Book Tour and Review: To Hell and Back by Beth Ann Masarik

To Hell and Back by Beth Ann Masarik
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Take a journey to Hell with Elise Stevenson as she braves meeting Hades and his companions in this compilation. To Hell and Back consists of the short stories Murderous Regrets, Hell Bound and Hell’s Captive. In these three stories, Elise is sent to Hell to uncover the secrets of the villains in The World Among Us. She dodges the worst of demons, and goes to the very depths of Hell just to interview Hades and the Prince of Darkness themselves among other monsters that appear in the series.

In the short story, Moon Spirit, however, we are brought back to earth, where we meet Raul Blackoak and his family. While Raul is out on patrol, he hears the cries of a damsel in distress. A battle begins between the werewolf and two demons, but before long, the night is saved by a surprise visitor. Raul and his new partner save the day, only for things to become more serious when they bring her back to Raul’s home. Will Raul be able to come to terms with the strange twist of events?

*** 5/5 Stars ***

I absolutely loved this collection of short stories. Never read the author or really had any idea what the stories precluded except for the book blurb. The stories flowed very easily and I would happily devour the series if it's anything like the short stories. A good little collection. Readers get to meet some of Olympus's old gods and their children. Romance, adventure, and snarky characters made this a very quick read. Highly recommended for anyone who might need an hour of distraction and likes paranormal/urban fantasy.

Beth Ann Masarik was born on Long Island, NY in the year 1984 with an over-active imagination. She used to love playing make-believe games, and now loves creating her own fantasy worlds. Masarik has been writing since she was 15 years old, and had her first newspaper article published in her high school newspaper in her sophomore year. She has taken several creative writing classes, and started writing her very first novel in college, and is currently searching for the right literary agent. Aside from writing novels, Masarik enjoys bowling, gaming, and role playing online. She enjoys reading fantasy novels written by Richelle Mead, L.J. Smith, and J.K. Rowling, and looks to them for role models.

Author Media Links

www.bethannmasarik.com

@theworldamongus

@literarylunes

www.literarylunespublications.com

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Book Review Tour: Deamhan by Isaiyan Morrison

Title: Deamhan
Author: Isaiyan Morrison
Series: Deamhan Chronicles (#1)
Genre: Adult/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Rainstorm Press
Release Date: Aug 12 2013
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Deamhan have survived by remaining hidden in the shadows. Ramanga, Lamia, Metusba, and Lugat have been overshadowed by what humans know as the modern vampire. But what if vampires aren’t the real threat?
One woman’s search for her mother who disappeared without a trace on the streets of Minneapolis takes her into the precarious world of Deamhan, psychic vampires who rule the underground nightlife in the city’s most darkest corners.
She gains the trust of the only other human familiar with the Deamhan lifestyle. With his help she finds not only can the Deamhan not be trusted but it’s her own father, president of a ruthless organization of researchers, who has diabolically maintained that distrust.

 

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The cover of this book is eye catching and the premise sounds sounded really great. The world is populated with different types of ancient and no so ancient supernatural beings. After her mother disappeared many years ago and the organization he father heads basically pretends it never happens, Veronica heads out on her own to discover what happened. She encounters much more than just the disappearance of her mother and unravels the sinister underworld of both human and supernatural. She is joined by some love interests, a few friends, and hair-raisingly scary beings.

This book wasn't terrible or something I did not finish. I probably won't pick up the rest of the series. For me, the story went flat and seemed to be a bit disjointed. There were a few random sexual scenes that didn't really fit and parts of the story were just not fluid to me. I didn't really bond to the characters much either. The world the author built is interesting a nice new take on the vampire trilogy though.

