Book Review: Deathless Divide (Dread Nation #2) by Justina Ireland

 

Deathless Divide ( Dread Nation #2)     

Authors: Justina Ireland

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

American release date: April 6, 2021

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/Young Adult Zombie Fiction/560 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

The Civil War has been called… on account of the dead! Ever since the dead first began to rise from the fields of Gettysburg, nothing has been the same. But sadly, some things do remain the same. Slavery may be illegal, but blacks and Indians are still downtrodden, second-class citizens, and they’re being thrown into the front lines to combat the dead menace.

Jane McKeene and Katherine Devereaux have been trained at the renowned Miss Preston’s School for Combat in Baltimore. But Jane’s impulsive and rash nature in regards to a certain young man named Jackson see them shipped out West to a supposed haven from the dead by the name of Summerland. Unfortunately, this is not the paradise it was intended to be. Things go from bad to worse, and the girls and their friends escape and head out to nearby Nicodemus.

As they travel, Jackson suddenly tries to dissuade them from going to Nicodemus, which makes no sense to Jane, but the stubborn boy refuses to talk… until he does, and what he tells her well nigh breaks her heart. No wonder he didn’t want to let her know the truth. Why did she ever trust him to begin  with?

The road to Nicodemus is not an easy one, and along the way, they lose someone they care about. When they finally reach Nicodemus they learn that Daniel Redfern is the mayor—how crazy is that?—and a number of refugees from Summerland are here as well. Which begs the question how long before this town run by blacks will be in the hands of the whites? And what can be done to combat that?

Quick thinking by Jane allows Katherine to pass as white, and she is sent to the nicer part of town, while the other girls end up bedding down in the local brothel, run by the Duchess. Jane is not surprised to see Gideon here, but is surprised to learn he’s made this a base of operations for some time. And he’s still hot on vaccinating anybody and everybody he can. Thanks to a terrible error of judgment on Gideon’s part, Nicodemus is overrun by the dead, who have become surely more savvy than before,  and while trying to escape, the unthinkable happens when Jane is bitten.

The second volume of the Dread Nation duology is written in two perspectives, both Jane’s and Katherine’s, where the first book was all in Jane’s voice. That becomes necessary when the friends are separated, beginning their own journeys.

I enjoyed hearing Katherine’s voice and learn more about her in her own words. She and Jane are so different from one another, but perhaps therein lies the attraction. Difficult times bring out the best and the worst in people, and that is very obvious in this book, as it was in the first. As abhorrent as the people of Summerland were, the people of Nicodemus are every bit as horrible with a few exceptions. And, as usual, Jane keeps putting herself behind the eight ball, so to speak, because that is how she is—strong-minded, and unwilling to let an injustice go unpunished. Even so, something happens which changes Jane, not necessarily for the better, and it will take everything these two girls possess to overcome this divide that has grown between them.

The second book is every bit as good as the first, and although there are no signs of a third book, the ending leaves that open to change, at least in my eyes. There is also a side book I intend to read, Three For the Road.

If you enjoyed Dread Nation, you are sure to love Deathless Divide. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Wednesday Briefs: Super Trooper #66 (15.3)

Good morning, Happy Hump Day and Happy St Patrick's Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

Chan thinks everyone has forgotten his birthday and gone to work feeling rather sorry for himself. But that is hardly the case, as he receives an unexpected message to come home. See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Super Trooper #66 (15.3)

Everything had gone perfectly today, just as Evan hoped it would. It had been difficult to send Chan off to work looking like a wounded puppy because no one had acknowledged his birthday. But that would have given everything away, and he was sure his lover forgave him for that now.

Laksha had begun to bake as soon as Chan was out of sight. The result was the most beautiful carrot cake Evan had ever seen, completely with traditional fondant decorations. She seemed pleased with the praised he heaped on her, and helped him to prep for the food he was going to make for Chan’s birthday lunch. He couldn’t even pronounce the name of the main dish when he started, but with Laksha’s help, and a great deal of repetition, he got it. Murgh Makhani, otherwise known as Butter Chicken. At Laksha’s suggestion, he made a black lentil dish to go with it, naan bread, and a green salad.

