back. That you played for keeps.” She smiled then. “Those were the greatest words I’d ever heard. I thought to myself, ‘Well, here he goes, saving my life again.’ And now you stand before me and somehow you’ve become even more beautiful than you were then. You are my heart, and will always be my heart. Facing the demon isn’t the worst thing I can imagine.” Cupping his face, she said, “The worst thing for me would be facing the rest of my life without you. I’m going to come back to you. But when I do, I’ll need you more than ever. So yeah, I want you here, safe, but also so you can heal me. Make love to me now, so that just for this little slice of time, I can forget what I’m about to face.”

Liasare never saw Jurek after he rescued her from near death or she would’ve recognized this emotion in him. His hands gripped her shoulders and he looked at her, his lavender eyes heavily laced with silver in their depths threatened to spill tears. “Liasare,” he began, but had to stop because he couldn’t go on. Swallowing several times, he began again, “Liasare, when you say things like this to me, it makes me want to carry you away from this dreadful place. I ... I am afraid. I’m afraid of letting you go. But I’m also afraid of putting my arms around you. Because if I do, I may not let you go. I know I must and I know you must do this ... this thing you’ve been charged with, but it’s my duty as your mate to protect you and here I am sending you to the damn demon himself.”

She didn’t give him a chance to say anything else before she kissed him, softly tasting and gently nipping at him.

Against his mouth she murmured, “I want to savor this moment, relish every second. I want it slow and easy, Jurek.”

They stood together, touching each other, as if it were their very first time.

A.M. Hargrove resides in the south, dividing her time between the upstate of South Carolina and the mountains of North Carolina. She truly believes that chocolate, coffee and ice cream should be added to the USDA food groups.

Her books include Adult, New Adult and Young Adult Romances, including, The Guardians of Vesturon (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and the novella Beginnings); Dark Waltz (A Praestani Novel) Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, Kissing Fire, Tragically Flawed, Exquisite Betrayal and Tragic Desires.

Please find her at http://www.amhargrove.com

A.M. also writes under the name of Emerson St. Clair. Emerson's books include the Dirty Nights novella series.

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Check Out My 5 Star Review of Dark Waltz HERE

Haven't started the series yet?  Well Book 1: Dark Waltz is FREE so get yours today.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/10VnyLx

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1E5Svsq

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/10ndHwS

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1qpC1Fu

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1tcznTl

Bright Fire Cover Reveal +Excerpt

Bright Fire

by MJ Austin

YA Fantasy

Synopsis

Delfia thought she was a normal girl about to turn sixteen until her adoptive parents are murdered by creatures from the underworld. Her life gets thrown into chaos as she teams up with her best friend, a strange guy, and a prophetess. 

She soon discovers her biological father, Hades, ordered the attack on her and her family because a prophecy names her as the one to take him down. She must first complete a set of tasks to free Persephone, her mother, from the underworld and defeat Hades. 

Will she be reunited with her mother or will she get sucked into the underworld?

*Book is geared towards readers that liked Percy Jackson Series, Need Series, etc.*

Excerpt

Mondays are the epitome of all evil. It's just a fact.

Do you ever get those feelings deep in the pit of your stomach? The ones that make you feel all queasy and anxious? Well, that’s how I feel right now. I am standing at my locker at a way too early hour, and I am in Dragon Bitch mode; which is surprising because today is my birthday.

Normally, I love my birthday. I officially turn 16 at 11:59 tonight, and instead of reveling in the excitement, am I staring at my locker without really seeing it. I just keep trying to figure out what’s causing this annoying pinch in my stomach. I jump when I hear the locker next to mine slam shut.

Lyla.

"Jeez, Lyla,” I huff. “How many times do I have to tell you not to do that? Now excuse me while I find a doctor to remove my heart from my nasal passage." I’m not in the mood for the early morning antics of Lyla Browning, even if she is my best friend.

"Soooorrry, but it seems to be the only way to get your attention. I say 'Happy birthday, Dell' and what do you do? You ignore me and stare at your locker. What is up with you?"

"Nothing, just a funny feeling."

