Secrets and Lies
BY Christine Amsden
Fantasy
Paranormal
New Adult Romance
Date Published: 11/15/2013
Blurb:
Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents' betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn't letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.
To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.
Excerpt - Secrets and Lies:
"I smell trouble."
Evan Blackwood had been staring blankly at a news report about a hunt for a man who had robbed a local bank earlier in the week. Now, he stared blankly at his best friend and cousin, Scott Lee. Evan had hoped Scott would help take his mind off the woman he loved - the woman who had flatly rejected him. Instead, Scott was making things worse with dire predictions… predictions Evan had no choice but to take seriously. Scott was, after all, a powerful intuitive, whose gift had only seemed to improve after his unfortunate run-in with a werewolf ten years earlier.
"What do you expect me to do?" Evan asked. "Hit her over the head with a club and drag her by the hair back to my cave?"
Scott snorted. "You never had to do any of that. You had her right here, in your cave, and you let her walk out. You could order her back, but you won't."
Evan didn't dignify the comment with a response. Scott's instincts had always served him better when it came to physical threats rather than emotional ones, and Scott didn't want to hear that Cassie would hate Evan for forcing her to stay with him. In Scott's world, after she was safe, gratitude would soften her heart. Or if not that, then at least time. If Evan had ever thought anything of the sort, her reaction to his saving her life, and the life debt she now owed him, set him straight. He had to admit, his initial marriage proposal hadn't been at all well done. Nerves he barely acknowledged had fumbled the question into a near-command, Marry me, and she had freaked out. Still, he had hoped she would want to marry him. Now, he wasn't even sure how he could try to convince her without inadvertently coercing her. The life debt made it difficult for her to refuse anything she knew he wanted, and impossible for her to refuse anything he directly commanded.
Scott wasn't the first one to suggest he just claim her, either. Evan's father, Victor Blackwood, had said much the same thing, adding: I want to see you steal that girl right out from under her father's nose. At least Scott's motives were better.
"I spotted one of the Travises in town today," Scott said.
Evan nearly growled. "One of these days, we really need to run that family out of town."
"Hey, you know I'd help you with that if it came to it, but it isn't going to happen anytime soon."
"They wouldn't go after Cassie."
"I wouldn't put anything past them."
He had a point, Evan grudgingly admitted. The Travises had always lived just outside of civilized behavior, and they seemed to make their own rules.
"And I told you about the Blairs asking questions," Scott added.
"You also said they were probably just trying to stir up trouble." The Blairs were mind mages, adept at manipulating people's behaviors with a few well-chosen, well-timed words.
"They may be succeeding."
"Or they may be hoping to goad me into acting too soon, pushing her away."
Scott didn't have an answer to that. Perhaps it was just as well that he didn't understand matters of the heart, since he was too dangerous by half, the beast within him prone to violence. Scott was, perhaps, the only man in town Evan didn't know if he could beat in a fight. He only hoped he never had to find out for sure.
"Come on." Evan shut off the TV with a flicker of will, not even bothering with the remote, resting within easy arm's reach on the end table next to him. "I can't stay here anymore tonight. We'll find her, make sure she's safe, and if not, send a message to anyone stupid enough to try anything."
My Review of Secrets and Lies:
I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.
In ParaNormal Detective we met Cassie Scot who unlike other members of her family she has no magic and needs her family or someone for protection. In ParaNormal Detective Cassie's parents did a disownment spell and kicked her out of the house on the same day. They didn't even give her a chance or the time to find somewhere to live. But luckily Cassie has some very good friends. One of her friends Kaitlin let her stay with her.
Her best friend from school has come back into her life now and she figures out that he likes and wants her. Unfortunately he has magic but she doesn't and she thinks he is controlling her and wants no part of him. But I think she is just hurting from a broken heart you know with her mother and father kicking her out of the house. She is being a little over dramatic about the whole situation but her parents have thrown her out with no warning what so ever. She doesn't know if she can trust him or not. She has feelings for him but she doesn't know if he is making her feel like that or if she really does like him. With Evan having magic rumor has it that he has put love spells on girls for a very long time. This is the reason that Cassie doesn't trust him. She doesn't actually think the rumors are true but she is not sure so she doesn't trust the feelings she has for him.
Evan wants to protect her and so does her family. Evan wants to marry her but she is afraid and she doesn't know what she wants at the moment. She is afraid to trust her own feelings. She is so mixed up. She wants to do everything on her own. She wants to be independent so bad. But what she is going to have to figure out is that sometimes you need the help of another person whether it is mentally or physically.
Cassie and Evan's families are like enemies. They have never gotten along or haven't for a very long time. They can't stand the fact that Cassie and Evan have been friends since childhood. Cassie will not accept any help from her family not even help from her brother. In ways Cassie is a very strong person and is very mature but then in other ways she has some growing to do. Cassie has a good heart and would never hurt anyone knowingly but sometimes when we are hurting we do tend to lash out at the ones we love the most.
I have truly loved reading and getting to know each and every character in the Cassie Scot series and can't wait to read the next book. The ending in Secrets and Lies will throw you for a loop. It will just blow your mind. You will not believe the ending it is amazing. Neither Cassie nor Evan deserves the deal that they have both been dealt in life. If you have not read the Cassie Scot series then I would suggest that you start with ParaNormal Detective first and then Secrets and Lies. I highly recommend the Cassie Scot series to anyone who loves paranormal and witches that also contains a lot of twist and turns plus some mystery and magic thrown in on the side. Pick up a copy of both books today!
Cassie Scot ParaNormal Detective
By Christine Amsden
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Blurb:
Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between
worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family's reputation isn't easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
My Review of Cassie Scot ParaNormal Detective:
I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.
