The Blood She Betrayed ~ A New YA Sensation

The Blood She Betrayed
By Cheryse Durrant

Rating: 5


"He's dead." Max's fingers clenched around the kitchenware. "You...you chopped off his head!"

"There are two ways to kill a Taloner - chop off its head or rip out its heart. You would rather I let him live so he could kill you?"
"No, it's not that, it's just..." The frypan clattered against the bench. "He was so nice."

"Until he tried to kill you."


Either this girl had a passion for medieval costumes, or he'd died and gone to heaven and she was his leather-scented welcoming committee.

Max McCalden's drunken fall from a balcony could have turned out worse.

Instead of dying due to his stupidity and a slippery ledge, he is saved by a Goth Angel with ivory skin, violet eyes and midnight-black hair. Introducing herself as Shahkara, the girl's stilted accent, costume, sword and lack of social awareness make her all the more intriguing to Max. When she asks him to point her to the nearest 'tavern', he offers her to stay at his place...totally unaware of how his life is about to be turned upside down.

She must remain incognito. Besides, she had been abandoned by her people. She was no longer the Princess Royal. She was a shahkara, a peasant in a foreign land.

Shahkara is in awe of her surroundings. Earth is unlike anything she has every seen before, with carriages that move thanks to something Max calls 'science', showers that don't fall from the sky, and a thing called 'Maccas' that provides humans with spicy burgers with cheese. 

But Shahkara isn't here for cars, hot showers or McDonald's burgers. The survival of her people and her world is at stake.

Taloners prowl both Gorias and Earth. They are creatures that resemble humans, but with one deadly difference - the long talons they hide between their knuckles, which they use to sink into the chests of their prey...and to rip out, and eat, their hearts.

Having travelled between Earth and her home Gorias through the Twilight Mists of a new moon, when the fabric between the worlds is at its thinnest, Shahkara has been sent to Earth on a pressing mission: to activate The Elnara, an ancient death lantern with the ability to destroy all Taloners once activated.

And being shackled to a seventeen year-old human boy with a Taloner target on his back is not an ideal situation. 

Max thought Taloners were an old Celtic myth. He certainly never expected to have one turn up in his house and try to kill him.

Saved once again by the half-human, half-Taloner Shahkara, Max strikes a deal with her: he'll help her find the death lantern, if she keeps him safe and lets him come along. With little choice, seeing that her meager knowledge of Earth won't suffice on her trip if she's to make it undetected, Shahkara agrees. 

But with Taloners after them both and time slowly running out, will Shahkara be able to activate the lantern before it's too late? And at what cost?

Brawls, wicked intentions, romance, destiny and magic collide in a novel that is sure to have you hooked until the very last word.

With effortless humour, vivid detail and a cast of relatable characters, Cheryse Durrant's The Blood She Betrayed is a refreshing change from your usual YA fiction, reshaping myths and creating worlds that will entice and engage readers across the world. 

Taloners may eat your heart. But humans can steal it.

_______________________________

Join Shahkara and Max's journey today!

- To buy The Blood She Betrayed eBook at Clan Destine Press click here

- To order The Blood She Betrayed paperback at Clan Destine Press click here

- For fabulous prizes and more click here

Soul Ties by Lisa Swallow ~ Review

Soul Ties (Soul Ties #1)
By Lisa Swallow

Rating: 4.7 
**Some graphic language**


'She would fail.

A hateful tear split from her eye and she blinked it away. Keir wasn't going to see her fear as he killed her, he couldn't have that triumph. If Keir wanted to kill her she would look into his eyes as he did. She locked her gaze with his, willing the teardrop sliding down her face to disappear.

The point of the dagger pressed into her cheek, and pierced her skin. Dizziness started blacking her vision.

Keir shifted his gaze to the unwanted tear running down the frightened girl's dirt-covered cheek. As the teardrop touched her ear, he hesitated.

The dagger clattered onto the floor. Keir stood and ran into the night.'


Working as a Soul-Hunter is like Purgatory. It's not Hell...but it's close.

Ava has hunted down countless demons, retrieving souls from them. It's her job - one she signed up for without fully understanding how tiresome and exhausting a life being followed by the constant threat of death would be. 

Now only one things stands between her and her freedom. A final assignment...the retrieval of a Nephilim soul. The key to ending her servitude.

No one has ever beaten her yet and she won't be letting anything get in the way of success now.

Two steps ahead. Two steps back.

Upon pinpointing her target, a Nephilim male by the name of Keir, Ava prepares herself for an easy hunt. An English university campus only has so many places to hide, and sooner or later the perfect chance will arise for her to confront him and retrieve the soul. 