Kamal offered to watch Madhu as well as decorate the dining room. He’d been drawing pictures ever since Evan confided the secret of Chan’s birthday to him—pictures of things he loved that he knew his brother would appreciate—and placed them about the dining room, along with balloons that he blew up (with a little help from Evan and Laksha).

Evan had never had a birthday party as a child, and didn’t have the first idea what they should look like. But Laksha assured him this was exactly the way their parents had celebrated the occasion of each child’s birth.

“Then this is how we’ll celebrate birthdays from now on,” Evan declared, winning him Laksha’s approval, along with a big hug.

Denise had played her part perfectly. Of course, she was in on their scheme from the beginning, and was more than happy to help. After taking Madhu to the park, she’d returned her and then gone home, calling Chan at the pre-arranged time. After hanging up with him, she’d called Evan and told him Chan was on his way and giggled when she told him that Chan sounded grumpy.

But that all changed when Chan walked in the door.

“You get to sit here,” Kamal commanded in an imperious tone as he pointed toward the couch.

“Yes, your royal highness,” Chan said with a grin. He ruffled his brother’s hair and then took the chosen seat. Madhu climbed up on one side of him, along with her precious wolf, and Kamal claimed the other side. Laksha gracefully settled into the arm chair, while Evan stood and beamed at them all.

Laksha and Kamal had each made birthday cards, which they presented to Chan. Evan, not having the same artistic bent, had purchased one and asked Chan to open it later. Not that he’d said anything the children couldn’t hear, but he considered the sentiments too personal to share, and nothing of interest to anyone other than Chan.

Chan loved all of his gifts and exclaimed over each and everyone. Evan noticed him wiping at his eyes more than once.

“Are you all right?” Evan asked, concerned.

“Yes. Very all right, and very happy.”

As they celebrated Evan scurried to and from the kitchen to check on the food, until Laksha gave him the official okay that everything looked perfect. She helped him to placed the finished dishes on the table, beside her beautiful cake and started to announce the meal was ready, but Kamal was ahead of her.

“Time to eat!” he announced in a loud voice. “And I’m starved!”

Everyone laughed as he made a beeline toward the table. Laksha shook her head as she followed in a more sedate manner. Chan bent down to pick up Madhu and carry her in, but the little girl pulled away from him and positioned herself in front of Evan instead. She reached up toward him, saying, “Evan!”

Everyone turned toward her in surprise. She had never once spoken his name, most of the time barely acknowledged his presence. And now she was asking for him.

Evan felt as though he might cry of happiness himself as he picked up the little girl and hugged her tight before they all entered the dining room.

 to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

 

No more Irregulars for me and other shows I am enjoying

 It's been a while since I talked about what I'm watching. Of course I can't go back and  pick up what I missed, but I can move forward. Starting with my decision tonight to stop watching the Irregulars, a new Netflix show loosely based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

 

The Baker Street Irregulars are a group of street kids, led by a boy named Billy, who were utilized for their knowledge of London streets by famed private detective Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. John Watson. In this Netflix series, these kids are reimagined, with a young girl named Bea as their leader, and in this imagining we find a definite element of the supernatural. Edgy and youth oriented, I enjoyed it at first. After all, with sexy Royce Pierreson as Dr. Watson (last seen as Istredd on The Witcher), what can go wrong?

Sadly, a great deal. In this incarnation, they have completely changed Dr. Watson's character, and are apparently portraying Sherlock as a weak, wasted drug addict (please don't tell me he was an addict, he was high functioning and he did not spend time in opium dens). The straw that broke the camel's back came when  I was about halfway through the fourth episode when  they introduced Inspector Lestrade as an utter asshole. I didn't even care that they brought in one of Queen Victoria's brood (the hemophiliac Prince Leopold) to run around with the group, although I personally don't see that as ever happening. What I have come to realize is that this is Netflix's version of any one of a number of shows on the CW - youth rules, age drools, that sort of thing. Bad enough what the CW did to Vampire Diaries, now Netflix is ruining Sherlock (and I won't even consider watching Enola Holmes, not happening). So, it ends here. I can't recommend this to anyone who enjoys watching or reading Doyle's detective. Hard pass for me.

