Wulf and the Bounty Hunter Blurb Blitz

Blurb:

Wulf knows Yakira is his soul mate. The only person he needs to convince is her, but with intergalactic terrorists on Yakira’s trail, there’s little time for romance. What’s a hot-blooded Coletti warlord to do?

Yakira feels safe and cherished with Wulf, but he is a Coletti; the ultimate predator with a taste for blood, a passion for battle and the need to control everything in his life. The big question is; how does she make Wulf understand she’s a powerful psychic with kick-ass bionic limbs and quite capable of taking care of herself?

Excerpt:

My thoughts spun back to Wulf. Did I owe him an apology? Yeah I did. “I’m sorry. I never should have doubted you.”

“All I want to do is keep you safe. If I have to force your obedience to achieve that, so be it,” Wulf replied bluntly.

My temper spiked. Here I was, trying to make nice and he was going to be a jerk about it? “You need to realize being forced to do something against my will is abhorrent to me.” 

“Obey me, and it won’t be a problem.”

Obey? Arrgh! I fought back the urge to whack Wulf upside the head with the battle ax hanging on his wall. “Gee, thanks for making it so simple that even a mere female can understand.”  I stepped into the shower and started scrubbing.

“Are you being sarcastic?”

“What would make you think that?” Once the blood and Gorum slime was off me, I braided my wet hair into warrior braids. After all, I was going to war.

“You are being sarcastic.”

“Who said males were dumb as a rock?”

His tone one of resignation, Wulf asked, “Can we drop the subject for now?”

“Sure, honeybun, anything for you. Smooches.”

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October 31: Sharing Links and Wisdom
November 1: Mixed Book Bag
November 2: Book Giveaways
November 3: BooksChatter
November 3: EskieMama Reads
November 4: Fabulous and Brunette
November 7: T's Stuff
November 8: Booklover Sue
November 8: The Silver Dagger Scriptorium
November 9: Long and Short Reviews
November 10: Louise Lyndon Romance Author Hear Me Roar
November 11: Dalene's Book Reviews - review

Author Bio and Links:

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea of what a real emergency is. Take this for an example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am, but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone, I took up writing.

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Review: Pendulum by L.C. Davis

Remus Black is still reeling from an abusive relationship that stripped him of everything -- including his desire for love. Now all he wants is a fresh start halfway across the country, but his new roommate is determined to draw him into his strange world of chains, half-naked men and the infamous Lodge, a BDSM club as lavish as it is secretive.

When Remus is entered into the Lodge's annual Alpha's Pet contest against his will, he finds himself thrown to the Wolf Pack, the very type of men he needs to avoid. What's worse is that the wolves immediately label him a submissive, something he swore he would never be again. Things get even stranger when "wolf" turns out to be far more literal than Remus ever imagined. When both the next-in-line for Alpha and his outcast brother claim Remus as their own, the entire pack is thrown into chaos.

Can Remus learn to embrace the power of submission and choose between the brothers before their rivalry tears the pack apart, or will the tension between them unravel his own sordid past? 

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My Review:

3.5 stars

I feel conflicted about this story because while I loved it, I also had some serious issues with it. First, I enjoyed the characters a lot in this story. Remus was my favorite, and it was so much fun getting to see his evolution as a character, which is still changing and shows a lot of promise. I’m still warming up to Sebastain. The ending didn’t help his image in my mind, and I’m pretty irritated with him. I understand his reservations and why he’s acting the way he is, but he supposedly loved Remus so much and yet when that love is challenged, he sinks. So yeah, not too happy with Sebastian right now.

Victor though…Victor just broke my heart. He went from being a character I didn’t really connect with to one of my favorites. He is loyal to a fault and I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2 now that he’s got his shot (though with all the angst going on at the end of the book, he’s going to have to work for it).

Several of the secondary characters are interesting as well, particularly Foster. I loved his cryptic messages ‘cause I’m just a sucker for slow reveals like that, and I can’t wait to see what comes of them. I’m also really interested in what’s going to happen with Arthur as I can see it going one of two ways, both of which would be extremely interesting and have huge consequences.