Veronica nodded, and the waitress disappeared into the crowd. Veronica held her breath to calm her rapid breathing in hopes the adrenaline coursing through her body would dissipate. The pulsating bass emanating from the speakers grew louder and more intense, causing her to rub her temples. The dancer from the bathroom had returned to the stage, now even more scantily clad in a short skirt with white electrical tape X’ed over her nipples, dancing in gymnastic gyrations.
The crowd’s movement grew violent, with patrons pushing and shoving. The throng morphed into a mosh pit, and Veronica wondered how long it would take before someone was crushed. Fog machines released a steady stream of mist from above the crowded dance floor, giving the huge room an ethereal atmosphere. The lights dimmed, and Veronica could hardly make out the waitress as she returned, carrying a shot of whiskey.
“Here ya go.” She handed Veronica the drink.
Veronica gulped her drink and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, this time thankful for the sensation of the amber liquid searing her throat. She preferred vodka, but at this moment, any liquid running down her gullet was good enough.
“You want another one?” she asked. Veronica nodded, and the waitress left. Veronica dropped her face to her hands, trying to readjust. Damn, this is harder than I thought it’d be. Her mind raced: hide your thoughts, don’t show fear, stick to the plan.
She felt a tingling sensation deep in her forehead. In seconds, it had increased to the extent of a migraine. She looked up squinting, the pain becoming more intense with each passing moment, and she knew.
Someone is reading my thoughts.
The waitress returned with two drinks. She placed them in front of Veronica.
“Uh, thanks?” Veronica couldn’t recall ordering two whiskeys, but she pulled out a ten.
“It’s already paid for.” The waitress pointed to a man sitting at the opposite end of the bar, his long brown hair slicked back in a ponytail. He wore black jeans and a long black see-through shirt, revealing pierced nipples and a six-pack. Beautiful.
He stared at Veronica with deep brown eyes and smiled, his pale skin resembling a Deamhan at its finest. She felt the pain in her forehead ebb and flow, subsiding a bit each time. Veronica turned to the waitress, but she’d again disappeared.
Muddled, she downed the whiskey and slammed the empty glass on the table in front of her. She shut her eyes and concentrated on emptying her mind. The pain diffused into a mild tingling.
Veronica snapped her eyes open when a male voice told her to not be afraid. She whipped around, but no one was near.
The voice came from within her head.
“It’s okay,” the voice said.
She looked at the man, who still fixed her in his stare, and he slid from his seat and headed her way.
She dropped her head and stared at the counter. She fought the urge to fling her glass at him and run. Leaving Dark Sepulcher wouldn’t answer the questions about her mother’s disappearance. Don’t think of Mom. She quickly visualized the brick wall.
“Your thoughts stick out,” the man said, taking the empty stool next to her.
His penetrating stare caused Veronica’s head to tingle again, but the tingle stopped as quickly as it started. She’d clouded his attempt to rummage through her mind.
Veronica cupped the whiskey glass and stared into its glowing liquid.
“Beautiful women like you shouldn’t drink whiskey.”
What a line. His respectful approach did nothing to impress Veronica. The Deamhan were naturally devious.
Veronica remained quiet. The stranger smiled and reached for the glass, grasping it from the rim and placing it front of him.
“I’m trying to start a conversation,” he prompted.
From the corner of her eye, Veronica saw him examine her. His eyes roved her short, formal straight brunette hair, her face, and finally her hands. Even over the din of music, she could hear him inhale her virginal scent. She tried hard to block her thoughts from him, but the tingle told her she was failing.
“You should know it turns me on when you do that,” he said.
She glanced at him, making eye contact for a second and then quickly looked away. He mumbled something, but his voice was too low for her to hear over the blaring speakers.
Veronica’s thoughts caught his attention again, and he leaned back on the stool, studying her.
Veronica understood now how a woman could fall for a man like that. Most of the men in Dark Sepulcher were attractive, but this man was hot. She stole a covert glance from under her eyelashes. Tall, medium build, long, glossy hair—stop it. Stay off that bandwagon.
His full lips broke into a smile. “Sorry I intruded on your thoughts. But I gotta admit, I like what I see in there.”
Veronica felt heat rise in her chest, neck and face. Busted. He offered his hand, another trick she wouldn’t fall for.
“I’m Remy and you are?”
Remy. The name sounded too familiar. Veronica recalled the name listed somewhere on the documents she’d stolen from The Brotherhood. His name was just one of the many that stuck out to her but at the moment she couldn’t remember why.
She fixed her thoughts on her napkin, staring at the condensation ring left by the wet glass. Still her mind wouldn’t quiet. What Deamhan type is he? Until she knew which, she couldn’t be sure of his level of threat. She couldn’t get too close.
Despite herself, she stole a quick look in his direction.
He flashed a ready smile.
Teeth aren’t sharp and pointy. He’s not a Ramanga. She stared again at her drink, wiping the droplets of water from the side of her glass.
“Am I scaring you?” Remy’s voice interrupted Veronica’s thoughts. She shook her head and remained silent.
“Do you talk?”
“Not to strangers.” She immediately regretted her gutsy remark, knowing it would intrigue him further.
“Maybe you should.” He traced the rim of the glass with a slender, pale finger. “You’re new here.”
Veronica wanted to check him out but knew she should avoid his eye. She looked over her shoulder and then at the ceiling. She glanced at the sticky floor and studied the woodwork on the bar.
“Nervous?”
He’d read her like an open book. She felt a tiny tingle as he tried again to read her thoughts.
“Your thoughts. They come to me kinda like a movie: sometimes clear, other times fuzzy.” He chuckled. “Right now, they’re crystal. Do you really find the bar’s wood grain that intriguing?”
Veronica couldn’t help but grin.
“Do you smell that?” His voice dropped to a loud whisper. “I smell a vampire.”

