Review: Witch Creek

Witch Creek by Laura Bickle

Wildlands Book 4

Publication Date February 27, 2018 by Harper Voyager

Reviewed by Janet

4 Creeking Stars!

Synopsis: 

In the backcountry of Yellowstone, evil moves below the surface . . . 

Following Nine of Stars comes the next chapter in Laura Bickle's critically acclaimed Wildlands series

As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has battled supernatural horrors and experienced astonishing wonders. But there’s no magic on earth that can defeat her recent cancer diagnosis, or help find her missing husband, Gabriel. Still, she would bet all her remaining days that the answer to his disappearance lies in the dark subterranean world beneath the Rutherford Ranch on the outskirts of Temperance, Wyoming.

Gabe is being held prisoner by the sheriff and heir to the ranch, Owen Rutherford. Owen is determined to harness the power of the Tree of Life—and he needs Gabe to reveal its magic. Secretly, the sheriff has also made a pact to free a creature of the underground, a flesh-devouring mermaid. Muirenn has vowed to exact vengeance on Gabe, who helped imprison her, but first . . . she's hungry. Once freed, she will swim into Yellowstone—to feed.

With her coyote sidekick Sig, Petra must descend into the underworld to rescue Gabe before it's too late . . . for both of them.

Witch Creek: A Wildlands Novel by Laura Bickle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A gripping supernatural thriller! I have not had the pleasure of reading the other books in this series, but had no trouble following the storyline whatsoever. Petra Dee is a strong heroine. Despite the fact that she has cancer, barring death, nothing will stop her from searching for her husband, Gabe. Petra and her friends, along with her coyote Sig, go on a quest to find him. Meanwhile, Gabe is trying desperately to find a way back to Petra. Muirenn is one ancient and crafty mermaid who will do anything for freedom and vengeance.

Get ready for a well-plotted novel with just the right touch of paranormal elements. You'll enjoy this from beginning to end. Be sure to check out the previous books to fully appreciate this one.

Reviewed by Janet of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Review: Under The Blood Moon

Under the Blood Moon by Tracie Provost

Under the Moon Book 1

Published January 31, 2018 by Bell Bridge Books

Reviewed by Jennifer

5 Celestial Stars!

Synopsis:

A supernatural war is brewing in New Orleans, threatening to expose the existence of vampires, werewolves, and Gatekeepers to the wider world . . .

Ritually staked and hidden for two hundred years, Juliette de Grammont, voodoo priestess and vampire, is found and revived. Just days after she is freed, still coping with a world she could never have imagined, she loses her sire and vampire coven in a fire. Confused and alone, Juliette seeks the help of the city’s powerful Grand Master, but dark elements within the city are conspiring to topple that regime. Soon Juliette’s struggle for survival places her in the middle of a supernatural war for control of the city.

Josh Bouchard, former Texas Ranger now vampire and coven lieutenant, is drawn into the conflict and appoints himself Juliette’s protector over her objections. They must enlist the help of both the city’s werewolf pack and the Gatekeepers—a shadowy group dedicated to keeping the paranormal world secret from humans—to forge a coalition to save New Orleans from the powers that seek to destroy it.

After traveling extensively with wanderlust struck parents, Tracie Provost settled down to small town life in rural Georgia. There she teaches history at a small university and writes to keep her cats in the luxury to which they have become accustomed.

Under the Blood Moon by Tracie Provost

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I voluntarily read this book as an Advanced Reader Copy ... I am now providing you with my honest review of this book.

I have never read a book by Tracie Provost ... this book was offered to me in Kindle format as an Advanced Reader Copy ... intrigued by the description I gladly offered to read; and since I always review what I read here it is ...

I was caught from the beginning and continuously captivated as I continued to read. The world she builds in is familiar as a long time reader if paranormal fiction and lover of Anne Rice. Still she managed to craft a world that was both familiar and new at the same time.

I loved that Juliette was both a strong female character while retaining the docile nature of an 18th century woman. Despite her often docile nature, Juliette is a tour de force for sure and I look forward to experiencing mire with her and the rest of the Cast of Characters! I also came to very much enjoy many other characters ... Sophie, Josh, Beau ... even Gabe ... Marc is an interesting character and I have not decided where he falls on the like meter.