There is another book adaptation that Netflix is running. I just happened to read the book when I learned

about the series. You is the series in question, from the book by Caroline Kepnes. Told in the first person, it's about a guy named Joe who works in a second-hand book store and becomes obsessed with a young female customer who enters the story by the name of Guinevere Beck. The first book in the series is all about this relationship as we quickly discover that Joe will do what it takes to get what he wants, up to and including murder.

****SPOILERS AHEAD*****  Joe stalks Beck, which she makes ridiculously easy by not having shades and by being something of an exhibitionist. For example, she has a little green pillow she humps when she's horny. But she also has a friend with benefits named Benji, who is everything Joe despises. Plus he is using Beck. So he's got to go.

Luckily the book store owner, Mr. Mooney, installed a sound proof cage in the basement where he 

keeps rare editions (although in the book, you have to take a ladder to get to them, in the series, they are reachable. Which is where Joe puts Benji, keeping him hostage until he dies from ingesting peanuts (Joe didn't believe he had an allergy but by golly he did!)

Beck also has a very obnoxious, rich friend named Peach Salinger (yes, related to those Salingers), who is determined to win Beck's heart (and body). Joe knows how to deal with her thought.  And then we have Beck's analyst, Dr. Nicky, who is also (unknown to Beck) Joe's analyst (played in the series by John Stamos). While he doesn't die, he does end up framed for Beck's murder. And that concludes the first book.

Now, the first season covers the first book, with some changes. In the book, Candace is dead. In the series, she comes back, and her characters is combined with Amy Adam. The second season, like the second book, sees Joe go to Hollywood where he meets Love Quinn and her brother Forty. But in this version, Joe takes the identity of a screenwriter, who he ends up trapping in the cage, now situated in a storage locker in LA) To be honest, I don't know how that got there, but it did.

Other changes in the series include the addition of a young boy in the first season, Will's neighbor's son, who lives with his mother and her abusive boyfriend. In the second season, the writers gave Delilah a little sister, who is the object of the pedophile comedian Hendy, and Delilah is given more intelligence and less sluttiness, which apparently makes her less likeable too. I'm sure the writers had their reasons for this. I've finished the second book and am waiting on the third, and so far I am liking the series. Keep in mind, Joe is a sociopath. I think the addition of the young cast members was to instill some sort of humanity into someone who is a serial killer.

Okay, last show I want to discuss is Lilyhammer, another Netflix series. I recently watched the entire 

Sopranos series, which I received as a gift for Christmas, and I loved it! I was sorry to see it end. Then one day I ran across Lilyhammer, which stars Stephen Van Zandt, who played Sil in the Sopranos. Of course I had to check it out!

Van Zandt plays Frank Tagliano, a New York mobster who testifies against one of his associates and demands the FBI relocate him in Lillehammer, Norway. One, because he saw the town during the Olympics and thought it was beautiful. And two, because it's the last place in the world that anyone will look for him.

He is given the new name of Giovanni Henriksen, supposedly his father was Norwegian, but he likes to go by Johnny. Johnny has to learn a new language and a new culture in order to make his way in his new homeland. Of course, you can take the guy out of the mob, but you can't take the mob out of the guy...

C'mon, is anyone really surprised? This is SIl we're taking about lol

He's intent on learning the language and studies diligently.  New in town, he meets single mother Sigrid Haugli (Marian Saastad Ottesen) and is attracted to her. He also makes some new business associates of his own and sets himself up in business. But his time as a wise guy is far from wasted as he uses his experience to get ahead in this new world he finds himself. in.