 

Isaiyan Morrison was born and raised in Minnesota. She moved to San Diego, California while in the Navy. After serving four years of active duty, she moved to Los Angeles. After a few years, she moved back to Minnesota where she started to pursue her dream to be an author. Her novel Deamhan, is the first book in the Deamhan Chronicles. She now resides in Texas with her two cats, a pit bull dog, and two guinea pigs.

 

Author Links

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Blog

Deamhan Facebook Page

Deamhan Website

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Other Works by Isaiyan Morrison

Deamhan Chronicles

Deamhan (#1)

Dark Curse (#2)

Deamhan Tales

Kei. Family Matters (#1)

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Book Review & Giveaway (Blog exclusive: signed paperback!): Ancient Hunter: A Modern Mythos by Arden Aoide

One of the coolest things in my wee reading world is having been able to meet the author before I read her work. Opening up to the first page after having a valid, fun and quirky conversation with Arden was like going on a second date. Butterflies, unsure, but excited.

“Ancient Hunger” did not disappoint! Described adeptly as a dark romance, I didn’t find it too dark, dull, or overwhelming in sadness. Instead, pleasantly, I found the characters, their lives and histories, and romances written extremely well and in great detail. Not to mention, the sexy scene were –sexy- and not overpowering.

Immortal creatures have roamed Earth through countless lifetimes and the story takes place around a handful of them. The cast of characters is a blend of a completely mad man and his wrong love, an arrogant but not shallow past king, a melodic, quiet tattooist and his human love, and a few others. The book carefully follows the love story of the tattoo artist and his human, who has made a connection with an ancient goddess. Hitching a ride with our paranormal romance is a homey threesome couple with mixed pasts, and the insane torture of a fanatic mad man on a mission to cleanse his past love her perpetuated sins. I’ll leave it there so I don’t give too much away.

Dark, richly detailed and not a typical paranormal read, it was fun to get lost in the world that Arden has created.

I’m the ringmaster to two mad daughters, three madder cats, and a very patient husband with an infinite sense of humor. My world basically revolves around them, by choice and necessity. I’m also an obstinate insomniac. Actually, I’m a bit obstinate about most adult things, and that influences almost everything I do. I hate rules and regulations. People find me too permissive in my parenting, but only because my goal is to raise kind humans with an edge of anarchy, and not those who know their place. It’s not up to me to choose their place, but only to help them find it.

Other than that, I love food. Eating more than cooking. I'm an anglophile. I love words. I love philosophy and the vastness of the universe. I love Mary Janes and red lipstick.

http://ardenaoide.com/connect  <mailing list

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Book Tour and Giveaway: Briksanna’s Sacrifice (Four Realms # 1) by Sabrina Rawson

Title: Briksanna’s Sacrifice
Series: Four Realms # 1
Author: Sabrina Rawson
Published: April 22nd, 2014
Word Count: 147,000
Genre: NA Urban Fantasy Romance
Content Warning: Sexual Content
Recommended Age: 16+
Synopsis:
Princess Briksanna has always known The Prophesy would catch up to her no matter how far she ran. Spending two thousand years hiding in the Earth Realm haunted by memories of heartache and pain in constant fear of capture by Lord Drakkoon, she finds herself unsure if she has the courage to be the person everyone needs her to be in order to stay one step ahead in a chase for her survival and of those she loves. So, when she discovers experiencing the feeling to freely love, she is pulled into a quest that will not only test the boundaries of her heart, but the life of her unborn son for the sake of saving the universe from total destruction.
Nathanial knows who he is on the Earth Realm and what kind of man he is for Princess Briksanna. But, what kind of man will she need him to be in order to fulfill The Prophesy she has spent the last two thousand years eluding? Tragedy has everyone travelling from the Earth Realm to the Second Realm of Skaldanna pushing his comfort zone knowing he has no knowledge of court expectations, but together with Briksanna and their family he believes he can succeed where all others have failed in dissolving the reign of Lord Drakkoon.
Can Briksanna and Nathanial find the undisputable faith in themselves to accomplish what needs to be done despite the sacrifices made to save their friends and family while establishing peace within the Second Realm?