Reviewed by Jennifer of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Review: Darkling

Darkling by Brooklyn Ray

Published January 8, 2018 by NineStar Press

Reviewed by Jen

5 MYSTICAL STARS!

Synopsis:

Port Lewis, a coastal town perched on the Washington cliffs, is surrounded by dense woods, and is home to quaint coffee shops, a movie theater, a few bars, two churches, the local college, and witches, of course.

Ryder is a witch with two secrets—one about his blood and the other about his heart. Keeping the secrets hasn’t been a problem, until a tarot reading with his best friend, Liam Montgomery, who happens to be one of his secrets, starts a chain of events that can’t be undone.

Dark magic runs through Ryder’s veins. The cards have prophesized a magical catastrophe that could shake the foundation of Ryder’s life, and a vicious partnership with the one person he doesn’t want to risk.

Magic and secrets both come at a cost, and Ryder must figure out what he’s willing to pay to become who he truly is.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Blood-letting (consumption of blood)
Explicit Sexual Content
Death and Resurrection of an MC
Mild Gore (very mild)

Darkling by Brooklyn Ray

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. As a Wiccan, anything to do with magic catches my eye. Thankfully it did because I really enjoyed the read!

The writing was great. The only thing I had a hard time with was pronoun usage. But it becomes a bit clearer toward the end. More about gender identification. Once I wrapped my head around that, I was good!

Reviewed by Jen of the GothicMoms Review Team

View all my reviews

Review: Magician's Keeper

The Magician's Keeper by Nicola E. Sheridan

Published November 4, 2017 by Escape Publishing

Reviewed by Terri

4 Super-Sized Stars

Synopsis:

A brand new steamy paranormal romance about learning to love all of yourself.

In a world where people judge one another by exacting standards of size and style, being a big girl like Eudora Splat was never going to be easy.

Though trouble is brewing between magic folk and human purists who would see them all destroyed, Dora, a half-giant, tries to eke out a quiet, unnoticed life for herself, but it’s hard to be subtle when you’re over seven feet tall.

Losing her job as a gardener due to human complaints, Dora is recruited as a prison guard, where she’s enlisted to protect the magician Evander “Bear” Gordon from human purist attack. Bear encourages her to embrace her power and celebrate her heritage, introducing her to a world where she can be extraordinary and not just weird. 

But after years of hiding and shying away, can Dora find the strength to grab onto a new life — and hold on to the man she’s falling in love with?

The Magician's Keeper by Nicola E. Sheridan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a different kind of read for me in that it didn't include the usual group of paranormal beings. I'm also not used to giants playing an intelligent character. They are normally stereotyped as being a little slow or even dumb. So it was fun to read about Dora, a half-giant because she was very real. She had all kinds of emotions and ideas. She was also pretty tough and held her own in every fight she had. She was the one who rode in and saved the day. (I always like when the female characters are tough and kick a$$). The author did a great job creating a fantasy world but mirroring it close enough to real life that it was relatable. The plot wasn't fast-paced, but I actually found that enjoyable. Too many books just bombard the reader with intense action scene after intense action scene, and they forget to develop the story and characters. I think this book made for a great start to what could become a decent series.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team

View all my reviews

Guest Post on Villains by Joe M. Solomon

The Darkness: Giger, Texas

Joe M. Solomon

Genre: Horror/Supernatural

Publisher: NES Publishing, LLC

Date of Publication: October 3, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-9990024-0-7

ASIN: B07435H5YR

Number of pages: 372

Word Count: 106,029

Cover Artist: Syneca Featherstone

Book Description:

When night falls in Giger, Texas, shadows gather as they always do in dim corners and other areas bereft of light.  But this time they consolidate and attack any who tread too close. Michael Warren, a twenty-four-year-old resident of Giger, finds himself at the epicenter of this horror and is stunned by the losses suffered overnight.  Then the sun sets and the shadows again coalesce, growing more aggressive, the darkness eviscerating anyone it touches.