I have only seen four episodes but I love it already and am looking forward to more. Johhny, aka Stephen Van Zandt, is utterly adorable. There are lots of laughs, as well as some very romantic moments. Johnny's next door neighbor turns out to be the chief of police, and she is very suspicious of him. In one episode, they decide he's actually an Arab terrorist!  lol This series is fun for all.

All right, that's it for now. I hope to talk about The Magicians soon (which I am rewatching) and Castlevania (which I will watch again since season 4 comes out May 13) and The Witcher (which I've seen six times now and have no idea when the second season is coming).

Saturday is Horror Day #8 - Swiss Army Man, The Babadook

 Swiss Army Man

Stranded and alone and sure he will never be found or loved again, Hank (Paul Dano) decides to take his own life. Poised on the top of his cooler, his head in the noose, he suddenly spies what seems to be another person washed up on the beach. Almost killing himself to reach that person, he discovers what appears to be a corpse. But appearances can be deceiving, as Hank discovers when the corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) begins to convulse.

Beside himself with joy at no longer being alone, Hank discovers that his newfound friend is very flatulent, even if silent. Harnessing the power of his flatulence, Hank finds himself on top of the corpse, whom he names Manny, and is swiftly cutting across the water thanks to his strong gassiness.

Hank and Manny thus begin their long journey together, during which Hank discovers all sorts of uses for Manny, in the strange powers he possesses - much like a Swiss Army knife. Manny's spit is fresh water for Hank, and he can break things with his hands. When Manny spies Hank's phone, he asks about the girl in the picture. Hank is embarrassed to admit she's a random girl on the bus he has always been too scared to speak to. He leads Manny to believe the phone is his, and the girl is his sweetheart, giving Manny something to look forward to when they get home.

All right, maybe strictly speaking this isn't a horror film, but it has a dead guy in it who talks and a 

whole lot more, so I'm including it. And hey, it's Daniel Radcliffe, whom we saw last week in The Woman in Black. This was a surprisingly different movie than I expected. I think it's much deeper than strictly the story of a farting corpse. I believe it's Hank's journey to find himself, and to work through all the angst in his life. Interpret the ending however you like, but this film will make you think about a lot of things.

The Babadook

Amelia Vanek(Essie Davis) is a single mother doing her best to raise her seven-year-old son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) on her own. Her husband was killed on the night Samuel was born, while driving AMelia to the hospital. Samuel is a very bright, creative boy who loves his mother dearly, but finds himself shunned by the other children and their mothers because they find him to be too different.

While Amelia loves her son, she has never gotten over the death of her husband, and she finds herself stressed all the time, which isn't helped by Samuel's clinginess, and the way he ends up in her bed because of his vivid imagination. He finds a book on the shelf which he requests she read to him, so she does, about someone called Mr. Babadook. For a children's book, it sounds scary, and she isn't sure it's appropriate for her son. That idea is reinforced when he becomes convinced that the Babdook will get them if she lets him in.

The situation goes from bad to worse as Amelia's friends don't want to have her son around, his behavior gets him removed from school, and she doesn't know how to deal with his nightmares, and his insistence that he will save her from the mysterious Babdook. Sometimes, she just wishes, her husband hadn't been the one to die that night....

The Babdook is a gripping story about a woman who is trying to cope with stress/PTSD and unresolved grief, and then is faced with a supernatural creature who seems to want to take her son. Amelia is doing the best she can, but her continued lack of proper sleep puts them all in grave danger, as she becomes more and more unable to cope with the reality of her life. As the film progresses, we see a reversal in the roles of Amelia and Samuel as she regresses and he becomes more and more determined to protect the mother he loves.

This is a film that really begs to be paid attention to. It's deeper than you might think it is. I would give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. But don't look for a sequel, there won't be one.

Virtual Book Tour: Realm of Dragons by L.C. Conn

 Good morning! Please welcome author L.C. Conn to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here to tell us about her new release, Realm of Dragons. L.C. will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

 

Realm of Dragons: Fight for the Crown

by L.C. Conn

 

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GENRE: Fantasy

 

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BLURB:

 

The Realm of Dragons is in peril from hidden plots and conspirators, which threaten not only the crown, but the dragons that are at the very heart of it.

