New Releases in #SFR and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday August 30

hieraxLots of New Release goodness this week!

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

HIERAX: STAR GUARDIANS BOOK 4 by Ruby Lionsdrake

VS Note: I’ve been waiting for this one! Oh yes….

As a database programmer from Arizona and a fan of sedate, indoor activities, Indi Smith doesn’t belong in outer space. Certainly not in a star system with a broken wormhole gate and no way home. But through no fault of her own, that’s where she’s landed, and nobody on the ship, not even the genius chief engineer Hierax, knows how to repair the gate. The only clue that could help is an untranslatable transmission coming from an uninhabitable planet with no atmosphere.

Though she’s a fish out of water, Indi is determined to use her knack for analysis and recognizing patterns to decode the transmission and help Hierax fix the gate, whether he wants the assistance of some civilian woman or not. She refuses to die in the middle of nowhere, even if it means she has to prove her worth to an arrogant, know-it-all engineer. She’s had experience dealing with geeks, albeit not ones with such big, sexy muscles, but that doesn’t mean working with him will be easy.

Chief Hierax is used to being in charge of all things mechanical, and he’s used to being the smartest person on the ship. Few of his burly Star Guardian colleagues were recruited for their brains. So when Indi shows up with a clever way of looking at the alien transmission, one he hadn’t thought of, he’s not sure what to make of it—or her.

His focus should be on fixing the gate, but he finds himself speculating about romantic endeavors. Would she be interested in seeing his hobby projects or maybe his favorite tools? It’s hard to tell. He has a hard time understanding women—and people in general, for that matter—so charming her may be tougher than finding a way home.

Amazon

last ship off polaris gLAST SHIP OFF POLARIS-G (A CENTRAL GALACTIC CONCORDANCE NOVELLA) by Carol Van Natta

VS Note: And I’ve been waiting for THIS one. Yup, the book budget is taking a hit today LOL.

A bureaucrat and an interstellar trader must overcome treachery and their broken past to save the last inhabitants of a dying planet. Frontier planet Polaris-Gamma is dying, afflicted by a suspiciously-timed blight that destroys all crops. Worse, the whole system is now under military quarantine by the Central Galactic Concordance to prevent the catastrophic blight from spreading. The settlers must escape—or perish.

Caught behind the blockade, independent trader Gavril Danilovich finds his interstellar trading ship commandeered in the desperate plan to escape. He tells himself that’s the only reason he stays, and not because he’s worried about the woman he walked out on two years ago—who still lives on Pol-G.

Government supply depot manager Anitra Helden races to gather the last of Pol-G’s assets. Her plan to launch a mothballed freighter off Pol-G may be crazy—but it can work, if she can talk Gavril into helping. Their precious cargo? Four thousand stranded colonists.

Can Anitra and Gavril, and their ragtag crew get past the deadly military blockade?

Amazon     iBooks

duration of stayDURATION OF STAY (THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMEWORLD SECURITY BOOK 6) by Cassandra Chandler

Zemanni has been called many things—shapeshifter, bounty hunter, assassin, Gray. But since being ripped apart by an angry Lyrian and barely managing to piece himself back together, the only word he can think of is “trapped”. Trapped in the form of Eric Peterson, and saddled with the biological needs and urges of a human—urges that center around the aggressively helpful woman giving him shelter.

Brooke knows her unhealthy need to rescue people is reaching a new level when she takes the wounded alien she finds hiding in her car back to her apartment. He’s gorgeous and rude and has glowing streaks of silver all over his body—a body he doesn’t seem to know what to do with. But she has some ideas…

Keeping him safe—primarily from himself—leads to the most intense “close encounters” either has ever had. Add in coffee and video games, and Zemanni starts to think Earth might be the perfect place to retire. If only he can convince his many enemies that he’s truly out of the game.

Amazon

viciousVICIOUS (HAUNTED STARS BOOK 2) by Lindsey R Loucks

Absidy Jones, a fugitive ghost magnet on the run for two murders she didn’t commit, desperately needs to warn the human race. The Saelis aliens are coming to finish a two-hundred-year-old war and decimate the rest of humanity.

No small feat for Absidy, especially since she and her spaceship’s crew are stuck in deep space.