The plot was also really interesting. I have to admit, I did not see where this story was going, and I can’t wait to see where it’ll go from here. However, I wasn’t a big fan of the ending. I don’t really know how to describe it. It doesn’t really end on even an HFN, but it’s not a total cliffhanger either. In fact, it doesn’t feel like there was really any resolution at all. I’m not a big fan of these types of endings as it feels like a tease, and not a good one. The last line is literally “Remus Black was dead, and I was the thing that killed him.” At least warn me that the book is going to end without an HFN or without much of a resolution at all. I mean, I kind of saw an ending like this coming once I got near the end of the book and it does fit where the story is at that point, but I was not expecting it at all going in to the book, which again, both good and bad. The epilogue is then basically a big plot twist at the very end of the book. I actually liked this, as it helps set up the conflict in book 2 and was a real “oh snap” moment. I enjoy books that tease little hooks at the end. However, I don’t like that we don’t really have a satisfying resolution whatsoever before the epilogue.

My biggest issue was that the book could have used some major edits. Not only were there quite a few spelling and grammar errors, which kept pulling me out of the story, there was a lot of extraneous information and scenes that could have been cut down to improve the flow and the plot. Some of these scenes actually hampered the overall story and there were some continuity errors.

Even with its flaws, I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot, and am very interested in finding out what happens next in Liminality. So if you can put aside the lack of editing, I highly recommend giving Pendulum a read as it is a great adventure and the start of a promising series.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

The After War VBT

Blurb:

Two years have passed since mankind faced extinction. Brian Rhodes and his cousin, Steven, are leaving the protection of their underground bunker for the first time, after a cataclysmic war and unrelenting disease ravaged the earth.

On the other side of the North American continent, young Simon Kalispell is leaving the safety and seclusion of his cabin deep in the woods, traveling with his aging canine companion, Winston.

For individual reasons, these men are traveling east, where the fragmented lives of a small number of survivors will soon be decided by the choices of a corrupt few.

Simon Kalispell and Brian Rhodes are not yet aware, but the strength that resides inside them will soon be tested, and destiny will call for their fates to be forever intertwined.

Excerpt:

Brian looked down the entry chute to Steven at the bottom. He knew that five minutes ago, the only thought going through Steven’s mind had been the complete and utter fear of facing whatever unknown nature of humanity might remain outside that bunker door. Now his cousin looked panicked as the filtered light reflected the sheen of sweat on his forehead, his body tensed, as if the all-encompassing blackness in that room was squeezing him toward the exit. Steven’s eyes darted over his shoulder in the direction of the one piece of equipment they had not shut down entirely—the walk-in freezer. The red, glowing light from the switch illuminated the far wall. Steven seemed frozen, transfixed.

Not the time to be thinking about what’s in there, Brian thought.

Villains in fiction

When we think of the evil, monstrous villains in fiction, the characters our minds produce are often Dracula, Frankenstein, Moriarity, or even Satan himself from Paradise Lost. But villains can have many faces, from the supernatural worlds of Stephen King, to the more human side of atrocity, such as Cormac McCarthy’s portrayal of the assassin, Anton Chigurh (see number 5). Below, I have compiled a list of ten of my favorite villains in fiction. I attempted to call upon a conglomerate of genres, not wanting to fill the list with only supernatural and horror related names. Without further introduction, here are my top-ten favorite evil villains in fiction.

10: Tyler Durden, FIGHT CLUB, Chuck Palahniuk

After starting a cult-like organization called Project Mayhem, Tyler Durden begins to wage war against the consumer driven nation. Arguably, Tyler Durden is a domestic terrorist. By the end of the novel, the narrator begins having doubts about Tyler and Project Mayhem as their exploits become increasingly destructive, and in the end, well … you’re just going to have to read the book to find out Tyler Durden’s true identity.

9: Waleran Bigod, THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, Ken Follett

Waleran Bigod uses cunning and manipulation to further his own corrupt pursuit of power, while hiding under the guise of religion, as he became the Bishop of Kingsbridge. The man is described as emotionless, arrogant, and spider like in appearance, always wearing black robes. Waleran is perhaps the worst type of evil, being that his position in life is to help people in need, yet he employs his power to corrupt and murder.