 

Teagan Loinsigh, long ago banished from her magical home of dragons now lives on Earth. Her dreams and memories of the great creatures are put down to fantasies and an overactive imagination, until one day she comes across a creature so unlike any other in the land she lives in. A baby dragon.

 

Muniath Magaoidh, a Dragon Warden fallen so low by a failed mission, must be brought back from his despair to retrieve what is lost.

 

Scetis Mordha, alone in the world since he was a child. Finds himself in the middle of intrigue and conspiracy against The Realm of Dragons.

 

Tying them all together is a dragon. Not just a dragon but The King of Dragons.

 

Can these four save The Realm of Dragons?

 

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EXCERPT :

 

“This could all be settled now. Between you and me. There should be no more waste of lives. If you conquered this way, you would only be seen as a tyrant and most of those who were left would never have your respect.”

 

“Are you seriously suggesting that we duel to see who gets the kingdom?” Orcades scoffed at the idea.

 

“Yes,” Scetis replied.

 

“You, who have never held a sword or killed anyone. Against me, a seasoned warrior?” he looked around him as he laughed, most of the men joined in.

 

“That is exactly what I am proposing,” Scetis said. “Where are you?” he called in his mind to Squirt.

 

“Close. Don’t worry, I’ll come to your rescue,” Squirt replied.

 

“Easy for you to say.” Scetis sent out the thought. “So, what do you say?” he once more addressed Orcades.

 

“This will be the easiest fight I’ve ever won!” Orcades armour creaked as he hauled himself from his saddle.

 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ide asked him in a hushed voice.

 

“I have to, and don’t you interfere. Squirt will be helping me.”

 

“I have only just found you, don’t do anything stupid.”

 

“I have a plan,” he told her without any bravado or grin. He stepped forward to meet his opponent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

L.C. Conn grew up on the outskirts of Upper Hutt, New Zealand. Her backyard encompassed the surrounding farmland, river, hills and mountains which she wandered with her brothers and fed her imagination. After discovering a love for writing in English class at the age of eight, she continued to write in secret. It was not until much later in life that L.C. turned what she thought was a hobby and something fun to do, into her first completed novel. Now married, L.C. moved from New Zealand to Perth, Western Australia, and became a stay at home mum. While caring for her family and after battling breast cancer, a story was born from the kernel of a dream. The first book of The One True Child Series was begun, and just kept blooming into seven completed stories, which have garnered great reviews. She continues her career with more stories waiting in the wings to be released.

 

EMAIL: raindropc1970@gmail.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/LCConn

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ConnLoraine

INSTAGRAM: https//www.instagram.com/l.c.conn

WEB PAGE: https//lcconnwriter.wordpress.com/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17714374.L_C_Conn

 

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Wednesday Briefs: Super Trooper #65 (15.2)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

Today is Chan's birthday, the first since the death of his parents, but no one seems to have remembered. Can this day get any worse? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper! Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Super Trooper #65 (15.2)

Chan’s unhappiness over the day’s events—or rather the lack thereof—grew even greater when he arrived at work to find it was just another ordinary day on the job. Not one happy birthday in the bunch, just business as usual. He tried hard not to be grumpy or morose, but he found that difficult to do when everyone else was just so full of smiles and sunshine.

He hadn’t brought a lunch, thinking someone would treat him for his birthday, as was the usual custom among his fellow employees. But when an offer wasn’t forthcoming, he finally decided what the heck, he’d just do something for himself. Why not? Even if no one else realized what day it was, he did.

But those plans never came to fruition either. As he was debating on where he wanted to eat, he received a phone call from Denise. She had an emergency and had to leave and he needed to come home to take care of Madhu.

“Did you call Evan?” Chan half-heartedly suggested, although he had a pretty good idea that wouldn’t work either, which she confirmed.

