Coven and Coffin Blog Hop Day 6!

Sage Gets Ready for her Halloween Party

Today is the final day for the Coven and Coffin Blog Hop. Make sure to swing by each blog and check out all the special treats they have in store for you from ghost stories, to recipes, and even a murder mystery! Oh, and did I mention an awesome giveaway full of prizes?

In today's final post, Sage out of my book Sapphire and Sage decides on a costume for her Halloween party:

Sage leaned in close to the mirror as she applied yellow and brown grease make up to her face, for once grateful for the sprouting of freckles sprinkled most of her face. Growing up she had hated them, but now they would serve a purpose. She was going to be a sunflower for the Halloween party, and her freckles gave the perfect outline for the seeds in the center of her flower face.

Sunflowers had always been her favorite flower and ever since moving to the lake house she felt more attuned to nature. While talking with the Fosters and Sapphire about the upcoming festivities she couldn't decide what she wanted to dress up as. Over the years she had been the typical vampire, witch, and even Cleopatra one year. But none of those costumes ever felt right to her and suddenly the idea of being something nature related hit her and she just knew she had to go with it.

She was going all out with the costume too. She had ordered a tight fitting green one piece as well as bright green tights to cover her legs. Then bought a cheap and overly yellow blonde wig that she intended to twist into petals that would be held into place with clips. The first piece of the costume she had applied the night before, a full sleeve of temporary tattoos on both arms. The tattoos were leaves and scrawling vines.

Costume complete, she checked herself in the mirror one last time before heading out to the party...

Sapphire and Sage

When their parents were murdered, twin sisters Sapphire and Sage, were separated to keep them safe. That was 22 years ago. Now, just before their 25th birthday, they are reunited only to learn the true reason for their parent’s murder, magic. They are the current generation in a long line of powerful witches. Their family tree seems cursed, with tragedy and death haunting each generation, traced as far back as the 1700s.

The Night Rage Coven is a group of power hungry demons with the ability to steal magic as long as they can kill the last of a bloodline. When the twins inherit their powers, they become the latest target of the Coven. They must learn to work together and control their new magic before it is too late. Will they survive the hunt or will the bloodline end with them?

Sapphire and Sage is available for early download through LeanPub, a new publishing company that allows readers to purchase the book while it is still being written. Everyone who purchases a copy will get updates with each new chapter posted. As a special treat for those participating in the Coven and Coffin blog hop, use the coupon code: CovenAndCoffin to grab your free copy from Oct. 27^th through Nov 1^st! Get yours now!

About Kayleigh Grian

Kayleigh Grian is currently a part time student working on her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Computer Forensics and Security. She also works full time as a police dispatcher.

Kayleigh has always enjoyed writing, especially fiction and poetry. She is working on several projects including her first novel and a collection of short stories. Kayleigh enjoys reading as much as she does writing and will often go through a few books a week when she doesn't have a ton of homework to do.

Connect with Kayleigh:

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Don't forget to check out all the other blogs
And check back daily for each post.

Jessica Fortunato, Author of The Sin Collector Series

Noree Cosper, Author of A Prescription for Delirium

Peter Dawes, Author of the Vampire Flynn Series

Kayla Curry, Author of The Mystic Stones Series

M.R. Graham, Author of The Wailing, 

In The Shadow of The Mountains, 

The Truth of the Matter and Proof

And now the promised Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coven and Coffin Blog Hop Day 5 (Happy Halloween!)

Vampire Flynn Forced into Costume 

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope everyone has a wonderfully haunted Halloween :) Today is day five of the Coven and Coffin Blog Hop. Stay tuned for daily for a new character costume from the main characters of our books. Each blog in the hop has a special treat in store for you from ghost stories, to recipes, and even a murder mystery!

Flynn from Peter Dawes' The Vampire Flynn series begrudgingly puts on a costume this year:

Me: Hey, guys! Greetings to you all and thanks for having us on your blog, Kayleigh. For this Halloween, my vampire assassin, Flynn, has volunteered to dress up in costume!

Flynn: No, I did not.

Me: *sighs* Flynn, please be polite for our host. This is a costume party, you know.

Flynn: Then I am wearing a black suit and sunglasses.

Me: You always wear a suit and sunglasses.

Flynn: Well then, I have very little preparing to do.

Me: I swear, arguing with you is impossible. *scratches head. looks around and sees Monica* Monica, come over here, would you? I’m having trouble getting Flynn to dress up for Halloween.

Monica: *wanders over, stealing a quick glance at Flynn while lifting both hands to settle on her hips* Huh. That a fact? *raises an eyebrow at the recalcitrant vampire* No playing along, Flynny?

Flynn: *bristles* I see no need to indulge these mindless festivities.

Monica: That’s why you’re always the life of the party. *looks back at the writer* So what’d you want me to do about it?

Me: *throws up hands* Anything. Force him into something if you have to.

Monica: You want me to dress him? *lips curl in a playful grin* Deal. *walks over to Flynn, grabbing him by the hand and practically dragging him into another room*

*from elsewhere, the sounds of a scuffle reach the writer, replete with swearing and what sounds like glass breaking. the writer blinks, motioning once or twice to go in there and see what’s going on. it’s only a few minutes later that the duo finally emerge, Monica brushing her hands off and Flynn wearing a set of rabbit ears on his head, whiskers drawn on his face, and a white cottontail stuck to his rear end*

Me: *cups hand over mouth, trying not to burst into hysterics*

Monica: Mission accomplished.

Flynn: This is rather undignified. *motions to remove the ears*

Monica: Ut, ut, ut. *lifts hand, waggling a finger* Touch ‘em and I’ll pin the tail to something more uncomfortable than your ass.

Flynn: *lowers hand slowly and sighs in resignation*

* * *

About the Author

Peter Dawes is an author of urban fantasy, native to the Philadelphia, PA area. The stories he writes often focus on the paranormal, with real life people being thrown into extraordinary circumstances. The clash of good vs evil and hero vs villain is a staple of his work, though he is never content to leave the hero unscathed by the end of the day. There is always a trial experienced and a lesson learned, even if it’s learned the hard way. Far from being an archetypal author, though, Peter Dawes recognizes that what is black and white is often painted with shades of gray and even the heroes fall while the villains rise above. To Peter, the classic struggle epitomizes something within all of us that digs deep for the last mile, doggedly holds on to love, and sometimes ignores the safe path for the road less traveled. He also may or may not be a vampire. He leaves that for the reader to determine.

Website | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook

About Vampire Flynn Series

As the moon rose over Philadelphia, on January 20, 1983, nobody could have known what was about to happen. Inside a coffee shop, a meeting between a young resident doctor and a redheaded vixen would end with a night of bloodshed. Two people would lay dead inside an apartment near Fairmount Park. A third victim would be claimed when their killer ran into the waiting arms of a vampire.

Rather than being met with eternal condemnation, however, Dr. Peter Dawes would wake several days later as a new creature. No longer possessing a pulse and with sharp teeth itching for purchase on human skin, Peter’s first days as an immortal would blossom into five years of decadent, sadistic killing. Exchanging the scalpel for a dagger and the scrubs for a suit, the man who once sought to heal would come to be known as the deadliest vampire ever to wield a sword. The covens referred to him as the Black Rose Assassin. To his maker, Sabrina, he was known as Flynn.

Her instrument in an ambitious struggle to gain control of the city, Flynn amassed a collection of conquests. All the while, secrets circled around him, speaking of special gifts and a human destiny left behind upon his turning. It would take an immortal named Anthony, a mysterious pendant, and a human sorceress named Monica for Flynn to learn the truth behind his turning. And what resulted would send a shockwave from the City of Brotherly Love outward to the rest of the world.

Join Flynn on his journey from ruthless assassin to immortal seer. In a mission which takes him to Chicago, Seattle, and the darkest corners of the globe, a vampire will reconnect with his humanity and a villain will become a reluctant hero. Along the way, wicked immortals, unlikely allies, and a society of gifted humans called the Supernatural Order will test the mettle of the reformed killer. In the end, a man divided will be forced to reconcile with his darkness, and two beings shall emerge from one.

Don't forget to check out all the other blogs

And check back daily for each post.

Jessica Fortunato, Author of The Sin Collector Series

Noree Cosper, Author of A Prescription for Delirium

Peter Dawes, Author of the Vampire Flynn Series

Kayla Curry, Author of The Mystic Stones Series

M.R. Graham, Author of The Wailing, 

In The Shadow of The Mountains, 

The Truth of the Matter and Proof

And now the promised Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coven and Coffin Blog Hop Day 4

A Halloween Throwback with Daniel Leland

The Coven and Coffin Blog Hop is in full swing now. Stay tuned for daily for a new character costume from the main characters of our books. Each blog in the hop has a special treat in store for you from ghost stories, to recipes, and even a murder mystery! Oh, and did I mention an awesome giveaway full of prizes?

Day four of our Halloween party bring's us Daniel Leland out of MR Graham's Lost Knowledge series and this is what he had to say about dressing up:

Daniel Leland is a startlingly old-fashioned gentleman who rarely lets on that he has either a sense of humor or a sense of fun, if he can at all help it. He does not believe in dressing up for Halloween, but when coerced, has been known to break out a suspiciously authentic evening ensemble of the 1870s, including spats, waistcoat and tails, cravat, and meticulously brushed silk top hat. He claims to find it comfortable and insists that if one has a ready outfit sitting around, there is no point in purchasing something new. He refuses to say why, exactly, he keeps a silk top hat sitting around, but those who know him well can take a decent guess. He does not appreciate insinuations that he in any way resembles Bela Lugosi or Grandpa from The Munsters. Daniel's story, or parts thereof, can be found within the first two volumes of:

The Books of Lost Knowledge

Truly, there are more things in heaven and earth… For instance, a dark and subtle world of magic, hidden just below the surface of reality. Lost Knowledge is a series of novels – two complete, many in progress – that centers on the reality of the things mankind has chosen to forget. There is beauty in the mist between the sea and the land, and dark things exist in the dim chasms of memory. Learn more at the Lost Knowledge website, or buy now here.

About MR Graham

MR Graham is a native Texan who traces strong cultural roots back to Scotland, Poland, and England. A mild-mannered Latin teacher during the day, Graham transforms at night into a raging Holmesian loremaster and rabid novelist. Though passionate about all scholarship and academia, Graham’s training and true love lies with anthropology, particularly the archaeological branch.

Connect with MR

Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Blog


Don't forget to check out all the other blogs
And check back daily for each post.

Jessica Fortunato, Author of The Sin Collector Series

Noree Cosper, Author of A Prescription for Delirium

Peter Dawes, Author of the Vampire Flynn Series

Kayla Curry, Author of The Mystic Stones Series

M.R. Graham, Author of The Wailing, 

In The Shadow of The Mountains, 

The Truth of the Matter and Proof

And now the promised Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coven and Coffin Blog Hop Day 3!

Obsidian's Ava Shows Off Her Costume

The Coven and Coffin Blog Hop has begun! Stay tuned for daily for a new character costume from the main characters of our books. Each blog in the hop has a special treat in store for you from ghost stories, to recipes, and even a murder mystery! Oh, and did I mention an awesome giveaway full of prizes?

Day three of the blog hop bring's us Ava from Kayla Curry's Obsidian and her costume this year:

Character: Ava Tanner

Costume: Firefighter

Why she would choose it:

Ava has a special ability in the Mystic Stones Series. This ability closely relates to the ocean and the water within it. If there is something Ava Tanner would be good at, it would be putting out fires. This is why she would choose to be a firefighter for Halloween.

About the Book

Ava Tanner finds herself in a world without satellite technology in a time of GPS, Smart Phones and Tablets. When she discovers that a corporation headed by vampires with a sinister motive is to blame, her world is turned upside-down. After a narrow escape, she learns a mystical secret about herself that could aide her in her fight against the vampires. Unfortunately, the vampires see her either as a valuable asset or a target for destruction.

When the world is on the brink of complete social and technological devastation, one must ask themselves: Would I give up my blood for the modern ideal way of life, or will I wage war with the overlords of chaos?

About Kayla Curry

Kayla Curry lives in North Platte, Nebraska with her husband and two children. She likes spending time with family and friends when she’s not writing or planning out her conquest of the world. People who know her would say that she is sweet and kind, but her book characters would disagree. Her other hobbies include reading, metal detecting and research of local history. You can visit her website at http://www.kaylacurry.com to keep up on her progress in the Mystic Stones Series and her other works.

Connect with Kayla

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Grab Kayla's 99 cent creepy horror short story Oomph! on Amazon or Smashwords. Or pick up her free short story Ruby, on Amazon or Smashwords. Ruby is the short story companion to her paranormal novel, Obsidian, and can be read before or after the novel.

Don't forget to check out all the other blogs
And check back daily for each post.

Jessica Fortunato, Author of The Sin Collector Series

Noree Cosper, Author of A Prescription for Delirium

Peter Dawes, Author of the Vampire Flynn Series

Kayla Curry, Author of The Mystic Stones Series

M.R. Graham, Author of The Wailing, 

In The Shadow of The Mountains, 

The Truth of the Matter and Proof

And now the promised Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coven and Coffin Blog Hop Day 2!

A Prescription for Delirium's Gabriella Puts On Her Costume

The Coven and Coffin Blog Hop has begun! Stay tuned for daily for a new character costume from the main characters of our books. Each blog in the hop has a special treat in store for you from ghost stories, to recipes, and even a murder mystery! Oh, and did I mention an awesome giveaway full of prizes?

Day two of the blog hop bring's us Gabriella from Noree Cosper's A Prescription for Delirium and her costume this year:

Halloween is the one day where one can dress up as anything they want. Gabby takes this day to travel in her memories and chooses a dress from the 16th century. As the wife to an artisan her clothing was plainer than the extravagance seen in most pictures. The one piece sleeveless, top dress is made of a burgundy linen with a lace up bodice underneath and the skirt covers her red strapped shoes. Underneath she wears a camicia, a white linen shirt, with red embroidery along the collar. A white cap with burgundy embroidery coves her braided black hair. She wears a red mantello (cloak or shawl) around her shoulders and it extends down to cover most of her skirt.

A Prescription for Delirium

Ninety years ago, Gabriella di Luca promised to protect the family of her dying lover. She failed to keep that promise. She was too far away to stop the devil that murdered the eldest Van Helsing son. Years later, Gabby learns the devil has resurfaced. She arrives in Hampton, TX, determined to stop the devil before it can lay a bloody hand on the remaining three brothers.

However, madness is spreading through Hampton. She suspects the devil is using this madness to test a drug which has a side effect of demonic possession. Gabby rushes to end the source of the madness only to fall victim to it. For a woman cursed with eternal life, dying is no threat. However, Gabby must stop the devil's plot or risk losing her most precious possession: her mind.

Get It Now:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK)

About Noree Cosper

Noree Cosper loves writing about magic in the modern world. While growing up in Texas she constantly searched for mystical elements in the mundane. She buried her nose in both fiction and books about Wicca, Religion, and Mythology. Everyday became an adventure as she joined a group of role-players, acting out her fantasies of vampires, demons, and monsters living in the world.

She embraced her nerdom wholeheartedly.

Noree grew, but never left her love for fantasy and horror. Her dreams pushed her and her hand itched to write the visions she saw. So, with her fingers on the keys, she did what her heart had been telling her to do since childhood. She wrote.

Connect with Noree

Website | Blog

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

Don't forget to check out all the other blogs
And check back daily for each post.

Jessica Fortunato, Author of The Sin Collector Series

Noree Cosper, Author of A Prescription for Delirium

Peter Dawes, Author of the Vampire Flynn Series

Kayla Curry, Author of The Mystic Stones Series

M.R. Graham, Author of The Wailing, 

In The Shadow of The Mountains, 

The Truth of the Matter and Proof

And now the promised Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coven and Coffin Blog Hop: Day 1!

The Sin Collector's Liliana Reveals Her Costume

The Coven and Coffin Blog Hop has begun! Stay tuned for daily for a new character costume from the main characters of our books. Each blog in the hop has a special treat in store for you from ghost stories, to recipes, and even a murder mystery!

First up, Liliana from Jessica Fortunato's The Sin Collector series reveals her costume this year:

Our first and only Halloween in Maine Julia had lured me into taking her trick-or treating. I had spent an hour expertly applying Zombie makeup to every inch of her exposed skin. Thank the Gods for online makeup tutorials because she looked amazing. I could hear Olexander in the living room with Julia rattling off arcane Samhain knowledge, and I could feel her eyes rolling. Finally, I put on the faux black rimmed glasses and went downstairs. Olexander and Julia’s faces crinkled in confusion as they took in my modest clothing, flat Mary Janes, neatly straightened and tightly pulled up hair. In my hands, I held a legal pad and a calculator. Olexander, never one to miss a beat, interjected what a lovely costume I’d made for myself. Julia no longer being able to hold in her thoughts let out a puff of air and an exasperated, “I don’t get it.”

“Don’t you see my legal pad and calculator? I’m a debt collector. Get it? Usually I’m a SIN Collector?”

I smiled widely, I’d been so clever.

Olexander couldn’t stop laughing long enough to make words. Julia shook her head as if she could not fit my answer inside her brain.

“It’s too late to help you now Lily.” Julia stood up patting my arm reassuringly. “Next year I’ll go to the costume shop with you.”

* * *

About the Author

Jessica Fortunato writes a rare combination of Paranormal/ Supernatural/ Religious Literary Fiction. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family, a clumsy black cat, and year round Halloween decorations. Rarely seen in direct sunlight, reports of Jessica’s vampirism remain unsubstantiated.

About the book

The Sin Collector follows the life of Liliana, a born Sin Collector. She has spent over 100 years absorbing people's sins so they may rest in peace come death. However when she meets another Collector, one who insists everything she has been taught is a lie, Liliana must make her way from sunny L.A. all the way to the streets of Madrid. Searching for answers to a question we all share. Why are we here? The friends and enemies she makes along the way only seem to blur the line between right and wrong. Can Liliana fight the Castus, an organization whose sole mission is to kill every Collector? Should she trust her head or her heart when the two most important men in her life are fighting alongside her? Then there is the worst question of all, who will be left when the dust settles?

Connect with Jessica Fortunato here:

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Check out her books!

The Sin Collector

The Sin Collector: Thomas

Sacrifice (Book 2 of The Sin Collector Trilogy)

Steam

Don't forget to check out all the other blogs
And check back daily for each post.

Jessica Fortunato, Author of The Sin Collector Series

Noree Cosper, Author of A Prescription for Delirium

Peter Dawes, Author of the Vampire Flynn Series

Kayla Curry, Author of The Mystic Stones Series

M.R. Graham, Author of The Wailing, 

In The Shadow of The Mountains, 

The Truth of the Matter and Proof

And now the promised Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Halloween Poem and Blog Hop Info

Ready for Halloween? I know I am! It is my favorite time of the year. Here's a little poem I wrote as a challenge for a writing group I belong to. The rules were it had to use the word midnight, each line had to increase by one word up to ten then decrease back down to one. The first word also had to be the same as the last word.

Cover Reveal: The Li5t of Five by J. Scott Sharp

Cover designed by Rebecca Hamilton

 

Book Blurb   

Young teen Richie Lyons is having an uneventful summer, playing games with his friends. He even has a birthday on the way. However, his uneventful life is shattered when he wakes up, on the morning of his thirteenth  birthday, with a list of names pounding through his brain. A list that contains the names of those he cares about most. As if that wasn’t enough, he keeps having a recurring waking dream of a fire that is threatening to take the life of his mom and sister. 

Richie must fight to understand this recurring list and the visions he is having. Are they prophetic, foretelling an actual occurrence, or a waking nightmare threatening his sanity? In addition, what does the list have to do with the newest local ministry and the strange pastor who came to Richie’s door?

The more Richie discovers, the less he understands. 

When Richie finally begins to understand, it may be too late for himself and everyone else that he cares about. 

There is one thing Richie knows for certain.

He may have to grow up much faster than he ever wanted to grow, because there is something very wrong with his visions, and there is something frightening about the list of five.

The Li5t of Five will release on September 29th!

Author Bio
J. Scott Sharp has been writing for much of his considerable life, but only just now decided to take it seriously at 47. This makes him a little crazy. At least his wife Marti and his two dogs, Sumo and Tnur think so.
He has his Associates degree in psychology, which qualifies him for nothing except understanding what you're thinking. At least he likes to think so. He also thinks he understands what you're feeling, but that's a whole other problem.
He lives in Arizona where he splits his time between watching TV on DVD, working, and writing. His hobbies include stage and close-up magic and reading until his eyes won't stay open. Closed eyes make it harder to do stage magic, but he tries.
He is the author of short stories Not Even There, Three Blackbirds, and Cold-blooded
The List of Five is his first novella.

You can reach out to J. Scott Sharp at:

Twitter (https://twitter.com/JScottSharp)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jscott.sharp)
Blog (http://jscottsharp.blogspot.com/)

Sacrifice Blog Tour Stop: Castus Brand Explained

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an Advanced copy of Jessica Fortunato's Sacrifice, the second book in her Sin Collector series. (Click here to read my review). I read the whole thing in one sitting and told her as much via Twitter. Thankfully I did, because the she asked my about my favorite parts and I mentioned that I would love to know the meaning behind the Castus brand (which is not only described in the book, but also featured on the cover). She explained the meaning of the Sin Collector tattoo from the first book on her blog so I was hoping she'd do the same for this one. She did something even better, she's stopping here on her blog tour to tell us a little bit about it (she can't give all the secrets away, for those you'll just have to read the third book!).

Although the entire meaning of the Castus Crest (which graces the cover of Sacrifice) will not be disclosed until The Sin Collector: Origins, here are a few hints!

The crest begins with the shape of a shield. The shield is a timeless symbol of armor and defense found often in military emblems through time.

In Sacrifice, Lily will learn the strict doctrine the Castus follows. This includes a biblical story about how Collectors came into existence. However, this story is part of a much larger text. This is shown in the large book placed upon the shield. In Origins, we will find out how these “hidden books” will comingle with religious texts we already know.

Collectors can only be harmed or killed using a specific blessed dagger, located in the upper left portion of the shield.

The chalice located on the upper right portion of the shield symbolizes a holy sacrament. A sacrament being a sacred rite is a pivotal part of many religions. You will learn more about these rites in Origins.

An Equal-Armed Cross, also referred to as the square cross is found in ancient cultures, predating Christianity. Many people believe it represents the four seasons, four winds, or the four elements. To the Castus, it represents something a bit more sinister and there is a reason they use it instead of the unequal Christian cross.

The meaning behind Deus Vult, a Latin phrase bannered across the bottom of the crest…well you’ll just have to read Sacrifice to find out where that fits in!

And there you have it! I love how every symbol of the brand has a specific meaning attached to it! Even though I'm the last stop on the tour, don't forget to gocheck out the rest of Jessica's blog tour!  I've listed the schedule below.

Friday August 30th Trip the Eclipse Blog- Review, Excerpt from Sacrifice, and Giveaway!

Saturday August 31st A Life Among the Pages Blog- Review of Sacrifice!

Sunday September 1st J. Scott Sharp Blog-  Q+A with author Jessica Fortunato!

Monday September 2nd The Man Behind The Curtain Blog- Q+A with main character Olexander!

Tuesday September 3rd  Adventures Of A Wandering Mind Blog-Q+A with new character Ian Keane!

Wednesday September 4th Sarcasm And Lemons- Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday September 5th Creative Difference Blog- More info about Jessica Fortunato!

Tethered

Tethered was my first attempt at a romance story of any kind. I entered it into a writing contest where the rules were it had to be under 1500 and had to fit into the romance category. Thanks for reading!

Release Day Review: Sacrifice

Title: The Sin Collector: Sacrifice

Author: Jessica Fortunato

Released: August 30th, 2013

Print Length: 191 pages

File Size: 277KB

Goodreads info here, visit the book's website

Disclaimer: I did receive a free ARC of this book in order to review prior to release. This however did not influence my review in any way.

Here's the official trailer for the book:

Now for the review:

A Must Read with Surprising Twists and Turns! 

After reading both The Sin Collector and Thomas, I had been eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series and Fortunato doesn't disappoint with Sacrifice! I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an advanced copy for review and I devoured the entire book in one sitting (Okay, it was really two but only because I had to drive home from work. I immediately opened the book back up because I just had to know what happened next!)

Sacrifice starts about a year after the first book and follows Liliana as she tries to give her family a "normal human" life, the problem is she and her family aren't normal nor human. She wants nothing more than to settle down and stay in one place with those she loves now that their enemies from the first installment are gone. But when other Collectors are suddenly killed it quickly becomes obvious that the life she's been hoping for isn't going to happen, at least not any time soon.

I loved the first two books, but Fortunato has really outdone herself with this one. It was a much smoother and polished book overall. There was just the right amount of tension to keep the reader turning pages, with enough of the mushy emotional stuff to keep the action from overwhelming the reader. Sacrifice is full of twists and turns that the reader doesn't see coming.

Reading through the book it dawned on me just how much Fortunato has grown as a writer, and it really showed in Sacrifice. There were a few times in the book that something was left a bit unexplained, such as the meaning of the Castus brand, or how the bad guys always found Liliana and her friends. But without knowing what the next installment has in store for us, I guess I'll just have to wait and see before making any final judgments on that.

Speaking of which, stop back by my blog on Sept. 6th, when Fortunato explains a bit about the Castus brand during her blog tour. Trust me, you don't want to miss this!

Overall I was thoroughly impressed with Sacrifice and I cannot wait to see what happens next for Lily, her friends and family, and yes even the bad guys. 

Grimoire Saga Books Get a Makeover!

One of my all time favorite books is getting a cover makeover! I first met S.M. Boyce on Twitter during an event she held for her debut novel Lichgates.  I was lucky enough to win a copy and fell in love with the story.  I liked the cover before but man let me tell you, the new covers are amazing!  You can read my review of Lichgates or Treason or just grab your copy, you won't be disappointed.  And now on to the cover reveals!