#Review + #Giveaway: Curse of the Sphinx by Raye Wagner @RayeWagner

Curse of the Sphinx

By Raye Wagner

Published August 11th 2015

Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

BLURB:

How long can a monster stay hidden in plain sight?

Seventeen year-old Hope Nicholas has spent her entire life on the run. But no one is chasing her. In fact, no one even knows she exists. With her mom, she’s traveled from town to town, barely staying long enough to meet anyone, let alone make friends. And she’ll have to keep it that way.

It’s safer.

When her mother is brutally ripped away from her, Hope’s life shatters. Is this the fulfillment of Apollo’s curse? Is Hope, too, being hunted? Orphaned and alone, Hope flees again, but this time there’s no one to teach her who to trust—or how to love.

In a universe still ruled by the Greek Gods, mythology is more than just a course in high school. Demigods, monsters, and shadow-demons from the Underworld are urban realities that threaten Hope's very existence.

When the handsome Athan Michael comes to her aid, she must decide if safety is worth the sacrifice of love? Can Hope find a way, or will Apollo's curse rob her of everything she's every wanted?

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My Review-

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Hope and her mom are always on the run. Moving from place to place they may stay in one place for a couple of months or so and then they are packing up and off again down the road to a new place. Her mom is always picking small towns for them to hide out in. Hope knows a little bit behind the reason they are always moving. But her mom has never told her much. She knows that they are running from some very bad people, demons that what them dead and will stop at the nothing to see that they are dead.

Hope and her family was cursed many, many, many years ago by a God. Her mom has always tried to do her best by Hope and that is why she has never explained very much to her about them always running from one place to another. She is only trying to keep her as safe as possible. She is doing the only things she knows to do and the best. She figures the less Hope knows the better she will be and or may be happier?

When she finds out that her mom is dead and she starts learning more about all the secrets her mom kept from her. When she is found by a demon she has to move once again. Hope is on her own now and no one to turn to. She doesn’t know or has no one she can trust. What in the world is ever going to do? How is she going to stay alive? What or who killed her mom? Hope is determined to find out everything she can about the secrets her mom kept from her and who killed her mom and make them pay. Well that is if she can stay alive long enough.

Hope moves to a new town and a new school to start a new life. Being the new kid in town doesn’t give her much favor with the other kids but Hope is not real bothered by this she has always been a loner. Besides she doesn’t know if and who she can trust so it is better that she doesn’t have friends. But she meets this one guy whom she can’t seem to get rid of but deep down inside she is not sure she really wants to either. Every human needs at least one person in their life that they can talk to or just some to be with. As humans we need that emotional contact in some form or fashion. So with her realizing it she lets this new guy gradually make his way into her life. It all kind of slips up on her before she knows it.

I enjoyed reading Curse of the Sphinx and can’t wait for the next book, Demons and Monsters expect it April 2016. I can’t wait to find out more about Hope and her new life. Will she have to move again? Where will she go? Will she find someone she can trust again? Will she find out who killed her mother? Will she find who is trying to kill her? Will her and Athan still be together? Can they be more than friends? Can they even be friends? Questions, questions and more questions, what is a person to do but read the next book right? Well of course. Oh have you read Curse of the Sphinx? If not then I suggest that you do if you like reading about Greek Gods and mythology.  

AUTHOR BIO:

Raye Wagner grew up in an urban fantasy just outside of Seattle, Washington. As the second of eight children, she was surrounded by monsters, demons, and her sometimes mortal parents. She read heaps of fantasy while locked away in the upstairs room of the family cottage.

Raye studied the art of medicine long before she had an interest in the Gods on Mount Olympus.

One sunny afternoon, the history of Apollo’s ancient curse and the myth of the Sphinx dropped into Raye’s consciousness. She writes young adult fiction for teens and adults.
Curse of the Sphinx, a YA urban mythology, is her first novel. Demigods and Monsters, the second book in the Sphinx series, will be released April 2016.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Giveaway:

·         A signed copy of Curse of the Sphinx (US)

·         An e-copy of Curse of the Sphinx (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Cover Reveal: Somniare & Consurge by D.T. Dyllin @DTDyllin @XpressoReads @XpressoTours #XpressoBookTours

Somniare
D.T. Dyllin
(Somniare #1)
Publication date: July 19th 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Remy Novem was murdered…
But she didn’t die. 

Forced to escape to Somniare, a dream landscape, Remy must somehow survive living nightmares, and endless torment without using her magic. Her only hope for freedom is to hitch a ride with a human back into reality, tricking the poor creature into believing no harm will befall them. 

Remy isn’t troubled by the fact that she must kill to live… 

Until love changes everything.