“I did. He must be out on a call,” she replied. “I’m so sorry.” Funny, he didn’t think she sounded sorry. That was probably just his bad mood thinking. He needed to not take this so personally.

“It’s all right, I’ll be right there.” Chan hung up and heaved a giant sigh. What next? Well, his manager could tell him he couldn’t leave work just now. Then what would he do?

But surprisingly she was more than happy to let him go. He could swear she was even working hard at keeping from grinning, but he was too irritated to analyze the reason for that, just grateful she wasn’t angry that he was leaving.

He gathered his things from his office and turned out the light, bidding the others good-bye as he passed on his way to the door. As he walked out the door, he could have sworn he heard giggling, but decided that was just his imagination. Oh well, Madhu would be happy to see him, anyway. He hoped nothing the situation with Denise wasn’t too dire. She didn’t sound stressed or anything, just insistent.

Maybe he could take his sister out for lunch? That thought cheered him a little until he reached the house and saw Evan’s cruiser in the driveway. What the hell? Had he left work for nothing? If Denise had reached Evan after all, why didn’t she call Chan and let him know?

Now he was beyond irritated. And majorly feeling sorry for himself.

He slammed his car door shut and stood for a moment, willing himself to calm down. Maybe he could just check on his sister, ascertain that  all was well in hand, and return to work to finish out the day. No harm done, right?

He took a deep breath, told himself everything would be fine, and strode briskly toward the door. Of course it was unlocked, so he let himself in and glanced around. No one in sight, but something smelled very good. Maybe Denise had been cooking.

“Evan?” he called out. “Madhu?”

And that was the moment when Kamal jumped out from the kitchen and burst into the living room, followed more sedately by Laksha, with Evan bringing up the rear, Madhu in his arms.

“Happy birthday!” they all cried out. Well, except for Madhu. But even she was smiling.

 Kamal screamed, “Are you surprised? Did we surprise you, Chan?”

Chan felt like bursting into tears, he was so happy. How could he ever think the people he loved would forget him, even for a moment? “You surprised me very  much,” he replied. “Good job, bro.” Kamal held out a fist expectantly and they fistbumped.

Laksha hugged him and kissed his cheek. She seemed particularly pleased with herself, he noticed. “Happy birthday, Chan. I made you a cake.”

To say he was touched would be an understatement.

“Happy birthday, love.” Evan greeted him with a kiss. Chan couldn’t help but notice the glint in his lover’s eyes.

“You deliberately misled me,” he accused Evan, even though he couldn’t stop grinning himself.

“I had to, otherwise it wouldn’t have been a surprise. I hope you’re hungry. I’ve been cooking since you left.”

“You have?” Chan was surprised.

Evan nodded toward Laksha, who beamed at them both. “She’s been teaching me to make your favorite dishes.”

This was all so amazing. Chan couldn’t help himself, his eyes brimming with tears even as his heart swelled.

“Is something wrong?” Evan asked, concerned.

Chan shook his head. “No,  no, on the contrary. Everything is perfect. Thank you so much.”

And suddenly the horribly gone-wrong day became the best day of his life.

 to be continued

Now go visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them!

Cia Nordwell

 

 

Virtual Book Tour: Halfbreed Warrior by Bobbi Smith

 Good morning! Please welcome author Bobbi Smith to Full Moon Dreaming! She's here to tell us about her new release, Halfbreed Warrior. Bobbi will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

 

Halfbreed Warrior

by Bobbi Smith

 

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GENRE: Historical Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

It was said that only the bravest warrior could ride the phantom stallion that ran fee on the Texas plain…

 

The Legend of The Hawk

 

With Comanche blood flowing through his veins, Hawk always knew he was different. Everywhere he went, people scorned him, feared him, hated him - and he expected the same when he hired on at the Lazy S Ranch to help catch rustlers. What he didn’t expect was a woman like Randi. Her impulsive spirit and generous heart broke through his reserve and made him want to love again. But he couldn’t afford to get close to anyone. Not with the job he had to do.