Cassie Scot is a young woman who has six brothers and sisters. She lives with her mom and dad along with her brothers and sisters in a castle with a draw bridge that opens like doors. Cassie also has her own business as detective, a normal detective that is. Before she started working on her own she worked for the police department. The sheriff stops by her office almost every day if not every day or every time he speaks to her and ask her when is coming back to work. But of course Cassie tells him "not today" and he leaves it until the next time. Cassie has been working for herself for about six months now and has just gotten her first job delivering a subpoena to a woman, Belinda who is a witch. But when she gets to her place no one is home and Cassie knows something is wrong right away.
While she is there waiting in her car another car pulls up into Belinda's driveway. When he gets out Cassie recognizes him as her childhood best friend, Evan. Evan and Cassie became best friends when they first met in school and stayed best friends until they were around fourteen years old. Cassie's family and Evan's family never got along so Cassie and Evan were told a long time ago by both of their parents that they could not be friends.
Evan is at Belinda's because his cousin is missing and he is looking for her. His cousin's truck is sitting in Belinda's front yard. So he is there to try and find out where or what has happen to his cousin. When they find her dead in Belinda's house and Belinda missing, Evan hires Cassie to help him find his cousin.
Most people in the town they live in do not like Cassie and her family because they know or believe that her family is witches. Cassie has six brothers and sisters because her parents believe that with seven children that they are protected against bad magic.
While Cassie is investigating Belinda's murder she realizes that someone is trying to kill her and she is only staying about one step ahead of them. Cassie must now try to figure out who is attacking her. Is the person who wants Cassie dead the same person who killed Belinda? Who is after Cassie? Is it her childhood friend, Evan? Is it her "boyfriend"? Want to know who is after Cassie? Yes. Well pick up a copy of Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective today to find out. When I was about half way through or a little more I thought I know who did it. I know who killed Belinda and who is after Cassie. Boy was I wrong (slaps forehead, dang).
Author Interview:
The Avid Reader: What inspired you to write Secrets and Lies?
Christine Amsden: Secrets and Lies is the second of four books about Cassie Scot, the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers. Cassie came to me in a flash of inspiration as I tried to think about what kind of power or destiny I could give a fantasy heroine that hasn't already been done before. The answer of course was - none at all! This series is about Cassie coming into her own in a world where she doesn't quite belong, and book two continues that journey with a bit more romance and self-discovery.
The Avid Reader: When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Christine Amsden: I can't think of an age when I didn't know I wanted to be a writer. I've always been a writer.
The Avid Reader: What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?
Christine Amsden: I remember making up stories to go along with picture books before I could even "read" in the way you probably mean. I've always read, just as I've always written.
The Avid Reader: What genre of books do you enjoy reading?
Christine Amsden: All of them. My favorite stories are the ones about strong character undergoing some kind of transformation or revelation. Unfortunately, there's no genre for that, so I just have to guess. I read a lot of fantasy, romance, mystery, and science fiction. (And I go through phases.)
The Avid Reader: What is your favorite book?
Christine Amsden: Dreamer, the last book in the Cassie Scot series. If you want me to pick someone else's, I just can't! I love too many books for too many different reasons. I don't have a favorite. Part of why I write is that as I read, I often feel like I'm looking for a story I haven't found yet. So saying that one of my own is my favorite isn't like saying I think I'm better than every other author - on the contrary, I have a lot of humility. (To much, some days. It's a hard business, and not everyone is a fan.) But I sat down and wrote the book I most wanted to read, even though I hadn't found it yet. So yeah, it's my favorite.
The Avid Reader: You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?
Christine Amsden: Again, I have no favorites. I have moods. And mood swings. :)
I like Jim Butcher and Orson Scott Card (his old stuff), I like Heinlein and Asimov and Linda Howard and Catherine Anderson and Jayne Ann Krentz (under all three pseudonyms) and Karen Marie Monina and Jk Rowling. Each one of them fills a slightly different need within me.
The Avid Reader: If you could travel back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?
Christine Amsden: One of my college history professors asked this exact same question on the first day of class one year. I felt a bit weird at the time to answer by saying, "Now's good." I left thinking I should have come up with a better answer, but it's fifteen years later and I still haven't. Oh, maybe it would be fun to travel with Doctor Who for a bit, but I'm not in love with any period of history.
The Avid Reader: When writing a book do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?
Christine Amsden: Yes.
Some days it flows, some days I want to cry. Some days I do cry. :)
Cassie mostly came easily to me, but at the time I was sort of unencumbered. This has been a hard writing year for me. I'm trying to keep working ahead while at the same time trying to market the books that are being published, take on editing jobs to pay for that marketing, and every couple of months I get edits in on yet another draft of yet another book. It's been hard to focus. But I think when all this passes, it will be a little easier again.
The Avid Reader: Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?
Christine Amsden: Not at the moment, no. I had cats, but after the last one died a few months ago we've decided not to get another one because my husband has a mild allergy. (He didn't have the allergy when we got the cats in the first place.) I'm okay with it for now. My kids are still young enough to sit in my lap so until they're older, I think that's all I need.
The Avid Reader: What is your "to die for", favorite food/foods to eat?
Christine Amsden: I'm a chocoholic - actually, a chocolate snob chocoholic. Halloween has come and gone with yet another reminder of why I generally avoid cheap candy. It feeds on itself, rather than truly satisfying a craving. And it doesn't really taste that good. But give me some Lindt or Godiva... mmmm...
The Avid Reader: Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?
Christine Amsden: Lots, actually. I put up writing tips on my blog sometimes, and I hire myself out as a coach/mentor. But the only general bit of advice I have is this: Only write if you love it. It isn't going to make you rich.
Christine Amsden: Thanks so much for having me here today!
Christine Amsden