—

Consurge

D.T. Dyllin

(Somniare #2)

Publication date: October 18th 2016

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Remy Novem went from one nightmare to another…only this time she’s awake. 

After clawing her way out of Somniare, Remy finds a world she doesn’t recognize. Her family and friends have been slaughtered, and because of it, a war is brewing between light and dark forces. 

Sacrifices will be made, and unlikely alliances formed, but ultimately the fate of the world will rest on one magical being’s shoulders… 

And it isn’t Remy Novem.

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Author Bio:
D.T. Dyllin is a bestselling author who writes both paranormal and contemporary romance. Anything with a love story is her kryptonite. Her obsession with affairs-of-the-heart is what first drove her to begin twisting her own tales of scorching romance. 

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband and two spoiled German Shepherds. 

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Virtual Tour + #Giveaway: Becoming Fenimore by Rebecca Bryan @rebeccabryan2 @GoddessFish

Becoming Fenimore

by Rebecca Bryan

GENRE: Paranormal historical romance

BLURB:

Upon learning she is the only living beneficiary of a late aunt's estate on far away Mackinac Island, Elle Curtis finds an unusual array of items connected to 19th Century writer Constance Fenimore Woolson—a discovery that will lead her on a journey and change her forever.

Amazon

EXCERPT:

Elle

March, St. Augustine

Elizabeth.” She sat up in bed, darkness all around her. The digital clock on her nightstand read two in the morning. She strained to listen, but could only hear the howl of the wind from outside. It must have been the storm brewing, she told herself as she readjusted her pillow and tried to go back to sleep.

But there would be no sleep, because creeping like a silky web into the inky spaces around her rose the sound again. This time she recognized it as music. And it was coming from her mother’s room. She slipped out of bed, her feet silent as they crossed the cold wood floor to the shadowy hall where her eyes were forced to adjust to an even deeper blackness. The floorboards creaked loudly. She shivered. It’s just an old house that creaks in the night, she tried to assure herself.

The sound grew louder behind her mom’s closed door. She opened it a crack and Chopin’s familiar “Nocturne” escaped, giving her the courage she needed to fling the door wide and flip the switch.

The blaring light silenced her fear, but not the sound coming from an old music box by the bed.  I must have bumped it when I was in here earlier, she thought.

The room had a very different appearance than it did two months ago. Piles lay in heaps all over the floor. Things to go, things to throw away, etc, etc. She walked around all the stacks of giveaways to where the small jewelry box sat open, it’s song winding down. She picked it up.

The stiff ballerina twirled and spun, her plastic arms high above her head, her leg bent effortlessly as the sharp, tin can-like music played in her ears.

The painted lips, drawn-on brows, red and white striped costume, tight bun and serious, beautiful face were a big part of her childhood. She used to sneak in and listen, closing her eyes and humming along. This ballerina symbolized another world. The idea that somewhere, there was something greater than what she knew or had.  A family, a lover. A doting mother.

Inside were several necklaces her mom used to wear. She held a long silver chain up and gasped when she saw what was hanging on the end. A key. Silver and small as a thumbnail with a tiny fin at one end. She had seen this before, but had forgotten it.

 She hurried to her room where the silver box had remained on her nightstand since January, inserted the key, and gave it a small twist. It clicked, releasing the lid. She peered in. The box itself was lined in red velvet and smelled like old paper. An old leather-bound book with the outline of a sparrow lay beside a bundle of letters and a decorative pin made of a green beetle stone. She lifted the book from its resting place and carefully turned the crisp pages covered with old fashioned writing in the margins.

As she turned the next page a photograph dropped onto her lap, stiff, parchment-like, and definitely old. The young woman in the photograph had her hair pulled back in a low bun. Her smile was straight, yet tipped up in the corners, held up by her secrets. Her deep-set eyes curious. She turned it over to find an inscription written across the back in fancy cursive. To HJ from longtime friend CFW.

She tucked it back into its hidden spot so she could examine the pin. It was a small green brooch, beetle-like with gold wings, something you’d see in ancient Egypt. Strange, but also interesting. She returned them both to the box and held up the single pearl necklace. Pretty, but nothing extraordinary. Next was the stack of letters. She returned everything except the letters, which she was careful not to rip as she unfolded the thick paper and read.

Dear Henry,

I am here to tell you that it is time to marry. Father and I suggest Miss Woolson. Haven’t you said she is intelligent, and your equal? Or perhaps Mrs. Van Rensselaer. I hear she has moved close to you in London. Do the two women often cross paths? Please respond quickly as Father is pacing the floor.

Lizzy

Elle quickly opened the next letter which seemed to be a response.

Lizzy,

Tell your father that I will not even have The Constanza. As far as your other suggestion, The Rensellina, she is more than close. She is practically breathing down my neck like a crazed dragon just beside me on Bolton Street (as if Half Moon Street hadn’t been close enough.)