His only weapon light, Michael struggles to survive and searches frantically for his girlfriend, aiding friends along the way.  When Hurricane Daniel roars ashore, wind gusts shred trees and tear down power lines, plunging all of Southeastern Texas into blackness that only feeds and strengthens the encroaching darkness.  Rising floodwater provides easy thoroughfares from which the darkness can strike as Michael and his friends contend with the elements, clash with criminals, and battle their way to his residence where they will stand against the darkness and fight to survive.

Amazon     Kobo     BN     iTunes

Excerpt:

Startled, Eddie blinked and wiped at his own eyes. “What was…? Hello?”

No answer.

      

His pulse picked up. “C-Curt, you in here… you a-a-a-asshole?”

A box fell behind him.

Eddie spun around, body tight as a knot, eyes wide as their sockets would allow. “Wh-h-h-h-who the hell’s that?” he demanded with as much sternness as he could inject into his quivering voice.

Soft whispers trickled out of a minuscule pocket of emptiness near the back door on the farthest wall. There, amid the gloom, something progressed toward him. At first, its movements appeared mechanical, inelastic. Then it evolved into a smooth flow. A soft ripple. A consolidated wave of darkness.

Review - The Darkness Giger, Texas - 5 Stars

A total scarefest! Definitely not for the squeamish. This takes place right before a hurricane is about to hit. Those of us who have dealt with a hurricane or are afraid of the dark, will experience real terror among these pages. Michael Warren and his friends have no idea why there are mass murders taking place at night, not just in Giger, Texas, but all over the world. You won't believe what they encounter. Many of you may want to sleep with the lights on after this.

We have a very plausible scenario here that switches to the viewpoint of thecharacters throughout. If you live in the Houston area, you can really visualize this taking place which makes it all the more terrifying. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, but it was worth the ride. Seasoned horror fans will be glued to their seats as a new terror takes shape. - Reviewed by Janet

GUEST POST: VILLAINS

Let’s explore a little about what scares you.  I’ve read books and watched movies that reflect things that scare us.  Sometimes it is waking up and suddenly realizing that you are the last person on earth, i.e. Loneliness.  According to psychiatrists, we need people for everything from simple companionship to feeling good about ourselves.  This notion was examined time and again on the TV series The Twilight Zone. In Where is Everybody?, our main character basically wakes up in a town alone.  He tries a pay phone.  Nothing.  He rushes from a restaurant to the sheriff’’s office, finding no one.  He has a moment of hope when he sees a woman sitting in a car.  Further investigating, however, reveals that it is a mannequin.  When he can find no hope, ultimately our protagonist starts to crack up.  

We also see it in Time Enough when the main character survives a nuclear war.  Upon surfacing, the man finds everything has been destroyed.  He is a ferocious reader who wears thick eyeglasses. However, after discovering piles and piles of books he now has all the time in the world to read, he sees another on the ground, bends to retrieve it, and his glasses slide off of his nose and break.  Now he is alone, unable to read, with no one to talk to and nothing to do but wait to die.

In a more recent film, Passengers, the main character is on a spaceship, heading to a new world with thousands of other passengers.  By accident, the main character accidentally awakens.  All of the others still sleep.  Doing almost everything he wants to, from dancing in a virtual club to space walking outside of the ship, he finds it isn’t enough.  He needs a companion and soon finds it paramount.

So we need other people and fear total solitude. What else scares us?  Let’s consider some childhood that sometimes follow us into adulthood.  The three I’ve heard mentioned the most often are the monsters under the bed, the boogeyman in the closet and what lurks in the darkness.  As adults, the darkness continues to frighten us because we are aware now of terrors—like serial killers—that may lay in waiting for us as we walk to our cars late at night. Sick individuals who aren’t out steal our money or carjack us, but just want to see us suffer and die.  Or the lone gunman who unexpectedly sprays crowds with bullets or the man who waits in the shadows, engine running, carefully timing a hit and run.  All for the sake of violence.  But what happens when the menace in the darkness waiting to kill you isn’t a person, but the darkness itself is? 