Pasts collide on the once-haunted ship she now calls home, leaving the crew stranded with no outside communication. Murder, secrets, and betrayal lurk around every corner, more vicious than anyone thought possible.

Startling discoveries force Absidy to risk the lives of those she loves to save all humans, even as her special ghostly gift seems to be…evolving.

Amazon

blind fateBLIND FATE (VEREDIAN CHRONICLES BOOK 2) by Regine Abel

Born in a breeding compound, Valena has never known a day of freedom. As a child, her master burned her retinas to prevent her from mind-controlling those who meet her gaze. But she still controls people’s thoughts with a touch. Sold to the Xelix Prime Blood Houses, she is forced to use her ability to keep the other slaves compliant. When Fate places a powerful Counselor in her path, she plots and schemes to use him to escape, until her feelings for him complicate matters.

As her master’s plans take on a darker turn, lies, betrayal, and tragedy threaten any hope she ever held of a better future.

Amazon

thrallTHRALL (DERIDA BOOK 3) by Catherine Miller

VS Note: Recommended by Reader Barbara T

Ness had always tried to do as the masters told her, tried to fulfil her expected purpose within the time allowed. She was a thrall and nothing more. Every pain was a lesson, every hurt was for her betterment. And someday, perhaps, she could earn honour enough to serve the Narada in a household.

But when the masters tire of her repeated failures to produce the allotment required of her, she is chosen, not for the death she expects, but to serve as payment to a people she has never seen, whose ways are strange and utterly impossible for her to accept.

Taken in by a man who claims that he is not her new master, she is troubled when he does not comprehend the defective nature of the thrall he has been given, and how unworthy she is to be in his service.

And, perhaps even more concerning, his persistent belief that she is no slave at all.

Amazon

gundarGUNDAR (MATE THE STARS BOOK 1) by Loretta Johns

The Mylos came for genetic trade, offering a chance for the women of Earth to meet and marry their perfect other half as well as advances in technology and education for all. Darla Levin isn’t looking for a husband. She is, however, looking for money for college. Falling short of her needs using financial aid, she decides to take a gamble and apply for the Bride Registry Scholarship.It seems simple. You don’t get matched unless you’re a perfect genetic and psychological fit, and for the scholarship, the pool is limited to Mylos currently in orbit. Matches are so rare, she’s never known anyone who has known anyone else who has been matched. After her best friend Angie registers and received her scholarship funds immediately, Darla takes the plunge. Only the unthinkable happens, and she finds she is now the mate to Gundar, the Commander of the Bride Fleet itself.

Amazon

deaconDEACON (GIDEON’S RIDERS BOOK 2) by Kit Rocha

Ana has trained most of her life to achieve one goal: to prove that anything men can do, she can do better. Now she’s Sector One’s first female Rider, and being the best is the only way to ensure she won’t be its last. Distractions aren’t allowed–especially not her painful attraction to the reserved but demanding leader whose stern, grumpy demeanor has already gotten into her head.

Deacon has spent the last twenty years trying to atone for his past, but the blood he spilled as a mercenary and assassin will never wash away entirely. If his riders knew the extent of his sins, he’d lose their trust and respect. It’s easier to keep them all at arm’s length, especially Ana. But his newest recruit’s stubbornness is starting to crack his defenses.

And their sparring matches are driving him wild.

The passion sparking between them can’t be denied, but neither can the vengeance barreling toward Deacon. When his old squad comes back to punish him for his betrayal, Ana and the Riders are squarely in the line of fire. The only way to save his people may be to make the ultimate sacrifice.

But first, he has to convince Ana not to follow him straight into hell.

Amazon     iBooks

mercenaryTHE MERCENARY (THE WAR CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by Petra  Landon

In a distant corner of the galaxy, Quadrant Five burns in the flames of a deadly war. The Budheya people are one of the worst affected.

Saakshi: Imprisoned by the Ketaari Imperial Forces, a young Budheya rebel is sent to a distant space station to work in an alehouse. For a girl who has known only hardship in her short life, things could be worse. Until an old foe walks into the alehouse.

Zoran: Zoran is Hadari’Kor – notoriously fierce mercenaries who only fight for hire. Drawn to a weary-eyed server girl, Zoran is forced to confront age-old traditions and question his role in the war.