8: Frank Cauldhame, THE WASP FACTORY, Iain Banks

There is so much wrong with Frank Cauldhame, and the whole Cauldhame family, that summing it up in one short paragraph is difficult. Frank, the sixteen-year-old narrator, lives on a remote beach in Scotland with his something of a mad scientist father. Frank is the self-proclaimed lord of his peninsula, and performs strange and gruesome ritualistic sacrifices of animals, keeping their heads on poles around the property. But he doesn’t stop at animals. I will let the book’s description speak for itself, “Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different and more fundamental reasons than I'd disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda, more or less on a whim. That's my score to date. Three. I haven't killed anybody for years, and don't intend to ever again. It was just a stage I was going through.” This book is extremely disturbing, and incredibly well written.

7: Frederick Clegg, THE COLLECTOR, John Fowles

After winning a lottery and purchasing a lovely home out in the countryside, what does Frederick Glegg do with his time? Why, he collects butterflies, and then he kidnaps the lovely Miranda Grey, a girl he had been obsessed with, and locks her away in a basement room he had made ‘comfortable’ for her before her abduction. Instead of what you might expect from the situation, such as anything of a sexual nature, Frederick instead showers her with gifts and admiration, hoping that she would in turn grow to love him. The most terrifying aspect of this book has been the real world implications. Dozens of serial killers, rapists, and murderers, have claimed this book as their justification and inspiration. Many were found to have this book in their libraries, or persons, such as the serial killer, Christopher Wilder. The murderous duo, Leonard Lake and Charles Ng, had named their plot to document and kill over twenty-five individuals ‘Operation Miranda.’

6: Asad Khalil ‘The Lion,’ THE LIONS GAME, THE LION, Nelson DeMille

The character, belonging to DeMille’s Detective John Corey series, is a ruthless terrorist with an unclenching bloodlust. John Corey tracks the terrorist over the course of two novels as Asad goes on a killing spree, beheading some of his victims, all in the name of God.

5: Anton Chigurh, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, Cormac McCarthy

A heartless assassin. An unstoppable evil. The man is devoid of compassion, and relies on a captive bolt pistol—or cattle gun—to kill many of his victims. Anton displays such a lack of emotion when dealing with death, such as flipping a coin to decide a victim’s fate, that the character can be seen as death personified. His goal is to see his job through, and never falter until the task is complete, regardless of the circumstance.

4: Patrick Bateman, AMERICAN PSYCHO, Brett Easton Ellis

The depth of Patrick Bateman’s obsessive-compulsive disorder, along with his materialistic, greedy nature, is enough to put the Wall Street investor on the spectrum of insanity. But when you add that he’s a raging serial killer, well, that nudges him over the edge from insanity to pure evil. Patrick Batman kills indiscriminately, from women, to men, to children, to animals; and he commits crimes ranging from rape to cannibalism. What makes him all the more terrible, is that his own insanity makes it impossible to decipher who he has actually killed and who might have been a figment of his imagination.

3: Randall Flagg, THE STAND + 9 ADDITIONAL NOVELS, Stephen King

The only supernatural character on the list. Randall Flagg is pure evil. In Stephen King’s own words, Randall Flagg is “an accomplished sorcerer and a devoted servant of the Outer Dark.” His outward appearance is that of an attractive, charismatic individual, smiling and laughing often, yet his ultimate goal is to see society crumble. In King’s epic novel, The Stand, Flagg depicts all that is bad in this world, standing in opposition to Mother Abigail, who personifies all that is good.

2: Hannibal Lecter, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, HANNIBAL, HANNIBAL RISING, RED DRAGON, Thomas Harris

Even if you haven’t read any of Thomas Harris’s novels, or seen any of the blockbuster movies made from the books, chances are you still know who Hannibal Lecter is. The brilliant, cultured doctor is so fierce, yet calm and level headed in his bloodlust, that it makes the man almost supernatural. He appears to have abilities superior to the common individual, largely based on his intellect and his stunning sense of smell and taste, as if everything he does is on a level of pleasure that the rest of us do not have the ability to experience. After being imprisoned, he dares a dramatic and gruesome escape, and continues on his journey of indulgence of the worst kind. Thomas Harris set out to invent a serial killer more evil than anyone in existence or fiction, and boy did he succeed. Hannibal Lecter could easily hold first place on this list, if it weren’t for ...