But Keir is much more than he seems. 

Very aware of Ava's true mission, he thwarts her plans to end him time and time again, both amused and angry at her feeble attempts. Ava can't seem to figure out how to deal with an enemy stronger, quicker and sneakier than herself. Time is against her - failure not an option. 

She needs a plan of attack, and soon. Or she can kiss her freedom goodbye...forever.

Friend...or foe?

Days pass, and Keir continues to challenge everything Ava thought she ever knew about Nephilim. Why would Keir fight a demon if demons and Nephilim were allies? Why doesn't he kill her already? His actions confuse her, throwing her off her game. 

Not to mention the irritating feeling that has begun to grow inside of her...something awfully close to attraction.

He is living proof that what she has been told isn't all true. And Ava isn't sure she'd ready to accept that she's been living a lie.

Secrets crawl to the surface.

She didn't expect to fall in love.
She didn't expect to discover the truth.
She didn't expect to question all she knows.

She didn't expect such a difficult choice: her life...or Keir's?

Sacrifices will be made. Hearts will be broken.

Discover a world of vivid emotions and unbreakable ties - Lisa Swallow's compelling narrative will take you on an unforgettable journey, leaving you wanting more.

YA Feisty Female Tourney 2013 ~ WINNER ANNOUNCED!

Through 7 fiery rounds, numerous strong, confident, talented and amazing female characters have battled, supported by their authors, readers and fans. 

The Grand Final saw:
 - Alexandria Andros from Jennifer L Armentrout's Covenant series
 - Maggie Masters from Shelly Crane's Significance series, and
 - Ruby Moore from Skyla Madi's Guardian Angel series
go neck to neck, separated by only a handful of votes. 

I am proud to announce that the winner of the YA Feisty Female Tourney title for 2013 - with 933 votes/49%, is...

MAGGIE MASTERS!

A big congratulations to Maggie, Shelly Crane and those who are fans of Maggie and got her through all seven rounds! This is an amazing achievement :)

A big thank you to Jennifer and Skyla, for their support and for their amazing female characters - as well as to all the other females who didn't make it into the Grand Final, their authors, their fans and a special thanks to my beautiful advocators, who took the time and effort to spread the word about this tourney and rally support for their faves!

I'm looking forward to doing this all again next year...but for now let's hear three cheers for Maggie, the YA Feisty Female for 2013!!

Teaser Tuesday ~ Skyla Madi's DARK WINGS

Brief Synopsis: **Recommended for ages 17+**

I was human once, but than I died, and when I died, I was chosen to become and angel, to protect the Earth and all of its inhabitants.

Violet Ashton is a special kind of angel. She hunts the things that go bump in the night, horrors that you couldn’t dream up even in your worst nightmares. Any creatures, or demons, which manage to escape from the Underworld are tracked down and killed. And Violet’s record is as flawless as they come, ninety-nine kills…and counting.

And it’s her next kill that counts the most. 

Lucas Cross is many things – demon, eye candy, One of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, to name a few. Funnily enough, he also happens to be an ex-angel, as well as Violet’ ex-mentor and ex-lover. 

Which makes Violet’s mission to kill him slightly more complicated. 

Not only did Lucas teach her everything she knows about demons and killing them, making him a fierce opponent, but even the sight of him is enough to draw the breath from her lungs. He looks the same, sounds the same even…but as much as it kills her, Violet knows hat he isn’t the Lucas Cross she knew. 

He’s a demon. 
He’s Death. 
He’s her one-hundredth kill. 

And not even love is enough to stay her hand if it comes down to saving the world…or saving the man she used to love.

Love and hate wage war as both sides – Never Dark realm and Underworld – fight for domination. Violet must decide what she is fighting for, and what she wants, before it’s too late…for everyone.

A gripping tale of love found, lost, and reclaimed, Dark Wings provides readers with an irresistible world of action and raw desire. 

Take flight today and join the fray! (For my FULL review click here)

**TEASER**

'"I know you were in my room last night," she said, her blue eyes narrowing.

I caught by bottom lip between my teeth, fighting against a smile and started the elevator up again. It shook for a moment before continuing its ascent.

"Maybe you were dreaming that I was in your room?" I replied, stepping towards her. "I have that effect on people."

She made no attempt to keep me away as I pressed her hard against the elevator wall. Staying in control was difficult. I could feel the pulse of my blood and the need to be even closer. Subtly, I inhaled the sweet strawberry scent of her shampoo and fought against the urge to comb my fingers through her red locks...or take her in the elevator. The way her chest rose and fell told me that if I were to make a move on her she'd have a hard time not reciprocating. She tried to shove me, but it was hard for her to use any strength from her legs in those heels.

"I wasn't dreaming."

I pressed harder against her just to get under her skin a little more. "Prove it."

Violet exhaled in frustration and pushed the palms of her hands against my chest. "Can you not be so obnoxious for five god damn seconds?"

I curled a lock of red hair around my index finger and took a step back, letting it fall back down to her chest. "Okay, fine.

She folded her arms tightly across her chest. "I was not dreaming."

I smiled. Like a cat that grows tired of a worn piece of string, I no longer felt the need to play with her. "No, you weren't dreaming. I was there."

"Why?"

"That doesn't-"

"Why?" she demanded.

I felt my inner demon rear his head. "Your persistence is getting rather annoying."'

Enjoyed that?! Then grab YOUR copy of DARK WINGS today from Amazon: here

Marriage & Munching ~ Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Review

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
By Seth Grahame-Smith

Rating: 4.8

'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.' 

Brace yourself for the adventure of the century -  full of family strifes, the occasional sparring match and, of course, the complexities of courting and marriage.

Prepare to take a dive into the world of the zombie-slayer Elizabeth Bennet - a world of foul undead, brooding men, a variety of balls and ninjas. 

'Of all the weapons she had commanded, Elizabeth knew the least of love; and of all the weapons in the world, love was the most dangerous.'

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is sure to have you laughing your head off along with the other decapitated undead. 

Quick Picks: Acid by Emma Pass

Acid
By Emma Pass

Rating: 5

'"You thought you'd pick on some poor defenceless girl?"
"I'm - sorry -"
"You will be."'

She's out for revenge.
She's on the run.
She's their worst fear.

She's the key to ACID's destruction.

But as evil as ACID are, they hold the key to Jenna Strong's past...secrets that have been locked away, secrets that could change everything Jenna thinks she knows. In a race against the clock, Jenna must bring down ACID and their hold on her world before it's too late, whilst managing to uncover the truth about why she's being hunted. 

Why she has blood on her hands. And why she is so highly coveted by both sides of a war that threatens to tear society at its seams.

She's Jenna Strong. And she's coming for you.

Dark Wings by Skyla Madi ~ ARC Review

Dark Wings (The Never Dark #1)
By Skyla Madi

Rating: 4.4
*Recommended for ages 17+**

‘They say that is ‘better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.’ 

I call that bullshit.

Some people would argue that the experience of loving and losing a person is worth it. It’s for the experience, they say.

I disagree.

To lose someone you care for immensely is the worst feeling in the world. I’d take kidney stones or a broken arm over the depression and the sharp heartache that follows me around any day.

When you break an arm, you get up and you get it fixed. With a broken heart, you’re stuck with the memories forever.

You carry around the shadows that are left over from losing the one you loved…and they never seem to go away.’

I was human once, but than I died, and when I died, I was chosen to become and angel, to protect the Earth and all of its inhabitants.

Violet Ashton is a special kind of angel. She hunts the things that go bump in the night, horrors that you couldn’t dream up even in your worst nightmares. Any creatures, or demons, which manage to escape from the Underworld are tracked down and killed. And Violet’s record is as flawless as they come, ninety-nine kills…and counting.

And it’s her next kill that counts the most. 

I couldn’t get a proper reading from her eyes, they flickered constantly between various emotions. Love. Hate. Desire. Sadness. If I waited a second longer, it’d probably be death. 

Lucas Cross is many things – demon, eye candy, One of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, to name a few. Funnily enough, he also happens to be an ex-angel, as well as Violet’ ex-mentor and ex-lover. 

Which makes Violet’s mission to kill him slightly more complicated. 

Not only did Lucas teach her everything she knows about demons and killing them, making him a fierce opponent, but even the sight of him is enough to draw the breath from her lungs. He looks the same, sounds the same even…but as much as it kills her, Violet knows hat he isn’t the Lucas Cross she knew. 

He’s a demon. 
He’s Death. 
He’s her one-hundredth kill. 

And not even love is enough to stay her hand if it comes down to saving the world…or saving the man she used to love.

"I’m not going to kill you because I hate you. I’ll kill you because I love you…and I know that it’s what the old you would’ve wanted.”
I ran the back of my hand down the side of her face. “You know nothing of what I want.”

Love and hate wage war as both sides – Never Dark realm and Underworld – fight for domination. Violet must decide what she is fighting for, and what she wants, before it’s too late…for everyone.

A gripping tale of love found, lost, and reclaimed, Dark Wings provides readers with an irresistible world of action and raw desire.

Take flight today and join the fray!

Gossip Girl Meets The Godfather ~ Elite by Rachel Van Dyken

Elite (Eagle Elite #1)
By Rachel Van Dyken

Rating: 5

**Not recommended for readers under the age of 17**


'"I won't let anything happen to you - I swear on my life, I'll protect you until the day I die."
"That's a pretty big promise."
"Well, you're a pretty important person. Important people deserve big promises, and you, Trace. You deserve the world."'

Eagle Elite College....a college for the elite. Certainly, no place for a girl from Wyoming.

Tracey Rooks thought winning a scholarship to Eagle Elite College was the chance of a lifetime. A chance to escape the sorrow of the death of her grandmother and to secure a brighter future for herself. 

But growing up with one's grandparents in a rural environment, Tracey soon discovers, could never prepare one to enter a college such as Eagle Elite. Because as the name suggests, the school - and its students - are the cream of the crop, the elite of society. And they have no time for 'Farm Girls'. To them, people like Tracey have one place in life and that's swiping their credit cards. 

Scholarship or no scholarship, Tracey Rooks doesn't belong. And it's their job to make sure she knows that.

Move over Gossip Girl...there's a new Queen Bee in town. Well, a King Bee, that is.

Nixon and his group of 'minions' rule the school with cold deliberation. As The Elect, it is strictly forbidden for anyone to talk, touch or even look at them, without receiving adequate punishment and humiliation as a consequence. 

And as the New Girl, Tracey's clueless and stubborn approach to Eagle Elite catches Nixon's attention. She doesn't play by the rules. She refuses to be bossed around by some pretty boy who thinks he can rule the school. 

Soon Nixon begins to find her just as intriguing as she is infuriating. Just who does she think she is? What is it about her that causes him to react the way he does around her? 

All's fair in love and war. And this is most definitely both.

Eagle Elite's structure - the way the students are segregated, the cliques, the not-so idle threats from The Elect - start to wear on Tracey, as things go from hostile to just plain weird. Armed personnel accompany The Elect on shopping trips, Nixon's last name is the equivalent of a curse word and Nixon himself is hot and cold, warm and secretive. And it is the secrets that are causing the most damage, as Tracey is left in the dark, forced to try and fit together the pieces on her own.

Something is going on beneath the gorgeous facade of Eagle Elite. And Tracey won't rest until she discovers what it is.

What if your whole life was a lie? And what if love is the biggest lie of all?

Plunge into Rachel Van Dyken's refreshing twist on Romeo & Juliet today, with enough romance, mystery, gun fights and suspense to keep you addicted until the very last page!

By Blood ~ Cover Reveal + Book Blitz

By Blood 

By Tracy E. Banghart 

Series: By Blood #1 

Publication date: February 18th 2013

Genre: YA Paranormal

Synopsis:

For 17-year-old Emma Wong, spending a summer in England should be a dream come true. Gorgeous scenery? Check. Lots of hot guys with accents? Yes, please. 

Throw in an estranged mom, annoying new stepdad, and drooling baby half-brother, and it’s a disaster even her favourite cherry red leather jacket can’t fix. Even worse, there’s (hot) live-in research assistant Josh to contend with. The only thing more embarrassing than   drunk-kissing him hours after they meet? Knowing he’ll be witness to her family’s dysfunction all. summer. long.

But when Emma meets a mysterious girl who happens to be a Druid, her vacation suddenly promises to be far more intriguing than she  anticipated. Powerful rituals, new friends, an intoxicating sense of freedom...and Simon, the sexy foreign stranger she was hoping for. It’s all a perfect distraction from dirty diapers and awkward family dinners.

Trouble is, intriguing doesn’t often mean simple. And Emma is about to discover just how not simple her life really is.

By Blood is a novel about the ways that blood can bind us to others – or tear us apart.

MY REVIEW: here
BY BLOOD GIVEAWAY: here

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

“This time we’ll each invoke the element of nature we want to draw strength from. Each of us will make an offering—” Simon pointed to the empty bowl. I swallowed. “—and then I’ll close the circle by submitting our offering to the universe.”

I didn’t have a clue what he meant by that, but the last ritual had been pretty easy to follow.

He opened the Grove the same way he’d done before, flashing the sword at East, South, West, and North, and invoking each of the four elements. Again, I felt the tingle of the living Earth beneath my feet. The air was much clearer tonight; a gusty breeze rustled through the watchful trees and set Simon’s candle flickering.

Again, Simon said, “Now that we have called on the elements, we may proceed with the work of the Grove.” And Harrison, Simon, George and Molly purified the circle by air, fire, water and earth.

We’d started tonight’s ceremony later, and long shadows played against our faces. Bryna’s hair flamed in the glow of the setting sun. Tonight felt different; there was an edge to the anticipation. Ash wasn’t smiling. But we were all waiting, tensed to see what would happen next.

Simon set the bowl with the votive on the ground and held up the flask and the sword. “I invoke the spirit of flame to infuse this Grove with strength.” His voice was strong. He took a sip from the flask and then walked to the center of the circle. “By my blood,” he said and nicked his palm with the blade.

I watched a thin trickle of blood drip into the bowl. My face felt hot. When Diana and I were ten, we made ourselves blood sisters, pricking our palms with needles and squishing the tiny drops of blood together. That had been fun, silly even. We’d giggled through the whole thing.

This—this felt real. There was real power in the words Simon said, in the drops of his blood in that bowl. I breathed deeply, watching in fascination as Simon resumed his place and handed Ash the flask and sword. She wiped the tip of the blade against her bare leg and took a drink from the flask.

When she spoke, she did it with authority. “I invoke the spirit of all warm living, breathing things to give this Grove strength. By my blood.” A few more drops of cherry red blood fell into the bowl.

“I invoke the spirit of unyielding stone.” George hissed when the sword slid against his skin.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Molly declared, looking askance at the sword. But in the end, she invoked the spirit of spring – rebirth, she said – and made a little cut on her palm with a squeal.

It was my turn next. I felt the weight of the sword in my hand, looked down to see my white dress shimmering in the gloom of twilight. What strength did I want from the earth? What power did I wish I had? As I thought, I stepped to the center of the circle and took a gulp from the flask – the flavor was different this time. Spicy, dark. Like red wine, but sharper. It left a coppery taste, like blood, on my tongue.

Suddenly, I remembered the calm I’d felt Saturday, meditating with Ash. The flow of my breath, inhalation, exhalation like waves. “I invoke the spirit of the sea,” I said, and my voice didn’t shake. “By my blood, I ask the ocean to lend us its strength.”

Quickly, so I didn’t have time to think, I swiped the tip of the sword against my skin. The cut burned, but it was shallow and only a few drops of blood leaked out. I stepped back to my place and passed the flask and sword to Harrison.

“I invoke the spirit of air,” he said, gesturing to the incense in the bowl at his feet. I could smell the sandalwood faintly; it mixed oddly with the spicy dark flavor in my mouth.

Bryna went last, and she cut herself the most deeply. I gasped at the small stream of blood as it flowed into the bowl. She invoked the spirit of thunder.

I pressed my palms together and felt the sting of my cut; it had almost stopped bleeding, but I didn’t want to get blood on my dress.

Walking to the center of the circle, Simon held the blood-filled vessel up to the sky. “By earth, air, water and fire,” he said, his voice ringing, “and by our blood, we invoke the strength of flame, of living, breathing things, of stone, spring, and the sea. We invoke the strength of the very air around us and in our lungs, and we invoke the strength of thunder.”

As he said the words, a great gust of wind blew through the glade, whipping my hair off my face. I could almost feel the earth shift beneath me, almost hear the faint rumble of thunder in the distance. My mouth was full of the taste of blood, and my skin shivered under the touch of the wind.

For a moment, we all stared at each other, our eyes wide.

Did that just—what was that?

PRAISE FOR BY BLOOD

"Emma's sarcastic, biting narrative and the lure of Celtic myth and magic constructs a brilliant book to cosy up with...if you dare!" ~ 21st Century Once Upon a Times blog

“By Blood effortlessly transports you to the cobblestone streets and small pubs of Oxford, and Emma’s sassy voice pulls you right into the story with its hot British boys and touch of magic. A must read!” —Susanne Winnacker, author of Imposter and The Other Life

“A five star read from start to finish. Un-put-downable!” —Vanessa Garbin, author of the forthcoming Captivate

"Love this book! It's a sweet little gem and I am glad that I got to read it! If you are looking for a story that is fun and quick, then I would recommend this book. You will want to know what happens to Emma in the matters of boys, family and adventure!" ~ Sarah, Me My Shelf And I blog

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracy E. Banghart is a cheesy movie–loving, fantasy football–playing (go Ravens!), globe-trotting Army wife who began “practicing” her craft at the age of five, when she wrote her first story. She loves visiting the international friends she met while pursuing her MA in Publishing and spends a portion of every summer at her family’s cabin in Canada, where she finds inspiration and lots of time to relax on the dock. She lives with her husband, son, two lazy dogs and one ornery cat. When not writing or spending time with her family, she is on a mission to bake the perfect cupcake.

Tracy’s next novel, Moon Child, a companion to By Blood, will be available this August!