“So what?” some might respond.  “The darkness is intangible.”  But what if it became tangible, not just her or there, but everywhere shadows formed.  And the one thing we knew for certain was that the sun must set. 

Again, so might shrug and say, “So what?  I’ll simply turn on the lights.”  What if a hurricane then plowed ashore and took away your light source?  What if the darkness grew so thick that is blocked out the starts from the sky… and the light in your house?  How would you protect yourself if a candle or flashlight simply wasn’t enough light to stave off the darkness?  Would submersing yourself in such a tale take you back to an earlier time in your life when the monster under the bed and the boogeyman in the closet seemed terrifyingly real? 

Well, this is what I present to you, dear reader:  A villain you cannot speak with, interview, reason with or evade… ever!

About the Author:

Joe M. Solomon earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas, followed by both master’s and doctoral degrees from Rice University. Joe’s supernatural thriller The Darkness: Giger, Texas released in 2017. A second novel—The Light: Houston, Texas—and a collection of short stories that arise from the macabre will soon follow.  

www.JoeMSolomon.com  

https://twitter.com/JoeMSolomon

www.facebook.com/AuthorJoeMSolomon

www.goodreads.com/Joe_M_Solomon

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Spotlight & Review: Unorthodox

Unorthodox

A Kendra Spark Novel

Book One

S. Peters-Davis

Genre: Paranormal Suspense-Thriller Romance

with a good dollop of Supernatural

Publisher: Books We Love Publishing

Date of Publication: September 15, 2017

ISBN 978-1-77362-303-0

ISBN 978-1-77362-304-7

EPUB 978-1-77362-300-9

Kindle 978-1-77362-301-6

WEB 978-1-77362-302-3

Number of pages: 153 pages

Word Count: 63,000

Cover Artist: CoverUp.Net

Book Tagline:  Kendra’s ability of communicating with the dead is requested by her FBI criminal analyst friend to stop a killer from murdering agents.

Series Tagline: Kendra sees ghosts, and then her BFF, Jenna, becomes one. The two friends and FBI agent Derek Knight fight for justice to the victims of heinous crimes.

Book Description:

Kendra Spark, suspense-mystery romance author and communicator with the dead, is requested to hop on the first flight to D.C.

Jenna Powers, FBI criminal analyst and estranged best friend of Kendra, gets ghosticized in a fatal accident before relaying all the details of the FBI killer case.

Derek Knight, a dedicated FBI Special Task Force agent, takes lead on the case.

The investigation into the FBI agent killings continues as Kendra, Jenna – yes, even after death – and Derek work together on the case before Director of the Special Task Force Jackson Powers’ number is up. He’s Jenna’s father and the end-game of the killer’s target list.

Somehow the elusive killer remains undetected, until Kendra’s unique ability produces results and a final possibility at stopping his killing spree before it’s too late.

Amazon

5 Chilling Stars

This book was really good. The touch of spook factor along with the suspense, mystery and paranormal (which is always fun) all blended together making the perfect combination.

I loved the chemistry the trio of main characters had together. The way they worked together to figure things out was phenomenal. And Derek was the perfect piece of visual eye candy. I really enjoyed how well written these characters were, whether their roles were big or small. The writing was superb and I loved how everything flowed together, creating a vivid picture in the minds eye. 

Everyone had to figure out who and what they were and needed to be and everyone had to come together to figure out everything else. It was definitely an amazing read.

Reviewed by Kaila

Excerpt:

From the Author Review Copy: The scene – Derek has Kendra in a casual interrogation room inside the FBI building – D.C. location

The door opened and Jackson Powers entered before I could respond.

He glanced around the room stopping when he saw me; his red rimmed eyes spoke volumes. I clearly remembered his presence, a straightforward man, full of confidence and direction, but in this moment he appeared like a man broken. I rose and reached for a hand shake. Instead, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into a big bear hug.

“I’m so very sorry about Jenna. Sorry for your loss, for my loss…” Muscles tensed around my vocals and cut off the words.

Tears spilled from both of us. Derek stepped out of the room, clicking the door closed.