1: Judge Holden, BLOOD MERIDIAN, Cormac McCarthy

What puts the Judge on the top of the list is that the man is purportedly a non-fictional character. He was mentioned in Samuel Chamberlain’s autobiography, My Confession, although there is little evidence to suggest his life otherwise. His depiction in Blood Meridian is so enticing that many scholars have been trying to bring Holden’s existence further into light. The Judge is partnered with John Joel Glanton, leading a gang of nomadic killers between Mexico and Texas throughout the 1840s’. Employed as scalp hunters, the gang robs, kills, rapes, and scalps everyone and anyone who comes before them. The Judge is described as possibly the most ruthless of these miscreants, and it is hinted that the man engages in pedophilia before killing his victims after the vile acts. What tops him off as number one on the list is not just his villainous characteristics, it is the sheer poetic beauty of his speech and amazing intelligence, personified by McCarthy’s brilliant writing.

In the end, there are so many great villains in fiction that putting them all on one list is near impossible to do. So, I ask you this: who is your favorite evil character? Who gives you shivers when reading their tales late at night?

My Review:
4 stars

This story was gritty, heartbreaking, and hard to put down. I will warn you, this is not a nice book. The entire book is a fight for survival. S*** happens, characters die, and you will get your heart broken. While it’s nowhere near as bad as Game of Thrones, it is closer to The Walking Dead and is brutal at times. However, if you are a dystopian fan who likes realistic storytelling, this is for you.

Everything in the book was very detailed. The characters were well-written and dynamic, and I personally found myself getting very attached to Simon. Even the secondary characters were fleshed out, not flat, stereotypical dystopian villains. I was really able to see and feel what these characters were going through, which made it a hard read at times, but so worth it.

The plot was also really well written and interesting. A large part of the story focused on the journey the characters went through after living in hiding for so long and then switched to focus on them surviving the remnants of humanity, so the level of vivid details that the author put into this story really helped pull it together and set a tense, gritty mood. While this also made it a slower read at times and could have used a bit more editing, overall it helped pull me into the story and this world and really get me into the right mindset for a dystopian novel.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

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Author Bio and Links:

Brandon Zenner is an American fiction writer and an Amazon best selling author. His short fiction has been published in both print and online publications, the first being submitted when he was 19 years old. THE EXPERIMENT OF DREAMS, his debut eBook thriller, has reached Amazon's best seller list many times. His second novel, WHISKEY DEVILS, was released in early 2016. THE AFTER WAR, a dystopian thriller, is available now as a pre-order, at 80% off the final sale price. 

You can follow the author on his Amazon page, or through his email list on his website. All email subscribers will receive his futuristic short story, HELIX ILLUMINATED, for free as a thank you. His genres of choice are thrillers, crime, dystopian, and science fiction.

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Deceiving Bella Blurb Blitz

Blurb: 

Isabella Colby has always yearned for normalcy. Now that she’s settled in LA, she finally has it. Good friends, a pretty home, and her thriving career as the Palisades’ top skincare specialist are a dream come true. Bella is content until she meets her hunky new neighbor, but her attraction to the blue-eyed cutie is the least of her worries when contacting her long-lost father threatens to destroy her happy life.

Reed McKinley is more than ready to forget the past. His seven-year stint as an NYPD detective nearly got him killed. His wounds have healed and he’s starting over as Ethan Cooke Security’s latest recruit. With sixty-hour workweeks and little time to himself, the last thing on his mind is a relationship. Then he bumps into the gorgeous woman next door.

Reed and Bella become fast friends. Before long, Reed discovers that Bella is keeping dangerous secrets. Bella may have the answers to decades-old questions he’s been searching for. Reed will risk it all to uncover the truth, but he soon realizes that the deeper he digs, the direr the consequences.

*NOTE: While reading the series in order is recommended, it is not necessary. Each story is a stand alone title featuring new primary characters with limited overlapping secondary characters.*

Excerpt: 

Bella drew a heart on the back of a pale pink envelope while she sat at the small table tucked in the corner of her room. Smiling, she set down her lilac crayon, pleased that the shape of this heart hardly looked wobbly at all. She studied the assortment of stickers Mommy had given her to decorate her invitations with and picked the glittery fuchsia ones for the corners. Locking her ankles, she kicked her legs back and forth and hummed along with the music on the CD player, trying to ignore her parents shouting in the living room. “Here is my handle, here is my spout,” she muttered, sealing the envelope closed with a puffy star sticker. “Tip me over and pour me out.”