 As far as the two women crossing paths, I am relieved to say they have kept to their separate spheres—The Rensellina with the titled, The Litteratrice alone with her pen— and I remain undevoured.

Henry

As she returned everything to the box her head spun with questions. Who were Lizzy and Henry and why had her mom kept the box hidden all these years? And did it have something to do with her long lost sister Lois?

AUTHOR BIO:

Rebecca started writing one summer day in 2008 to escape from the stresses of life, never imagining she actually publish one day. Becoming Fenimore is her third novel. Her previous novels, The Sand Bar, 2012 and Far From Perfect, 2013 were runners up on Readers Favorites, in the category of women’s fiction.

In a previous life Rebecca graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho in Interior Design. When she is not writing or taking care of her five children, she can be found working in the theater and has been known to do a commercial or two on the side.

Facebook ~ Blog ~ Twitter

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon/BN GC

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Virtual Tour + #Giveaway: Baenwolf by Eden Ashley @Eden_byNite @GoddessFish

Baenwolf

by Eden Ashley

GENRE: Paranormal Romance

BLURB:

Love. Conflict. Adventure. Banewolf continues the romance, betrayal, and heartbreaking secrets between Kali, a girl who largely lacks understanding of the powerful creature contained within her, and Rhane, the mysterious and passionate man from her forgotten past.

Purchase:

Banewolf

Download Dark Siren for free: Here!

EXCERPT:

Rhane

The stranger shifted, leaning over until his mouth was within a millimeter of her left ear. He spoke softly, his lips brushing against some serious nerve endings, “Is this seat taken?”

With a nervous shiver, she blinked long and slow, savoring the low and sexy quality of his voice. Then she edged away to put at least an inch between his lips and her ear. If he touched her like that again, Kali was very likely to embarrass herself. Just as she was about to answer his question, the room brightened with light from the illuminated screen. What Kali saw made her jaw drop.

If an eighty-year-old grandmother had been sitting next to her when this guy had shown up, Kali would have politely asked the old lady to move so the stranger could sit down. He was absurdly good looking. Silver lighting accented every perfect line and angle of his face. Several locks from his thick mass of hair fell idly across his forehead, slightly curling at the ends. There was softness to his features that suggested he could be a keeper.

The stranger returned Kali’s stare with an intensity that took in every part of her. But his eyes never left her face.

Realizing she had been staring at him stupidly for far too long, Kali struggled to find something to say. “I’m…” She cleared her throat. “It’s yours.”

He finally looked away. Whatever tied her to him was loosed, and Kali pulled her gaze away. They didn’t speak again for a long time, but Kali was constantly aware of him. She kept stealing furtive glances in his direction because the sight of him was more enthralling than anything the movie had to offer. Growing bolder, Kali watched him from the corner of her eye at increasingly longer intervals. Apparently, the stranger was not as bothered as she was. Relaxed in his seat, he sat observing the screen with languid interest, doing a pretty good job convincing her that he’d forgotten anyone was beside him. Kali was so immersed with watching him, and was completely startled when he spoke.

“It’s not polite to stare,” he murmured softly without taking his eyes from the screen.

Kali jerked and turned away. But she wasn’t fast enough and was mortified to see the beginning of a satisfied smile appear on his face. She slid down into the chair, grateful for the darkness that concealed a blush spreading across her cheeks. From then on she tried to concentrate on the movie. But it was useless. She gave up and watched the screen absently, all the while thinking about the guy sitting next to her and how he probably thought she was an absolute dork. She didn’t get it. Boys never had this affect on her. For the past two years, it had always been them falling helplessly at her feet. 

A mutated mix of human and creature launched itself from a quiet scene, growling and snarling into the camera. Several audience members jumped in surprise, and Kali was one of them. She made a noise that sounded like a strangled bird. 

“Do these things frighten you?” the stranger asked. He was clearly enjoying her discomfort. 

Kali cleared her throat. “Why would they? This stuff isn’t real.” This time, she didn’t look at him.

After a long moment, he spoke again. “Right,” he slowly agreed. 

AUTHOR BIO:

Eden currently resides in a small town in sunny South Carolina where thunderstorms inspire her best ideas. When not daydreaming about her next novel, she can be found curled up with a musty old paperback and a cup of coffee...or mired deeply in her next plot to take over the world. Since Eden enjoys reading or watching anything with supernatural elements, writing paranormal and fantasy romance is a natural fit.

Banewolf is the second installment of the Amazon Bestselling Dark Siren series. The first book is currently free for download on Amazon.

Eden loves to hear from readers and can be reached at the following links:

Facebook ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Email

Giveaway:

$10 Starbucks Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

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