“Jenna told me she was meeting with you today, going to show you the city sights.” Jackson held me for a few more minutes, patting my back and telling me it wasn’t my fault.

The thought of the accident initially being my fault had never entered my mind. Why would that thought cross his? I stepped back. Obviously he hadn’t received the latest details of the accident, but even so why would he consider that I’d feel responsible. Even if I questioned that maybe I could have done something to stop her in some way, she did save that boy. “Not sure what you mean…in thinking it could be my fault?”

His eyes widened, maybe a little startled at my blatant question. “I assumed Jenna ran after a little culprit that grabbed your purse or something much worse. She must have gotten caught up in the chase to run in front of on-coming traffic.” His face softened. “Kendra, I know Jenna, there was nothing you could have done to stop her. She’s always been head-strong…was always

head-strong,” he corrected himself, then his voice cracked, and suddenly something occurred to me.

Jackson isn’t privy to Jenna and Derek’s manhunt for the FBI killer, nor the reason I’m here. Of course. Jenna had tagged along to certain crime scenes while she was still in college, but from all that I remembered, Jackson wanted her profiling cases strictly inside the building. She had access to all the crime scenes from pictures and files on her laptop. At least she always used to complain about his restrictions, and I couldn’t imagine he would allow her in the field on a serial killer task force, unless things had changed in the last couple years.

There’d been a few close calls on other cases, some of the agent’s family members being abducted or being used for negotiation, leverage. While in college, Jenna told me all the rules her father had enforced if she were to join in any of the FBI cases. He protected her, and now she had returned the favor…to her demise.

Jenna and Derek were hunting the serial killer behind Jackson’s back.

There was a tap on the door and Derek stepped in. His brows were drawn close, eyes narrowed, perhaps his expression of concern. “Sir, I thought Kendra might be hungry. She hasn’t eaten all day.” He smiled at me, and then looked back at Jackson. “I’m headed out for a late lunch and thought I’d take her with me.”

Jackson’s lips pressed together. He finally lifted his chin toward me. “Well, of course. We certainly wouldn’t want anyone going hungry now, would we,” more of a statement than a question. He patted my shoulder. “Go on, Kendra. We can continue our talk later. I’d like to hear exactly what happened to my daughter from someone who was there to witness it.”

Derek grasped my elbow and led me toward the door.

Instead of following, Jackson released a long breathy sigh and sat on the couch. “Shut the door behind you, Derek. And tell Darla I don’t wish to be disturbed.”

My heart swelled huge behind my ribcage, again the confining weight pressing in on my ability to breathe. I couldn’t imagine the emotional maelstrom Jackson was going through. I knew only my own turbulent ride. Now I needed to get some facts straight; it was my turn to interrogate Derek.

About the Author:

S. Peters-Davis writes multi-genre stories, but loves penning a good page-turning suspense-thriller, especially when it’s a ghost story and a romance. When she’s not writing, editing, or reading, she’s hiking, RV’ing, fishing, playing with grandchildren, or enjoying time with her favorite muse (her husband) in Southwest Michigan.

She also writes YA paranormal, supernatural novels as DK Davis.

Website – http://suda788.wixsite.com/spetersdavis1     

Twitter – https://twitter.com/spdavis788   

FB – https://www.facebook.com/susan.petersdavis

BWL Author Page – http://bookswelove.net/authors/peters-davis-s/

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Sound of Sirens Release Day Blitz

Title: Sound of Sirens

Author: Jennifer Malone Wright

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb: 

Who can resist the sound of Sirens?

The Hunters are still in Greece, continuing their pursuit of the original vampire, Pavlos.

The goddess Sostrate has warned them that they will encounter creatures they have never fought before … creatures they did not even know existed.

While the search has come to a standstill and they are only left with research, Oscar finally meets his family. The Sirens have been watching the Hunters and waiting to show themselves. The group, especially Oscar, have mixed feelings about trusting the Siren Clan.

But not only do the Sirens have information about Pavlos and what they might be up against, they also hold the secrets of Oscar’s past that his mother never told him about.

Jennifer Malone Wright is best known for her short story series, The Vampire Hunter's Daughter. Other works include the follow up to The Vampire Hunter's Daughter series called The Arcadia Falls Chronicles, The Graveyard Guardians series, and her vampire novel called Savior. Jennifer also co-authors a series called Once Upon A Zombie Apocalypse as well the Beary Tales series. She resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children where she practices preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Just kidding! But seriously, between the craziness of taking care of her children, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on her beloved fiction or chatting with her equally crazy friends. Jennifer also loves coffee, has a passionate affair with red bull, wishes the sushi were better where she lives and dances while she cleans.

Author Links: Website: www.jenniferwrightauthor.com

Follow Jennifer on Twitter

Follow Jennifer on Facebook

Follow Jennifer on Instagram

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/N3DFj

Buy Link:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2eGQfFD

Review: Wicked Edge

Wicked Edge by Rebecca Zanetti (ARC Review)

Realm Enforcers Book 2

Published November 10, 2015 by Lyrical Press

5 BLOODY FANGS!!

"Sometimes its your weaknesses that make you so much stronger than your enemies."

Synopsis -

“Zanetti gives paranormal a sexy MC twist!”—New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde

 

If you love the Dark Protectors, these wicked hot Realm Enforcers are for you!

Daire Dunne is more than ready to take a quick break from his duties as a Coven Nine Enforcer. When he spots a sexy blonde across a Titan’s of Fire party, it’s not long before she’s on the back of his Harley on the fast track to his apartment. Unfortunately, one overheated kiss in, the woman drugs Daire and steals valuable files that can’t fall into enemy hands. The second he comes to, the hunt is on...

Now that Cee Cee has the information to take down an enemy that destroyed her family, she can implement her perfect plan for revenge. Nothing will stop her, not even a shockingly sexy enforcer barging into her life. Not even the spectacular, fire-branding sex engulfing them. But if Daire ever figures out who her family really is, all bets are off...

Praise for Wicked Ride

“Non-stop action and a hero to die for!”—Alexandra Ivy

“Fast-paced romance . . . very compelling. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal (Goodreads)

Review -

First of all, let's try to clear up some of the rumors I've been hearing right now. Wicked Edge and the Realm Enforcer's Series as a whole, is NOT an MC contemporary novel. Far from it. It is a continuation of the incredible, delectable Dark Protector's series, with the focus being in the human world. The MC aspect only has to do with the Dunne brothers' ongoing investigation on the deadly drug taking out witches, Apollo. Don't get me wrong, Zanetti has used what little MC activity within these books to its full capacity making for some very adrenaline pumping fight scenes. And the rival MC? A group of Grizzly Bear shifters, so in no way shape or form are these contemporary novels.

That being said, I'm loving it. The guest appearances, the tie ins, the relationships/matings that are continuously bonding the families that fans already know and love are fangtastic, without being overwhelmingly so. The Realm Enforcers is a strong enough series to develop a fan base on its own while more than enough to keep Dark Protector fans from going into withdrawals. 

Daire Dunne is more than sure that fate has planned for him to find a mate that will be obedient, docile and completely organized. He finds out just how far from the truth that is after he ends up being drugged by the "enhanced human" he brings home with him for a night of fun in the sack. What he gets is far more complications in his life than he ever thought possible, along with a possible lead on the witch helping with the making of Apollo. If he can survive the woman fate has brought kicking and screaming into his life, he may be a few steps closer to closing his case.

Cee Cee has plenty more secrets than just what her name is and her true species, and she's very good at keeping them. She has been plotting for almost thirty years revenge against the demon who killed her mate, and the time has come to put all of those crazy plans to action. As strategically as she has everything planned there should be no complications, except for the deadly enforcer she pissed by drugging once, or twice. Not that she's really keeping count or anything. Cee Cee has had her life decided for her since birth due to not having the same powers as her brethren, but now her time has come to show everyone how strong she truly is. But will she survive to enjoy the outcome?

Fast-paced, action packed edge of your seat plots and characters readers can't help but love. This is a Paranormal novel to be loved regardless of gender. A true must read, right along with the rest of the series. 