Alone, friendless and far from home, Saakshi makes a desperate gamble to trust an enigmatic stranger whose hot gaze haunts her dreams. ..(more)…

Amazon

in the shadowsIN THE SHADOWS (METAHUMAN FILES BOOK 3) by Hailey Turner

Staff Sergeant Alexei Dvorkin doesn’t trust easily, and he most certainly doesn’t trust spies. He’ll work with them if ordered to, but that doesn’t mean he has to like it. Except Agent Sean Delaney is proving to be the exception to the rule. There’s something about Sean that gets under Alexei’s skin and won’t let go. Alexei would be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in what lay beneath the agent’s mask. When they’re assigned together for a mission, Alexei vows to keep Sean safe all while trying to coax the hot agent into his bed.

Hold onto hope.

Agent Sean Delaney has spent his entire adult life living a lie for his country. When the MDF tasks him with finding evidence of criminal wrong-doing against the owner of a private military company, Sean knows exactly how to play the game to get what he wants. He just doesn’t know how to handle Alexei’s advances, nor his own attraction to the younger soldier. Being a spy is lonely work, and Sean knows he should keep his distance, but saying no to Alexei is impossible from the moment they first kiss.

In a world of lies, the truth can be deadly.

When the mission takes a turn for the worse, the only thing left to do is run. In the wake of betrayal, and in the path of danger, can their fragile trust survive the battle?

Amazon

change of sceneryA CHANGE OF SCENERY  by Debra Parmley

Belly dancer Clarrisa Heat is headed from Memphis to the Caribbean for a vacation after a horrible divorce. A change of scenery is just what she needs to forget her troubles. At the Atlanta shuttle station she’s handed a letter, which states she cannot board the Zuilund Super Shuttle until she receives a Sendot injection, a new drug that claims to prevent a new deadly gastrointestinal illness. She stops in a shuttle lounge on her way to check in and gets locked inside the wrecked deserted room with no one to hear her calling and no cell phone service.

Navy SEAL Warren West finds Clarissa locked in the lounge. Soon they’re on the run because she missed her injection and shuttle, which lands her on the militia’s watch list. The heirloom herbs she grows in her bedroom will mark her a terrorist on Benjamin Innovative Genetics Corporation’s most wanted list if they’re discovered.

Amazon     iBooks

The_Shift_of_the_Tide_Jeffe_KennedyTHE SHIFT OF THE TIDE (UNCHARTED REALMS BOOK 3) BY Jeffe Kennedy

VS Note: I LOVED this book. I’ve been a big fan of her Twelve Kingdoms series and the Uncharted Realms series, which has continued the story..I relished the heroine’s growth in this book and wow, I really loved the hero….PAGES OF THE MIND, which just won the RWA RITA, is still my favorite but this one is a very close second. Interviewed Jeffe this week for USA Today/HEA  and did receive an ARC.

Free from the hand of a tyrant, the Twelve Kingdoms have thrown all that touch them into chaos. New allies appear–and enemies encroach–from all sides. To survive, they must adapt to this new reality without a moment of doubt…

Growing up in a country where magic was common as dust, Zynda never had to worry about her enchantments upsetting the balance of nature. But the land beyond the borders of the thirteenth kingdom calls to her. It may be foreign and ugly, but the strangeness is laced with an excitement she has never known. Outside her homeland, Zynda’s shapeshifting and sorcery are a potent advantage to nations grasping for dominance–and the thrill of power lures her even as she recognizes the threat she poses to these magic-buffeted realms.

A ruthless enemy stalks them, promising destruction if she does not fight with all her strength–but if she upsets the equilibrium of the land, all will pay, the common people most of all. And a man of this outside world fascinates her, a mossback with no scrap of magic in him. He knows nothing of the fears and temptations pulling at her. But in his steady embrace she learns she must choose well–for the consequences may reach farther than she ever imagined.

Amazon     iBooks

mating biteMATING BITE by Cynthia Eden

Werewolf Carter Sinclair is on the hunt. He’s tracking a newly turned vamp, a beauty with bite named Lauren McIntosh. Hunting her is the easy part. After all, no one can hide from a wolf. But once Carter gets the vamp in his arms, his easy mission suddenly goes straight to hell.

One taste, one bite that should never have happened…and Carter is hooked—mind, body, soul. Nature has plans for him and Lauren. They’re to be mates, but there is a vicious vamp waiting in the dark—a killer who has already claimed Lauren as his.