 

The Will of the Lady

 

Randi Stockton grew up around rough cowboys on her father’s ranch. None had managed to win her love…until the mysterious stranger with the power to tame the legendary wild horse strode into her life. Randi knew he was a half-breed, but something about him called to her. And he was the only one who could save her from the traitor at the Lazy S. The danger lurking in the shadows and canyons threatened to draw the two apart, but Randi knew in her heart that Hawk would always be her Half-Breed Warrior.

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EXCERPT:

 

Excerpt One:

 

“Go, Angel!” Randi Stockton urged her palomino to a faster pace. She’d just caught a glimpse of the fabled phantom stallion on a rise in the distance and was determined to give chase. Legend had it that only the finest of warriors would ever be able to catch him, and it seemed there was truth to the story. No one had even come close in all these years.

 

Randi was concentrating on her quest, when suddenly Angel tensed and altered her pace. Puzzled, Randi glanced around. It was then she caught sight of another rider pursuing her. Terror seized her. The bare-chested man coming after her looked like a Comanche warrior. Any thoughts of finding the phantom stallion were gone. She had to escape.

 

Hawk’s ride that morning to the Lazy S Ranch had been a long, hot one, so when he saw the clear-running stream, he’ decided to stop for a while and cool off. He’d just stripped off his shirt and started to wash when he’d seen the young boy on a runaway horse in the distance. Certain the youth was in trouble, he’d mounted up and charged after him. He just hoped the boy didn’t get thrown before he could reach him.

 

Randi glanced back again, only to find the warrior was even closer. Desperate, she veered off to the right, but in an instant, he was upon her.

 

“Help!” she cried as he dragged her out of her saddle. Desperate to break free, she fought with all her might, but his strength was overpowering. She was trapped, pinned against his hard, powerful chest.

 

Hawk struggled to control his mount as he shifted his grip on the youth, and it was then that a shock of pure physical awareness jolted through him. Suddenly, he realized this was not boy he’d rescued. This was a woman!

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982.

 

Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and 6 novellas. To date, there are more than five million copies of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List, the USA Today Best Seller List and the Wal-Mart Best Seller List.

 

The rights to Ms. Smith’s books have been sold to China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Russia and Sweden. Bobbi has also written two faith-based contemporary novels – Haven and Miracles – using the pseudonym Julie Marshall.

 

http://www.Bobbismithauthor.com

 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Half-Breed-Warrior-Bobbi-Smith/dp/1477835067

 

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Virtual Book Tour: Grave Robbing and Other Hobbies by Jayce Carter

 Good morning! Please welcome author Jayce Carter to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here today to tell us about her new release, Grave Robbing and Other Hobbies. Jayce will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

 

Grave Robbing and Other Hobbies

by Jayce Carter

 

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GENRE: Contemporary Paranormal Erotic Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Abandoned at three—whose parents want a kid who sees ghosts?—I learned the world is quick to punish misfits. I try my best to be a normal, boring human, but the call of the supernatural just won’t be ignored.

 

When a stranger shows up on my doorstep in the middle of the night, it’s no sexy tryst. Instead, I’m off to the graveyard, digging up the corpse of a murder victim at the demand of the local vampire coven—and that small felony is just the start.

 

The spirit of the woman has gone missing, something that shouldn’t be possible, and everyone is looking to me for answers. There's Kase, a vampire who’s both terrifying and secretive. Grant, a mage with a bad attitude and a lot of power. Troy, the possessive werewolf-detective next door and Hunter, a mysterious bad boy who isn’t even close to human.

 

It’s a race not just against time but against everything to figure out where the spirits are going, who’s behind it and if I can trust the men who now share my bed.

 

And all because of a little grave robbing…

 

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EXCERPT:

 

 

“You need to do something,” I said as Kase and Troy struck a wall and knocked off a painting. Sure, it was a cheap one I’d picked up at a chain store, some mass-produced image of cherry blossoms I’d always thought would make me a calmer person, but it was my stupid painting and they’d ruined it!