She eyes me for a minute, then shrugs her shoulders and in a matter-of-fact tone tells me, "It's probably PMS."

“Yeah, maybe I dunno...” I trail off, the feeling still bugging me. I understand that she is trying to snap me out of it so I muster up some enthusiasm and sing, “Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me.”

She perks up instantly, and before I can clamp my hand over her mouth she starts bellowing out “Happy Birthday” in the middle of the hall that is seriously starting to fill up. By the time she finishes, everyone is staring at us, and my face is burning red.

“Aww come on, you love me and you know it,” she beams.

I smile because I do love her. Lyla and I have been best friends since forever. We first met in kindergarten when this little twerp, Zach Moreno, decided to pull my hair, and she punched him square in the nose.

We’ve been joined at the hip ever since then.

“But hey, you should be thrilled you’re turning 16.” she nudges me in the ribs a little.

“Yeah, I know, but my parents still won't let me get my permit till I’m 18.”

“No offense, but your parents are a little...intense.” She says.

“What do you mean by that?” I ask getting a bit defensive.

“Well, it’s just that lately they seem to be taking your safety to the extreme. You can't have sleepovers anymore, a car or a life. I mean it’s sweet that they care, but I thought parents got more lenient the older you get.” She fidgets with her wavy blond hair, afraid that she has gone too far.

The truth is she’s not wrong. My parents are great people, and I love them, but lately they have been too over-protective. When I ask them about it they just tell me, “the real world is full of dangers, kiddo.”

and that’s the end of that conversation. “Yeah, I know, I’m sure that is just their way of showing me that they care.”

“By the way, are we still on for binge night Friday?” She sees right through my attempts to change the subject. Binge night has been happening every Friday since the 6th grade. We start off at the roller rink and end up at my place with a large bag of cheddar popcorn, candy, and cokes.

“Uh, duh.” She says rolling her eyes. She grabs her stuff out of her locker. “Come on, we have homeroom.”

I turn to grab my bag out of my locker when the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Everybody gets those feelings now and then, but it was so intense I had to shiver to shake it off.

“Dude, what is your problem? Take a picture it lasts longer.” Lyla clicks her tongue, her usual reaction when something annoys her.

I whirl around to see who she is talking to and meet the gray eyes of Alec Hales, who is staring at me intensely like he’s waiting for something to happen. He would be the hottest guy in school if he weren't so weird. He continues to stare at me unabashed. I can’t help but stare back.

“Come on,” she grabs my arm. “This guy is freaking me out” She throws him the stink eye, and we head to class.

I spend the rest of the morning stumbling through class in a daze worried about that creepy stare. I’ve never seen anything like it.

What’s worse is that I’m pretty sure he’s the reason I had a chill that ranked 100 on the creep factor. OK, Dell get a grip, I tell myself as I walk into the cafeteria.

I do my normal scan and Lyla’s waiting for me at our usual table in the corner of the room, trays in tow. We are not the least popular students, but we are definitely not a part of the in-crowd. Lyla could be, but she sticks with me. Aside from her slightly crooked nose, she is the picture perfect replica of a Barbie doll, with her blond hair, green eyes, and mile-long legs. You get the picture. Me, on the other hand, my height is OK, not too short or too tall, but my drab brown hair and beanpole body are nothing special. The only thing I have going for me is my clear blue eyes. Lyla always calls them hypnotic.

“Ugggghhh,” she whines as she rolls her shoulders back and forth. “I think the teachers are secretly evil demons sent to torture teens with tests on Mondays. Seriously, who wants to take tests on Mondays?”

“Who wants to take tests at all?”

She throws a piece of lettuce at me. With a mouth full of food she asks, “What are your birthday plans?”

“Dinner with the family.”

“Same old, same old,” she laughs “maybe we can do something special for binge night like go shopping before the roller rink.”

“Yeah, that would be...” I trail off instantly when I feel the same eerie feeling I had by my locker. I lean into Lyla and whisper, “Is Alec staring at me?” She lifts her head up, and I pull her down. “Can’t you be discreet?” I hiss.

She subtly does a sweep of the cafeteria and relaxes, “Nope; nowhere in sight. Why do you ask?”