Now Carter has a new mission—keep Lauren safe at all costs. Make her fall for him. And hide all of the very dark and dangerous secrets that fill his closet.(more…

Amazon

creedCREED (VLG BOOK 8) by Laurann Dohner

Angel was whisked away from a life of abuse as a child when a guardian angel flew her in his arms and gave her to a Lycan couple to raise and love as their own. It was inevitable that she developed feelings for her elusive savior, the GarLycan who protects her pack. As she matured, those feelings deepened to something more once after spending time with him, only to be rebuffed by her hero. Dejected, Angel left the pack, moving away to distance herself from the pain. Now, years later, her mother has called her home. Their pack guardian is in need…

Creed is emotionally distant and cold. He’s had to become that way to survive his harsh life. His one weakness is Angel. She deserves a happy life, something that he can’t give her. He was born into servitude and isn’t allowed to take a mate. But, every thirty years he goes into one night of heat. The ravage is upon him, and Angel is determined to be there for him. He’ll take her to his lair, chain her down, and finally be able to touch her…

Creed and Angel soon discover their one night of bliss has dangerous consequences.

Amazon     iBooks

predator of the pinesPREDATOR OF THE PINES (SUBWOOFERS BOOK 4) by Linda Mooney

Alligator, Bear, Cougar, Deer, Eagle
They found each other by accident. They became a team for life.

While preparing for a hurricane that’s heading straight for the Bag It and Tag It lodge, William “Brew” Estes makes a last-minute run to grab supplies. While there, he heads off a robbery and saves the day…all in a day’s work for the former Marine.

Celeste Hart is exactly where she never wanted to be. When the robbery goes wrong, she knows this could be her only chance to get away. She runs, despite the storm that’s on the way, knowing that if they catch her again, they could break her this time.

The moment Brew laid eyes on the blonde, he knew something was up. Later, when he sees her walking down the road, he can’t leave her without cover, so he offers her a place to stay, if only through the storm. But neither can deny the connection they feel for one another.

When the truth comes out, will Brew and his partners turn her in to the police for her part in the robbery? Or will they help her escape the grasps of her stepbrother and his cronies?

Amazon     iBooks

budBUD (ROLLING THUNDER MOTORCYCLE CLUB BOOK 10) by Candace Blevins

VS Note: Paranormal…he’s a werewolf.

Nickie’s an investigative journalist who recently faced some of the worst men she’s ever confronted — which would’ve been fine if the FBI hadn’t lost them when she’d practically handed them over on a silver platter.

She vacations in Cancun to get away from the horrors she saw while probing into the human trafficking organization, and doesn’t expect they’ll be able to find her while she travels under another of her pen names.

Bud is in Mexico on club business, staying in a Cancun resort dressed as an American businessman. He meets the beautiful Nicole and gets caught up protecting her when he discovers she’s all alone in Mexico with human traffickers after her. ..(more)…

Amazon     iBooks

ranger montana ashRANGER by Montana Ash

After a miserable childhood, Lark has finally found the family he always wanted. There isn’t much he wouldn’t do for his new liege, Max, including undertaking a secret and dangerous mission to save the most hated creatures in their society – the chades. He only wishes his partner wasn’t a lethal, stoic ranger with a mouth he yearned to make smile.

Ivy is a ranger. She is judge, jury, and executioner to any who break the strict laws of their world. So, how has she become the trusted operative of a legitimate goddess who wants her to save the chades instead of beheading them? To make matters worse, she is partnered with a fresh-faced earth paladin with green eyes, a body that won’t quit, and a perky attitude in direct opposition to her hostile one.

But as their mission evolves, Lark and Ivy discover pieces of a convoluted and terrible plot buried within the very foundations of their society. The secrets they uncover run deeper and are deadlier than any of them could have imagined. In order to save the chades and prevent a civil war, the two must reconcile their differences … and their hearts.

Amazon     iBooks

master sharks mateTHE MASTER SHARK’S MATE by Zoe Chant

VS Note: I loved the blurb. On my TBR list.

Hated and mistrusted. Feared and misunderstood. For decades, the Master Shark has protected the underwater city of Atlantis. Now, his Empress has set him his most difficult mission yet:

A relaxing beach vacation.