 

“You’re right.” Grant snapped his fingers, whispering a few words.

 

The two fighting seemed unaffected, however, as Troy flung Kase off him and Kase sailed back, almost faster than my vision could follow.

 

I was about to tell Grant it hadn’t worked when I realized he had a bowl of popcorn now.

 

Had he really used his magic to summon popcorn? Hunter reached over me to grab a handful.

 

“You said you couldn’t use magic for frivolous things,” I stammered.

 

“I can’t.”

 

“You used it to get popcorn!”

 

Grant lifted the popcorn as though to make a point. “This isn’t frivolous, Ava. There is a man-on-man fight here—that requires snacks to properly watch. Get your priorities straight.”

 

My mouth hung open. Every time I thought I had my feet under me with these men, they showed me how wrong I was.

 

“They could kill each other,” I finally said.

 

“Sure, but they won’t.” Hunter stole another handful of popcorn and tossed some in his mouth, a few pieces falling to the couch. “Troy hasn’t fully shifted and Kase isn’t biting. This is just one of those macho alpha dominance shows. Let’s all be glad they’re doing this instead of actually measuring dicks. Trust me, that just hurts feelings.”

 

 

 

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INTERVIEW

Do you have any tattoos?  Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?

Let me take you back almost two decades, when I had just turned eighteen and was young enough to think I was unique. I had a few hundred dollars, the number of a tattoo artist, and no knowledge of what a tramp stamp was or why one might be a bad idea. Fast forward to today, and I have a big butterfly on my lower back, surrounded in black tribal, and a lot of regret.

 

Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

I think like most of us, my life is very different than it was two years ago. There is of course the entire pandemic, my children distance learning, and lock downs. On the plus side, I have very pretty eyes, and I think the mask is a big improvement for my overall look. Beyond those things, however, two years ago I wasn’t a published author. I was just some girl writing horribly filthy fanfiction, dreaming about turning my passion into a career. It is strange for me to think about that, to realize just how much has changed over that time.

 

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing since I was a kid. I remember being called into the principal’s office when I was eight because a substitute teacher didn’t appreciate my horror story one time because of the graphic content and language. I may not have stayed with slasher stories, but it gave me an early taste of criticism and taught me that there will always be haters.

 

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Finish that story! Yes, I know that old standby is the most annoyingly simple piece of advice, but it’s true. There are times when the story isn’t fun anymore, when your once sexy plot puts its feet up on the table, its hand down its pants, and refuses to take the garbage out. It can be so tempting to trade it in for a new model, but the reality is that all stories will go through this. These growing pains are normal, and you won’t be able to get to that glorious happily-ever-after if you don’t hang in there and strong-arm that plot into submission.

 

Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.

 

The main character of Grave Robbing and Other Hobbies is Ava, a woman who can talk to spirits. It doesn’t sound so bad, but what the blurb doesn’t mention is one horrible event from her past. See, ghosts look like they did when they died. That means she usually sees them mangled, bloodied and unhappy. One time, however, she woke to the naked, turned-on spirit of a man at the end of her bed. It seemed someone had passed away during auto-erotic asphyxiation, and she had to spend four weeks keeping her eyes above the equator. Since then, Ava has always made sure to be exceptionally careful when naked, afraid to spend her afterlife floating around with her girls out. It’s the sort of worry normal people don’t every have to worry about.

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Jayce Carter lives in Southern California with her husband and two spawns. She originally wanted to take over the world but realized that would require wearing pants. This led her to choosing writing, a completely pants-free occupation. She has a fear of heights yet rock climbs for fun and enjoys making up excuses for not going out and socializing.

 

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/JayceCarterAuthor/

https://www.instagram.com/jaycecarterauthor/

https://www.jaycecarter.com/

 

Buy Links:

 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Grave-Robbing-Other-Hobbies-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B08X4QFG74

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grave-robbing-and-other-hobbies-jayce-carter/1138904160

 

 

 

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