Interview With The Villain: Illusion by Lea Nolan

Illusion by Lea Nolan
Published October 5, 2015 by Entangled Teen
The Hoodoo Apprentice Book 3

Blurb:

New school. Cross-country move. Broken heart. If only these were Emma Guthrie’s worst problems. Instead, she must battle a trio of enemies—human and spectral—who may or may not have joined forces against her and everyone she loves. All while pretending to be over Cooper Beaumont, her ex-boyfriend and true love, to shield him from her arch-nemesis’s revenge.



Worse, when the fight escalates, Emma is tempted to use black magic, which will endanger her soul. As her enemies close in, join forces, and fight with new and dark magic she’s never seen before, Emma must harness the power within her to fulfill an ancient prophecy, defeat a centuries-old evil, save her family, and reclaim the only boy she’s ever loved. (Goodreads)

Interview With The Villain(s)

Thanks so much for having me here at Gothic Moms! I’m thrilled to introduce you to Illusion, the third and final book in my Hoodoo Apprentice trilogy, which is out now. I’ve also got a great blog tour giveaway for you, but first I’d thought it might be fun to take a few minutes to visit with one of the character types that are so often overlooked in these blog tours:  the villain.

I’ve invited Claude Corbeau, a decidedly bad actor in Illusion to chat. It wasn’t easy to get him here since he’s not exactly the most accommodating sort, nor does he like to divulge a whole lot about himself, but we’ll see what tidbits I can pull from his blisteringly white teeth.

Lea: Illusion picks up in a pretty dark place. Together with your assistant, Taneea, you’ve managed to have Emma Guthrie’s 97-year old, paralyzed mentor, Miss Delia Whittaker thrown in jail. Do you think that unfairly prejudices readers against you right from the start?

Claude: First of all, I reject your assertion that Mrs. Whittaker’s incarceration is a negative outcome. In fact, it is precisely what I’ve been striving for for quite some time. Rather than a dark place, I consider it one of my greatest triumphs. <Quietly laughs to himself> Though I do manage some wondrous feats in Illusion, but I won’t spoil them here. Readers will have to read the book to experience the full measure of my power.

Lea: So you don’t think throwing an innocent, elderly woman in jail makes you look like a giant bully?

Claude: <Leans forward menacingly> She is hardly innocent. I’m convinced she masterminded the break in at the King Center museum and I’m guessing she lured her apprentice, Emma Guthrie and that young man, Cooper Beaumont into stealing priceless antique artifacts from the collection. And let’s not pretend she isn’t a hoodoo root worker. Trust me, I can tell a conjurer when I see one, and the woman is a master. These are just a fraction of her crimes for which I’m determined to make her pay. <crosses his arms and eases back into his seat>

Lea: <smiles awkwardly> Okay, well now that your vendetta is clear, let’s try to lighten things up. The books are told from Emma’s perspective so we don’t get to see what happens when you’re not on the page. To give readers a chance to get to know you a little better, tell us what you like to do when you’re not plotting to destroy Miss Delia and, by extension, Emma Guthrie.

Claude: No.

Lea: <blinks> No? As in not at all? Why?

Claude: Because answering your questions would reveal more than I care to divulge.

<Door creaks open then slams shut. Taneea Branson saunters in wearing peep toe espadrilles, a leather corset, and mini skirt>

Taneea: If you won’t tell, I will. It’s about time everybody learns what’s really going on St. Helena Island. <She grabs a chair and plops down next to Claude>

Claude: What are you doing here? I told you to stay at home and clean the workshop.

Taneea: <rolls eyes and laughs> Right, like I’m supposed to listen to everything you say. If I’d done that I never would have learned the gambling spells that won me enough money to buy my monster truck in cash. And you can clean your own workshop. I’m not wrecking my nails in that filthy place.

Claude: This is my interview. You weren’t invited.

Lea: Actually, I don’t mind that she’s here since she’s another one of Illusion’s villains.

Taneea: Ha, no I’m not. Hoodoo is my birthright and I should have been the heroine of this story, the real hoodoo apprentice. And I would have been it if wasn’t for that idiot Emma stealing my great-grandmother from me and sucking up to her just to learn her magic. Believe me, that old lady isn’t as great as everyone always makes her out to be. I’m so tired of hearing poor Miss Delia this and poor Miss Delia that. After what that old witch did, refusing to teach me magic, she deserves to rot in jail. And I’m sick to death of that loser Emma and how everyone always wants her to win.

Lea: One could argue that you had a chance to learn that magic from Miss Delia, but you didn’t want to follow Miss Delia’s rules—

Taneea: Rules are for chumps. <snickers> I guess that’s why Emma is such a good little apprentice.

Lea: As for Emma, you haven’t exactly been nice to her. I can think of quite a few times you were the instigator. Remember what you did to her boyfriend, Cooper Beaumont?

Taneea: You mean her ex-boyfriend? Breaking them up was a lot of fun. But not nearly as great as what I do to her in Illusion; and what Claude and I do to both Emma and my great-gran. Hey Claude, remember that time in your workshop when we set your plan in motion?

<Claude jumps up from his seat and snatches Taneea by the arm>  

Claude: That’s it. This interview is over. We’re going home.

Lea: But we were just getting to something interesting.

Taneea: Yeah, what’s your problem? Why can’t I tell them what we did?

Claude: Because secret plans should be just that—secret—until they’re ready to be revealed and this is not the time.

<Despite Taneea’s protests, he pulls her to the door>

Lea: I wish you’d stay. You haven’t eaten the refreshments I put out. And there’s so much more to learn.

Claude: Another time, perhaps.

Taneea: But I’m hungry now.

Claude: We’ll pick up something on the way home.

<The door slams shut behind them>

Well, uh, that wasn’t nearly as informative as I’d hoped. But I think you get the gist of who these two bad guys are. It’s a pity you didn’t get to meet the book’s third villain, Emma’s supernatural arch nemesis, Sabina.  Though to be honest, I’m glad she didn’t show up because she’s one scary witch.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of the characters Illusion and the other books in the Hoodoo Apprentice series!

Thanks so much for having me. This was a lot of fun to put together! Best of luck to those who enter the giveaway!

~Lea

Things aren't always as they appear…

New school. Cross-country move. Broken heart. If only these were Emma Guthrie's worst problems. Instead, she must battle a trio of enemies--human and spectral--who may or may not have joined forces against her and everyone she loves. All while pretending to be over Cooper Beaumont, her ex-boyfriend and true love, to shield him from her arch-nemesis's revenge.

Worse, when the fight escalates, Emma is tempted to use black magic, which will endanger her soul. As her enemies close in, join forces, and fight with new and dark magic she's never seen before, Emma must harness the power within her to fulfill an ancient prophecy, defeat a centuries-old evil, save her family, and reclaim the only boy she's ever loved.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MlULCn Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1Lz3AWl

And here are the gorgeous new covers for the first two books in the series, Conjure and Allure:

Lea Nolan is a USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance and YA. Her books for young adults feature bright heroines, crazy-hot heroes, diabolical plot twists, plus a dose of magic, a draft of romance, and a sprinkle of history. She also pens smart, witty contemporary stories for adults filled with head-swooning, heart-throbbing, sweep-you-off your feet romance. Born and raised on Long Island, New York, she loves the water far too much to live inland. With her heroically supportive husband and three clever children, she resides in Maryland where she scarfs down crab cakes whenever she gets the chance. Learn more at her website, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Goodreads

And now for the giveaway, a super awesome Illusion Blog Tour Prize pack. The Grand Prize includes a $25 Amazon gift card, a custom Hoodoo Apprentice tote which features the gorgeous new covers, and six authentic hoodoo spells from the Lucky Mojo Curio Company. There’s also a second prize $15 Amazon gift card, and a third prize $10 Amazon gift card. So what are you waiting for? Enter below to win!

Rafflecopter link:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/OTAyMjM3MzE4ZWE3ZWQ1YzBkZDE2YTA1YzNkOGNlOjMx/?

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