Coyote shifter Martha Hernandez doesn’t want to take a vacation. She doesn’t want to sit around in some fancy all-shifter resort when her pack could be getting up to who-knows-what mischief in her absence. And she definitely doesn’t want to bang this mysterious scarred, silent stranger like a screen door in a hurricane.

Nope nope nope. No matter that he’s her one true mate. She’s a respectable widow with no call to be having such fool notions at her time of life. What would her family think?

But he is the Master Shark. And he has never failed in the hunt. He’ll capture his mate’s heart… even if it means learning to salsa.

Amazon

bring the heatBRING THE HEAT (DRAGON KIN) by G A Aiken

HE SAYS . . .I, Aidan the Divine, am, well divine. My name was given to me by the Dragon Queen herself! I’m a delight! Cheerful. Charming. And a mighty warrior who is extremely handsome with a very large and well-hidden hoard of gold. I am also royal born, despite the fact that most in my family are horrendous beings that don’t deserve to live. And yet, Branwen the Awful—a low-born, no less—either tells me to shut up or, worse, ignores me completely.

SHE SAYS . . .
I’ll admit, I ignore Aidan the Divine because it annoys him. A lot. But, we have so much to do right now, I can’t worry about why he keeps staring at me, or why he always sits so close, or why he keeps looking at me like he’s thinking about kissing me. We have our nations to save…(more)…

Amazon      iBooks

fury of shadowsFURY OF SHADOWS (DRAGONFURY SERIES SCOTLAND #2) by Coreene Callahan

Commander of the Scottish pack, dragon warrior Cyprus harbors a terrible secret. A brutal truth he has long kept hidden. But when a powerful foe resurfaces, he steps from the shadows and returns to the hunt, vowing to protect his pack along with the woman his enemy seeks to use against him.

Brilliant, broke, and working two jobs, book conservator Elise Woodward has always struggled to make ends meet. When she lands the middle of a secret war, she becomes the target of a rogue pack of Dragonkind and the unwitting guest of a warrior who refuses to let her go—and despite the danger, makes her want to stay.

With the rise of a new enemy, Cyprus is forced to face his demons. But will defeating them be enough? Or will the past return to haunt him, taking the only woman he will ever love?

Amazon

tempestTEMPEST (WARRIORS OF THE WIND BOOK 1) by Anna Hackett

VS Note: Yes, this is a re-release, which I don’t usually cover but I love Anna H books. From July.

One of five brothers granted the power of the wind, Lorenzo Venti is Keeper of the Winds. A loner at heart, he’s fine that his duty to keep the evil Tempest Winds trapped on their island prison, keeps him isolated and alone. After seeing his father murdered by the Winds, he’s made an oath to keep them locked away. Besides, he prefers his work with his horses to annoying people anyway. But his powerful foes are rising, and when one infuriating, tempting woman arrives on his island, she threatens everything…

Bright, vivacious horse trainer Riley Donovan is drawn to big, brooding loner Lorenzo, and she’s planning to chase down the stubborn man once and for all. ..(more…

Amazon

louisiana lagniappeLOUISIANA LAGNIAPPE (THE BIG UNEASY)  by Pauline Baird jones

VS Note: Also not SFR. but a murder mystery by an SFR author I really enjoy. PBJ captures the feel of New Orleans…

Becca Smith Poole should have known her forty-fifth high school reunion would be anything but normal – especially when a dead body turns up! Renowned for her problem-solving skills, Becca is determined to discover who the murderer is – and if her former high school crush is still as handsome as he was in their younger days. The first will take some time to solve, the second one took her breath away.

Retired detective Zach Baker has been lonely since the last of his Baker’s dozen moved out. When he sees Becca Smith’s picture in the “where are they now” brochure, he wonders if this might be a first chance for him with the gal he could never connect with in high school. But before he can ask her out, a murder breaks up the party.

Lucky for him, his son’s upcoming wedding is full of problems requiring Becca’s professional problem-solving touch. Can a retired cop and a mystery reading problem solver unmask a killer before the wedding? Even more challenging, can Zach convince Becca that there is no end date for falling in love?