The yelling suddenly stopped, and footsteps stormed down the hall. Bella jumped when Mommy and Daddy’s bedroom door slammed shut. Pausing, she listened to the quiet, then picked up the next envelope and smiled again when she recognized the letter ‘M.’ “Mary Rose.” She snatched up the sheet of silly smiley faces and put one right below Mommy’s pretty handwriting, certain her best friend would love it.

“Bella Boop,” Daddy called, giving a quick knock on her door.

“I’m in here.”

The knob turned and Daddy walked in dressed in jeans and one of the grease smeared white T-shirts he always wore to work.

Bella picked up a sky-blue crayon. She paused as she met Daddy’s gaze and realized his brown eyes were red, the way hers looked when she scraped her knees or got shots at the doctor’s office and cried. “Are you and Mommy mad at each other?”

Daddy sat on the bed, wrinkling her Hello Kitty comforter with his weight. “No. We’re not mad at each other.”

“Mommy yelled at you. Did you leave the toilet seat up again?” She frowned, remembering the cold water she’d fallen into the other morning. “I don’t want my tushy to get wet again when I sit down.”

He closed his eyes as he laughed, but it wasn’t his regular laugh that always made her giggle.

“No, I didn’t leave the seat up.”

“Good,” she said with a decisive nod and got back to work.

“What are you doing in here?” he asked.

“Coloring my invitations. Mommy said we can bring them with us to school in the morning. Everybody gets to have one—even the boys—so we don’t hurt anyone’s feelings.”

“That’s my girl.” He winked.

She handed over one of the envelopes in her finished pile for Daddy to admire. “This one is for Clara. See how it has a letter ‘C’? That’s how I know.”

“What’s this?” Daddy pointed to the next letter in Clara’s name.

“An ‘L.’”

“Smarty-pants.”

She grinned, always loving it when he called her that. “Clara’s going to be five too. Her mommy’s bringing brownies to school next week when it’s her birthday—just like you brought in the cupcakes for me to share yesterday. Everyone liked them. Pink frosting is the best kind.”

“With purple sprinkles, right?”

“Right.” She took the invitation back and continued decorating Mary Rose’s.

“I can’t believe my girl’s almost five. You’re not a baby anymore.”

“I’m a beautiful young lady now, right?”

He sighed. “Somehow you are. Not all that long ago, I was rocking you to sleep.”

“Beautiful young ladies have pierced ears and paint their nails.” She beamed at him, thrilled that she had both after a trip to the mall and a visit to the nail painter woman Mommy knew. “And young ladies go to kindergarten when the leaves fall off the trees, right after the summer is over.”

“I guess they do.” He blew out another breath. “Will you come sit with me for a couple of minutes?”

She hesitated as she glanced from the stickers to Daddy’s sad eyes. “Okay.”

He grabbed her under the armpits of her favorite Hello Kitty pajamas and boosted her up, settling her on his thigh. “Here we go.” He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

She returned his embrace, breathing in the familiar oil smell of the garage where he fixed cars. “Is your tummy sick?”

“No, baby.” He played his hand through the curls Mommy had made at the end of her long ponytail this morning.

“Did you get a boo-boo at work?” She picked up his stained black fingers, checking for a cut.

“No, honey.” He clenched his jaw. “I have to go on a trip.”

She gasped her excitement and clapped. Daddy always took her on the best adventures. “Can I come?”

He shook his head. “Not this time.”

“We could get ice cream at the Dairy Stop,” she said in a singsong voice, hoping that would convince him to change his mind.

“I wish we could, Bella. I have to go on this trip by myself.”

She pressed her cheek to his chest. “I don’t want you to go unless I get to come too. I always come too, Daddy.”

His fingers moved through her hair again. “I know.”

“You can stay right here with me.” She leaned forward and picked up her favorite book from the pile on the nightstand. “We can read instead.”

He nuzzled his chin on top of her head, keeping her close.

She clung to him as her stomach started to hurt. Daddy never went away. He and Mommy always read her books together and took turns bringing her to school after breakfast. “Will you come back soon?”

He shook his head. “Not for a long time. Not till you’re an even bigger young lady.”

Her lips trembled as her eyes filled. “But I’ll miss you so much.”

“I’ll miss you too. I’ll think of you every day.”

“Daddy.” She sniffled. “I want you to stay.”