“I just got this creepy feeling earlier and again just now. I thought maybe it was his intense stare earlier.”

“Wow, I hope your weird doesn't rub off on me. Do you think it happens to everyone when they turn 16?” she jokes.

I laugh half-heartedly unable to shake the strange feeling.

About the Author

M.J. Austin has always found the world of fantasy preferable to the real world. She channels this love of mystical worlds and creatures into her writing. She is an avid reader and proud bookworm. She has a Master's Degree in Project Management, but her true passion is writing.
When she isn't working or writing she is diving into random projects as often as possible. She lives in Tennessee with three children, husband, and three dogs.
Read more about M.J. at http://www.mjaustinbooks.com

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Hired Gun Rlease Day BLITZ!

Hired Gun 2 by A.J. Bennett

Erotic Paranormal Romance Serial

Assassin Thorne Hollow wants to know two things. Who is the mysterious Kataya Clarke and what the hell kind of mind games is she playing with him? His curiosity causes him to do something he hasn’t done in over two thousand years. He returns to his home realm only to find out that his father, Theseus had a hand in getting him his job with The Sicarii, the secret society of hit men, leaving Thorne even more confused. Pissed off, Throne takes his rage out on a nest of vampires. He ends his night with yet another beautiful woman who is not what she appears to be.

Buy Hired Gun (Book #1) at Amazon

About the Author

A.J. Bennett lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and bulldog. She's addicted to coffee, popcorn and books. Becoming an author has been a lifelong dream, and she's extremely excited about her debut novel Now or Never.

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'Something is Brewing' ~ I Am Bubbling with Excitement!

Salem’s Revenge strikes without warning or mercy, ravaging the powerless human race under the forces of united gangs of witches, wizards, and warlocks. During the slaughter, Rhett Carter's foster parents and sister are killed, and his best friend and girlfriend are abducted by a gang of witches calling themselves the Necromancers, who deal in the dark magic of raising the dead. Rhett’s sword­wielding neighbor with a mysterious past saves Rhett from becoming another casualty of the massacre and teaches him the skills he needs to survive in this new world. Rhett is broken, his normal high school life of book blogging and football playing shoved in a witch­apocalyptic blender. The only thing he has left is his burning desire for revenge. Armed with his new witch hunting skills and a loyal, magic powered dog named Hex, he sets out into the unknown with one mission: hunt and destroy those who took away everyone he ever loved.

But Rhett isn’t just a witch hunter; He has secrets of his own that he has yet to discover, secrets that his enemies will stop at nothing to keep him from. And discovering the truth about himself is the human race’s only hope.

Revenge. That’s all that’s left for witch hunter Rhett Carter. The magic­born have stripped everything from him ­ killed his friends, cursed his warlock father, shattered his future ­ leaving him bare and broken, but not dead. Their mistake. When Rhett and Laney are suddenly thrust in different directions, Rhett must decide who to trust and who to kill. Backed by his trusty canine sidekick Hex, Rhett will embark on his deadliest mission yet, one that will lead him directly toward those who want him dead, pushing his unique resistance to magic to the edge and back again as he tries to remove his father’s curse. Separated from Rhett, Laney seeks to understand the strange changes to her sister, Trish, who’s believed to be the last living Clairvoyant, and what role she’s destined to play in the future of humankind. Wrapped around everything are four major groups: the Necromancers, the Changelings, the witch hunters, and New America, the remnants of humanity. When the major forces are brought together for an epic battle, the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Get both Brew and its sequel, Boil, the first two books in the Salem's Revenge series, for a special price of $0.99 each for a limited time only (Amazon Kindle exclusive: Brew until October 17th; Boil until October 7th) Click on the above buttons to take advantage of this limited time deal!

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David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. David grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. They now live together in their dream location, Hawaii. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and started writing full time in June 2012. Now he travels the world writing with his wife, Adele. David's a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.

To celebrate the launch of Brew and Boil, David Estes is also giving away FREE Kindle copies of his popular YA dystopian AND adventure book, Fire Country. Just click the above link to nab your free copy.