 

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Although Sabrina has been physically writing for two years the ideas that conceived her first novel have been percolating in her mind for many years. In many ways she found life experiences influencing her story although written in fantasy format.

Nelson Mandela’s words inspired her: “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”

No truer words could have been said. After her first cancer battle four years ago, she was in the frame of mind of surviving, trying to get back to her swing of things. Problem was she couldn’t get past the feeling of disconnect. She realized she was no longer the same person pre-cancer and relapsed by the end of her first year since her initial diagnosis. She exited that experience exhausted and has had multiple tumors pop up ever since the initial year. Her health was a mental and physical challenge, but the hard part was realizing she had left her passion in the operating room back in 2010. Cancer did not take her passion away, she put it away along with her drive and ambition. Her creative muse happily skipped outside her consciousness with the rest of them. She  had to discover herself from scratch and it was a challenge she learned to work with and continues to this day. One thing she found uplifting was creating stories on paper and it didn’t take long for her to turn to her computer to bring the lives of her creation to fruition. Today she is four years post her first surgery and even if she had to do it again in a few months, it wouldn’t matter. She refuses to settle for a life less than what she can create for herself.

Sabrina lives in Sonoma County, heart of the wine country of California, enjoying life in the rural land happily married to a wonderful supportive husband. You can always find her reading a book, cooking a meal for her multitude of children or playing with her dog, Taylor.

 

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Book Tour Review: Stone Cold by Jocelyn Adams

Stone Cold by Jocelyn Adams
Lou Hudson makes a deal with the Isaac to save the Ironhill jinn from execution…and lands on the front line of a war between the vampire and his sire.

Daddy Dearest intends to have Lou for himself to spite Isaac and begins meddling in every corner of her life. Her reputation shatters when people die, her monster-whispering skills shelved by public outcry and vampire politics.

When forced to confront their enemy, she isn’t prepared for the depth of Isaac’s plotting—or her increasing attraction to him—and to end their latest crisis will only cost Lou a piece of her soul.

 

 

 

*** 4 Stars ***
In the second book of the Ironhill Jinn, “Stone Cold”, Lou is physically linked to the hot, mysteriously, and annoying vampire lord Isaac. On top of having to deal with the city dropping their contract and putting the supernatural sanctuary she runs call “The Reservation”, Lou has to deal with: coming to terms with her heritage, being linked with Isaac, finding Amun (a past potential lover/partner) who has disappeared off the face of the earth, Fae back in town, and controlling her powers under all the stress. In hiring a new team member, Lou has to fight off natural attraction to him and try to figure out who the heck he is and isn’t. Going around and around in circles, Lou is swept into a battle that may be more than she can handle. Trying to fight her natural instincts might just be the end of her if the supernatural world and its people imploding don’t. The fight for Lou’s heart and body between all the deliciously strange, mysteriously, and fun men in her light is a fun little tangle to follow throughout the novel.

Following in the footsteps of the first book, the author does an excellent job of world building and describing the creatures in her world, their purposes, power, and background. Lou is an extremely likeable character just trying to survive, be independent, and caring for others always above herself. The struggle to survive and all the political insanity of the different supernatural cultures will keep the reader interested and intrigued, while the steamy romance and lusty attractions will spice up the novel for the paranormal romance lover.

The books don’t necessarily need to be read in order as the author provides background, but book two takes place right after the events of book one and builds on previous characters and plot lines.

Jocelyn Adams grew up on a farm in Lakefield and now lives in Muskoka. She's a former computer geek among other things. Mostly, she's a dreamer with a vivid imagination and a love for fantasy (and a closet romantic -- shhh!). When she isn't shooting her compound bow or writing, she hangs out with her husband and young daughter at their little house in the woods.

Author Links

http://www.joceadams.com

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Book Review & Tour: Enchanced by Courtney Farrell

Michelle and Seth, brother and sister, are the offspring of the lineage that created The Institution. The Institution’s purpose? Breeding genetically perfect specimens and culling those below standards. Immune to disease, insanely intelligent, and bred to withstand any human weakness, the Enhanced rule the world after the war. Norms, those without genetic engineering and “wild bred,” are kept outside of the wall and used as servants or for sources of amusement. Michelle, Seth, and their band of friends’ worlds are about to end. Seth and his best friend Brian are kicked out of the gated community and forced to band together with a clan or norms. Michelle and her friends race to find out why the boys were sent away and discover previous unknown powers. Discovering love, hate, and the true nature of being human, Enhanced is a fun romp in the dystopian genre.