Amazon     iBooks

LAST BUT NOT LEAST A COUPLE OF AMAZING SALES EVENTS FOR YOU! SE SMITH IS PUTTING ALL HER BOOKS ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME at all major eBook sellers…

SE Smith Mega Sale FB Header 1

StarCruiseOutbreak-FJM_ARE_200x300AND I HAVE A BOOK ON SALE FOR $.99! STAR CRUISE: OUTBREAK.   Apple iBooks   Amazon     Kobo      Barnes & Noble

 

IT’S ALSO IN THIS TWO DAY SALE EVENT with 99 other terrific books FROM PATTY JANSEN (see banner below).

patty jansen promo sept 2017

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

August 23

August 16

August 9

August 2

July 26

July 19

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

Not the Cause of the Problem Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedHere’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

The snippet is from Two Against the Stars (story below the excerpt), my latest release.  Continuing on from last week where Carialle tries to help her elderly landlady. Edited slightly from the published version to fit into our rules here.

“My late husband planted this tree when we moved in here, all those years ago.” Mrs. Galaganos sighed, “He was such a romantic—he carved our names into the trunk, with a heart, in honor of our love. This tree is my last link to him—he died a year ago. I’ll be devastated if it dies too – I feel close to him when I’m out here gardening in the shade of the tree,” Her voice quavered and Carialle feared the elderly lady was on the verge of tears.

She peered more closely at the inscription and could barely make out two names and several slashes resembling a date. The carving was old and clearly not the cause of the tree’s current health problem.  “Bugs, living deep within the trunk, feasting on the rising sap.”

“How—how can you tell?”

“I know a lot about plants – I’ve studied them,” Carialle improvised. The tree was attempting to tell her what course of action might help it fight off the infestation.

Next week I’ll continue with this scene..

twoThe story:

Empathic priestess Carialle has escaped the evil Amarotu Combine, but she’s hardly out of danger. Not when she risks everything to rescue a drugged man from a crooked veterans’ clinic. By lulling the clinic staff to sleep, she reveals her powers. And once again, criminals are after her and her rescuer.

Marcus Valerian, a wounded Special Forces veteran, never expected to have his life threatened by the clinic that’s supposed to help ex-soldiers like him. But when he wakes from a drugged state to find a lovely woman urging him to run–he does. In his family’s remote fishing cabin, he suffers the agony of withdrawal, soothed only by her powers.

In their idyllic hideaway, the two also discover a nova-hot attraction flaring. But can they stay alive long enough for it to become more? Not if the Combine has anything to say–they are not giving up until Marcus is dead and Carialle is their weapon

Buy Links:

Amazon     iBooks     Barnes & Noble  Kobo  

3 empath covers canva

Sharing My #1linewed #SciFiFri and #bookqw Fun

canva memes hashtagI’m having fun each week doing the special book-related hashtags over on twitter, and I’ve shared them on my Facebook author page, so I thought I’d try doing a weekly post on Fridays to give them a signal boost here as well. I only do three and I’m guessing there must be a ton more, but a person can only do so much in between writing the books from which the pithy quotes are to be drawn LOL!

The #1linewed is the strictest – no book cover, buy links or other info is supposed to be posted with your sentence. This one is run by the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Kiss of Death chapter, who pick the word of the week. This past week the word was ‘dance’ and here was mine:

“Do your people dance to this beautiful music?”

Author Mindy Klasky created #BookQW (Book Quote Wednesday) and she picks the word there. This week’s was ‘fast’.

bookqw AUG23 fast canva

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And then there’s #SciFiFri, which I LOVE. Two weeks ago the word was ‘ooze’, last week it was ‘prisoner’, and today it was ‘martial arts’ so since I’m a blasters and pulse rifles kinda gal, I took my entry from a plain old fight scene. I’ll share all three since I’m in catching up mode here! They’re in oldest to newest order (so today’s is last.)

This was the best I could do for anything remotely ‘ooze-y’:

canva scififri ooze

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scififri prisoner canva

 

canva martial arts

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Can you tell I like playing with memes and pictures and backgrounds on Canva when I should be writing? Fun stuff though.

How about you? Any fun hashtags you ‘play’ each week?

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday August 23

barrenAs always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

THE BARREN (KELDERAN RUNIC WARRIORS BOOK 2) by Jessie Donovan

VS Note: I enjoyed the first book in the series and have been looking forward to this one. