Book Tour: Kiss of Darkness by Taylor Aston White (Curse of the Guardians, #1)

Kiss of Darkness
Taylor Aston White
(Curse of the Guardians, #1)
Publication date: May 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

He despises her… almost as much as his beast craves her.

Kyra’s seen and survived the worst things imaginable, all because of the magic she was born with. Trapped by her secret, she has no choice but to serve Councilman Gallagher or risk everything she has tried so hard to build. Because despite black magic being banned, her very survival depends on it.

When she’s commanded to summon a Daemon, a Breed notorious for their corruption and brutality, she’s torn between keeping her secret and doing the right thing.

Xander’s hate for black witches was notorious, but nothing frustrated him more than the one witch that brings trouble with a capital T. With dark amber eyes, and a controlled strength that fascinated his beast – the monster he’s cursed to share a soul – Xander will do anything to push her away.

So when he’s forced into protecting her, he must put aside his prejudice and ignore his growing desire that’s an insult to his past.

Because he’s had an entire childhood to remember why you can’t trust black witches.

And he definitely can’t trust Kyra Farzan.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Little girls shouldn’t be here.” A hand struck out, carefully circling her wrist with enough pressure to stop her, but not enough to hurt.

Kyra paused, the coin at the edge of the slot. She looked up, and Xander removed his sunglasses.

“That’s a rude comment,” she said, trying to tug from his grasp.

His mouth twisted, pale eyes narrowed as he released her wrist, only to grip her jaw. He angled her face against the light, her lip stinging when she frowned.

“What are you doing here, Kyra?” His white silver hair, just long enough to cover his unusually dark brows moved across his forehead, partially concealing his expression.

“Minding my own business!” she snapped, but the steel behind her reply lessened when she met his eyes, and flinched. “Don’t touch me.” The words came out quiet, desperate. His eyes had been blue, she was sure of it, yet she could see her own reflection in his irises made from a liquid silver.

His fingers opened, and she stumbled back, breathing heavily. She needed to get out of there before she suffered a full panic attack. Xander was just too much, his gaze too direct as she tried to look anywhere but him.

“Black witch,” he grunted, as if she were tainted.

Which she wasn’t, but she couldn’t explain why he was wrong. He wouldn’t care either way, his opinion on her already set in stone, and had been since they first met. Black witches were seen as evil because of their ability to gain power from death, and while many embraced that sordid side of magic it didn’t mean they were all evil. It did, however, make them illegal.

Ignoring him, or at least trying to as he seemed to press himself closer, always pushing her boundaries, she inserted the Ravyn into the slot, the portal opening with a flash of light. He said nothing as she stepped through, the package hugged tight to her chest, and as soon as the portal closed behind her she released a sigh of relief.

Author Bio:

Taylor Aston White loves to explore mythology and European faerie tales to create her own, modern magic world. She collects crystals, house plants and dark lipstick, and has two young children who like to 'help' with her writing by slamming their hands across the keyboard.

After working several uncreative jobs and one super creative one, she decided to become a full-time author and now spends the majority of her time between her children and writing the weird and wonderful stories that pop into her head.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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Book Review: Monster Inside (Shadow Pact #1) by River Starr

Monster Inside (Shadow Pact #1)
by River Starr
Expected publication: April 21st 2022
Received via Xpresso Book Tours and the author

Sometimes the most enchanting monsters are the ones you can’t see, only feel…

I am a survivor. For the past ten years, I’ve been forced to give every part of me to sinister vampires in a feeding community. But when I touched an ancient book and recited a spell out of sheer desperation and zero arcane knowledge, a dark entity came to me. Rescued me. Mrak helped me escape.

I have no idea what I’ve gotten myself into. But Mrak has been at my side for the last three months—well, inside me, anchored to my existence and lovingly tender with his ethereal touches. It’s not quite possession, not quite a haunting. But it’s real, it’s sexy as hell, and he’s mine. Or I’m his. Either way, we’re now in this life together.

Mrak is distracting, seductive, and powerful, but he’s also keeping a secret. One that’s now put me in immense danger despite his claims he’ll do anything to protect me. Because the cops have come calling. Bodies have turned up. And despite his reassurances, I’m starting to wonder if Mrak has a hidden agenda that he’s somehow kept secret from the inside.

My life might be in my monster’s debt. My body might be his for pleasure. But my future is mine no matter how much he wants and uses my body. I’m no longer the weak woman he saved from a vampire lord, and it’s time to take my body—and my life—back.

Review: 

Not what I was not what I was expecting. From the start you can tell Aisling is a strong young woman. Going through what she has in the feeder community, for the last ten year after being sold into it by her family. Understandably her trust is hard to earn. In desperation she makes a pact with an unknown entity. This leads to the destruction of the community and the freedom of the feeders who were little more than slaves and food. Fast forward and Aisling has made a new life for herself. She has a business and a friend; things are looking up. Until a guy shows up looking for a sword that has a rune on it that will block Mrak and she is attacked, while out at a bar.  

The story is fast paced, a lot of action paired with a bit a mystery. We’re kind of dragged along with Aisling as she learns to trust this entity that has latched itself on to her. I would have liked more building on their relationship see how it developed. We just kinda jump into it and Aisling goes from not really trusting Mrak to I love you, which for me based on Aisling’s wary nature was a bit hard to swallow. That aside the world building was solid. The idea was original and Aisling was easy to empathize with if a bit frustrating. I’m hoping for a bit more character development for both Aisling and Mrak in book two. The plot was a whirl wing and does keep you reading. 

Book Review: The Corpse Princess (Nemesis #1) by Jayce Carter

The Corpse Princess (Nemesis #1)
by Jayce Carter 
Published:  March 15th 2022 by Totally Bound
Received via Goddess Fish Book Tours and the author

Karma is a bitch—but then again, so am I.
Ten years ago, a group of men murdered my mother and thought they had killed me. I’ve spent every day since planning revenge against the man behind the attack—my father. As the head of a powerful crime family, he won’t be an easy target, but nothing matters more than making him pay for what he’s done.
Now, I return in disguise, only to end up on the radar of the Quad—the four most dangerous men in the city…men I’ve been desperately in love with since I was a teen. I have no idea if they were in on the plan to have me killed, but I can’t stop myself from craving their taste, their bodies and their rough, domineering touches. Even though I know the risks, I keep falling deeper into our twisted relationship.
My plan is simple—find and get rid of the people who carried out the attack, kill my father…and don’t fall in love with the men who might have betrayed me.
This world already killed me once—let it try again.

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of murder, attempted murder, and violence. It includes a morally gray heroin

Book Review: I enjoyed the story but the characters kinda fell flat. The plot of this book, captivated me. I found myself routing for Nem wanting to know if she would receive her revenge and how she would deal with the Quad. The author dropped clues at just the right time and strung me along with little teases. 
I loved Nem how she was a bad a** b*tch (excuse the lang) and made no qualms about being one. She was able to bust the Quads erhm you know and give them tit for tat. Yet even with her attitude I found the characters a bit one dimensional. The Quad was overly alpha and possessive which made them a bit cliché. While Nem was this really good character her thirst for revenge kind of stunted her. We see her begin to grow but then regress, it’s a weird yo-yo effect. 
The plot and story of this book is what got me. It’s extremely well done; the writing is top notch. I was pulled into Nem’s world from the first page and just wanted to keep reading. I wanted to know everything. And it’s intense. The intrigue, the action and even the intimacy, it’s all intense. The cliffhanger ending had me searching out book 2 to see when it would be out. 

Book Tour: The Corpse Princess (Nemesis #1) by Jayce Carter

Karma is a bitch—but then again, so am I.

Ten years ago, a group of men murdered my mother and thought they had killed me. I’ve spent every day since planning revenge against the man behind the attack—my father. As the head of a powerful crime family, he won’t be an easy target, but nothing matters more than making him pay for what he’s done.

Now, I return in disguise, only to end up on the radar of the Quad—the four most dangerous men in the city…men I’ve been desperately in love with since I was a teen. I have no idea if they were in on the plan to have me killed, but I can’t stop myself from craving their taste, their bodies and their rough, domineering touches. Even though I know the risks, I keep falling deeper into our twisted relationship.

My plan is simple—find and get rid of the people who carried out the attack, kill my father…and don’t fall in love with the men who might have betrayed me.

This world already killed me once—let it try again.

Read an Excerpt

“Well, damn,” he muttered, the end of his stick tapping against the floor. “Guess I didn’t need to give you a handicap, did I?”

I picked my glass up again, taking another sip, before leaning a hip against the edge of the pool table. “I might have let you play if you hadn’t called me sugar.”

“That name sure doesn’t fit you, does it? Not so sweet.”

“I don’t know about that.” A new voice stopped me in my tracks, made me hang my drink in the air a breath before the edge touched my lip.

It can’t be…

“I had this coffee drink one time called The Desert Dog, and it had a mix of brown sugar and cayenne pepper—sweet as hell but with a kick. What I learned was that cowards need sugar without the spice—for the rest of us, we’re just fine with a bit of heat,” the new man finished, his lips pulled into a smile that twisted my stomach.

I pressed the glass to my lips and sipped my whiskey as a way to hide my reaction while I stared at Dane, who looked so much the same even after ten years. His hair was still short and messy, and he had that five-o’clock shadow that always made him appear disheveled.

And his silver tongue was every bit as talented, if his little pick-up line said anything.

About the Author:

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:

Buy link: https://amazon.com/Corpse-Princess-Nemesis-Jayce-Carter-ebook/dp/B09QZCSBRQ/ref=sr_1_1
Website: https://www.jaycecarter.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jayce-Carter/e/B07Y4T7CHH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaycecarterauthor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JayceCarterAuthor

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jayce Carter will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Book Review: A Ruin of Roses (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #1) by K.F. Breene

A Ruin of Roses
(Deliciously Dark Fairytales #1)
by K.F. Breene
Published October 8th 2021
Received from Kindle Unlimited

I could save him, but he would ruin me.
The beast.
The creature that stalks the forbidden wood.
The dragon prince.
He has suffered a fate worse than death. We all have. A curse put upon us by the mad king.
We are a kingdom locked in time. Shifters unable to feel our animals. Stuck here by a deal between the late king and a demon who seeks our destruction.
The only one keeping this kingdom alive is Nyfain, the golden prince to a stolen throne. The last dragon shifter.
He’s our hope.
He’s my nightmare.
When he catches me trespassing in the forbidden wood, he doesn’t punish me with death, as he’s entitled.
He takes me, instead. Forces me back to the castle as his prisoner. Seeks to use me.
Apparently, I can save him. I can save the whole forgotten kingdom, locked away by the demon king’s power.
But it would mean taming the monster beneath his skin. It would mean giving myself to him.
It would mean my ruin.

Book Review:  I saw this book on a couple different blogs and was taken by the cover. The blurb drew me in, but I did not expect how actually spicy this book was going to get. Seriously get yourself a glass of ice water and some pearls to clutch. 

I was immediately pulled in by Finley and her plight. I thought she was an amazing character, strong yet still vulnerable. She had her flaws and new it, yet didn't let them bring her down. Nyfain was your typical strong, broody, alpha, but I kinda find that hot so. I found the characterization of all the... well characters to be well done and through. I became invested in the story, wanting to know more about them and what was happening to them. 

The plot carried me along and the world building was outstanding. This was one of those books that I couldn't put down and couldn't wait to pick back up. I also found it interesting the myriad of ways the main characters got down with out actually doing the deed. The sexual tension between Finley and Nyfain was like a raw nerve pulsing and ebbing. All the while Finley was growing and expanding her knowledge becoming more. The biggest and only disappointment for me in this book was the cliffhanger ending. At the time of my writing this I have already downloaded the next book in the series and look forward to getting to read it.