This book could definitely be included on a “must read” list for young adults who love a bit of sci-fi or dystopian in their reading regiment. Besides a few curse words here and there, the book deals with natural teenager/young adult dilemmas like love, lust, growing up, and raging against adults. I never felt the book halted on the action and the characters had clearly defined personalities. The market is swamped with this genre, but this book holds its own in the saturated market.

Brian could go no farther. Below him, Carissa rounded the corner, sticking close to the only home she ever had.

“Carissa!” he shouted. She hesitated, looking up, and then shook her head at him.

Brian waved wildly. “Wait!” That threw him off balance and he windmilled his arms, trying to stay on his feet. Fresh pigeon droppings made the metal slick, and the Institute’s star athlete failed. He slipped and crashed hard onto the broken pavement Outside. Pain exploded through his knees and back, but he struggled to his feet almost immediately. Bloody abrasions covered Brian’s forearms and knees. Pain screamed from the crushed knee, triggering an animal instinct to hide. He backed into the shadow of one of the little Norm hovels that lined the alley.

He took a deep breath to call Carissa’s name again, but a flash of blue in his peripheral vision stopped him. A couple of Augment security guards lurked in the alley outside the gate. Cooking fires made the air gray with smoke, giving the place an eerie feel. Brian concentrated, trying for a pain block, but these things take a focused mind. He limped around the corner, finally forcing himself into a shambling run. Carissa slipped along ahead of him like she didn’t even touch the ground.

Brian did his best to catch up, but he never got any closer. The cull entered a sunny stretch and he suddenly saw why. Carissa ran for her life, pursued by a man in blue. Pain from Brian’s shattered knee shot up his leg, slowing him down, but he wouldn’t give up. Ahead, the blue uniformed man dropped to a crouch and pulled out a crossbow equipped with a laser sight. Ignoring his injuries, Brian pounded down the alley.

The cull must have seen the little red dot dancing along the wall, because she stopped running and turned around to face her hunter. Sunlight caught her hair, turning it to gold. She spread her arms like an angel, and the bolt took her in the heart. Carissa fell more gracefully than any cull had a right to, dead before she hit the ground.

“No!” Brian screamed. He turned on her murderer. The Augment security chief knelt in the dirt with a second bolt already fixed in his crossbow, aimed right at the boy’s chest. For a moment, neither one moved.

Brian didn’t want to know, but he had to ask.  “Do you,” he gasped for air and spit out blood. “Do you kill all the culls?”

The man’s face crumpled, making him look decades older. “Them fancy genes of yours, they don’t want ‘em mixing with the common folks’.”

“They? Who gave the order?” But Brian already knew.

“Salomon.”

“So there’s no colony of Imperfects…that’s just what they tell the culls, so they go quietly.”

The security chief nodded, his weathered cheeks streaked with tears. “I told ya, boy. Givin’ her food wouldn’t matter none.”

The Augment unexpectedly pivoted the weapon in his hands and held out the stock. Brian snatched it away and leveled it threateningly. The chief clambered to his feet, gripping his knees like an old man, and straightened up to stand at attention. His blue eyes locked fearlessly on Brian’s brown ones. Brian froze, and the man gave him an encouraging nod.

                “Go ahead, son. Do me the favor.” The chief slowly lifted his arms and held them out, just like Carissa had. Strangely, that little movement saved his life.

                Brian couldn’t pull the trigger. Instead, he swung the bow savagely against the Institute wall, beating it over and over until it flew from his hands. Then he walked away, leaving the Institute security chief alone with the body of the first girl he ever loved. At the corner Brian turned and looked back.

“Are y’ gonna tell ‘em?” the chief called down the alley. His voice echoed strangely from the ruins of the old city. “Are y’ gonna tell’em, or will you let ‘em hope?”

Courtney Farrell was once a molecular biologist, but her habit of daydreaming destroyed far too many experiments. As it turned out, writing down the movies behind her eyes was a lot more fun than lab work. Courtney is the author of fourteen nonfiction books for young people, mostly on social and environmental topics. She lives with her family on a Colorado ranch where they support a barn full of freeloading animals, including a fat draft horse and a bunch of crazy chickens. Enhanced is her first novel.

ONLINE LINKS:

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  >Website  www.courtneyfarrell.com
  


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  Twitter  https://twitter.com/CAFarrell
  


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  Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7894049-courtney-farrell
  


• 
  >Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JPBU6S
  


• 
  Crescent Moon Press http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/Enhanced.html