“I have something for you.” He grabbed something from behind his back she hadn’t noticed when he walked in and held up a small snow globe.

She took the delicate glass and studied the pretty two-story house surrounded by pine trees in the center—much bigger than the home she lived in now. “It’s so nice.”

“When you look at it, you can think of me.”

“You’ll live in there?”

He looked at the ceiling as he swallowed. “Something like that.”

She stared at the lights on in the cheerful home as the snow fell to the ground. “Will you come out for my party in a couple of days and sing ‘Happy Birthday’?”

“I can’t.”

Her shoulders sagged. “But you can come out at night and read to me and tuck me in?”

He shook his head.

Her lips trembled again, and she blinked as tears fell.

“Don’t cry, Bella.” He wiped her cheeks with his thumbs, like he always did. “If there was any other way… If I could be sure you and your mom would be safe, I’d take you with me.”

“We could call the policemans. They’ll make us safe.”

“That’s an idea.” He swiped another tear away. “How about I tuck you in and we’ll read?”

She nodded. “Can I sleep with this?” She gestured to the globe.

“How about we put it right next to you on the table? I don’t want it to break and cut you.”

“All right.” She leaned over and set it next to her lamp. “There.”

Daddy stood, lifting her with him, and pulled back her covers, then settled her in bed. “Here we go.” He tucked the blankets around her and read the story she and Mommy had picked out at the library.

She giggled when the silly puppy got into mischief and yawned, struggling to keep her eyes open as Daddy turned to the last page.

“The end.”

“That’s a good one.” She yawned again. “Maybe we can get a doggy like the girl in the book.”

“Someday.”

“I love doggies.”

“I know you do.”

She rubbed her tired eyes. “Let’s read it some more.”

“You need to get some rest.” Daddy stood from his chair. “Snuggle up.”

She rolled on her side and nestled her cheek on the pillow. “Night-night, Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He knelt down and hugged her tight, his breath shuddering in and out next to her ear. “I love you, Bella.” Clearing his throat, he eased back and smiled. “I love you.”

She smiled too. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He shut his eyes, swallowing several times. “Okay.” Standing again, he turned off her light. “Bye, baby.”

“Bye, Daddy.”

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Author Bio and Links: 

International bestselling author Cate Beauman is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Her novels have been nominated for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Golden Quill Award, Writers Touch Award, and have been named Readers Favorite Five Star books. In 2015, JUSTICE FOR ABBY was selected as the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist, while SAVING SOPHIE took the Silver Medal. SAVING SOPHIE was also selected as the 2015 Readers Crown Award winner for Romantic Suspense and FALLING FOR SARAH received the silver medal for the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Awards.

Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack. Currently Cate is working on Deceiving Bella, the eleventh novel in her popular Bodyguards series.

For information on Cate’s new releases, monthly giveaways, and upcoming events, sign up for her newsletter.

    

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Eye of the Pharaoh VBT

Blurb:

Publicist Teri Hunter has her hands full promoting Professor Joshua Cain and his new non-fiction book, The Pharaoh’s Mummy. She’s not even sure it’s possible to turn this absent-minded, modern-day, Indiana Jones into a best-selling author.

Dr. Cain’s PhDs in archeology and art history have prepared him for almost anything on the lecture circuit and among ancient ruins. He’s just not sure about a book tour...or the sexy publicist sent to monitor his every professional move.

When an odd request falls in their laps while in New Orleans, Josh and Teri find themselves transported to 1920’s Egypt where they must resolve an ancient curse in order to be sent home. Will the dangers facing them hinder their success and threaten their very lives? Or will help from an other-worldly guardian keep them on-track and safe?

Excerpt:

Wake up. Kick ass. Repeat.

Teri Hunter mouthed the motivational phrase she’d chosen for her personal mantra as she stepped across the threshold into the dark and musty storeroom.

A dim light shone from a glass-enclosed workroom in the far corner. Taking a tentative step forward, she faltered when the floorboards creaked beneath her feet. Something fast and furry brushed against her ankle. A shiver ran down her back, yet she fought the urge to retreat.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

This was obviously today’s obstacle. Were it not for her professional commitments and intricately organized schedule, she’d have no doubt bolted for the door and returned to the safety and illumination of the main building.

‘Sorry, but the storage area doesn’t have overhead lighting. Preservation of the antiquities. You understand.’ The dean’s words echoed in her head. What little outside light there was had become nearly non-existent due to an impending thunderstorm.

Drawing a deep breath, she took a second step and then a third, winding her way past a half-dozen crates, some open, some not. To her left she heard a rustling of paper; to her right the distinct sound of footsteps.

Her apprehension grew, the hair on her forearms stood at attention. She’d barely made it halfway across the room before bumping into something large and solid. Reaching out, she laid her hand against the oversized object. Slowly, she raised her head and came face to face with the painted mask of an Egyptian noble. The chipped finish gave the death mask a deranged look.

“You come here often, big boy?” A nervous giggle followed her softly-worded, albeit silly, question and she pressed her fingertips to her lips to stifle an outright laugh before lowering her hand to her side.

Go big! Home is boring.

Silently she cursed her habit of dredging up poster-worthy quotes to mask her fears.

Things That Go Bump in a Book

Whether it’s a straight up romance filled with suspense and unexpected thrills, or a vampire romance that makes you jump at every bite, romance and horror have long gone hand-in-hand.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula, for all its gory details, was a romance. V.C. Andrews’ Flowers in the Attic sent chills down your back and, while the romance was questionable and definitely pushed the envelope, as incestuous as it was, it still possessed romantic elements.

Probably my favorite romance with thriller/horror theme would have to be Nora Roberts’ Carolina Moon. Written in Nora’s wonderfully romantic style, the suspense elements kept me on the edge of my settee. Her heroine’s psychic abilities were the icing on the scary cupcakes!

Gothic thrillers such as classics like Jane Eyre, Rebecca and Wuthering Heights paved the way for modern day gothics such as Honor Bound by Brenda Novak or Carole Mortimer’s Regency era gothics.

There’s also room for humor in an otherwise haunting romance. Mary Janice Davidson’s Undead series is a perfect example. Undead and Unwed, Undead and Unemployed. Even the titles are humorous.

Earlier this month I released a Halloween-themed novella titled Bewitched. Set in the mid-1960s, it was a humorous look at the traditions of the time, complete with Devil’s Night shenanigans.

As a child of the 60s, I remember the excitement of trick or treating and not having to worry about what was in my bag of candy. We wore homemade costumes and went into stores and even bars (which usually proved quite lucrative since the guys on barstools gave us money). You started at dusk and stayed out well past your usual curfew. Houses got egged and trees got TPed but it was all in fun. Neighbors came together to decorate each other’s houses and you weren’t afraid when a neighbor (or even a stranger) invited you inside to bob for apples or have a warm cider if the night was cool.

In my current book, Eye of the Pharaoh, I draw on some of the spooky elements present in other romances. My hero and heroine travel through time to solve an ancient curse placed on a stolen gemstone. There’s talk of reincarnation and mysterious deaths. While not technically a Halloween theme, there’s still plenty of suspense to go around.

I do have to admit, I miss the fun of a simpler Halloween. My grandchildren now trick or treat at the mall and attend school or church organized parties. As for me, I dress up when the mood strikes me.

I wish all you a safe and happy Halloween. May you be blessed with good weather and an overabundance of quality chocolate!

My Review:
3.5 stars

While I don’t always like reading time travel themed books because I find that oftentimes, the time traveling isn’t explained or handled well, the time travel in the book is interesting. We go between three main periods in time, all very different and with interesting historical tidbits woven into the story. It was interesting seeing this, and I liked how it was handled, though it could get a tad confusing at times.

I also liked the mystery and action, though I felt like the romance overshadowed them to the point where they seemed a bit of an afterthought. I still enjoyed the mystery and the suspense/action, though the book’s strength was its characters. Teri and Josh were a fun couple, and I loved seeing them get together. Their interactions were fun and cute, and I also loved seeing how they both interacted with Josh’s daughters, who are freaking adorable and great secondary characters.

Overall, this story has great characters, an interesting plot, fun dialogue, and sets up a great partnership. I enjoyed the book and absolutely loved the epilogue, and would love to see a sequel to this.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

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Author Bio and Links:

Like most authors, Nancy Fraser began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet, which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published twenty-two books in both full-length and novella format. Nancy will release her 25th book in early 2017. She is currently working on a Valentine’s Day novella, her next Rock and Roll novella, and a story about a racy Scot titled “Kilty Pleasures”.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

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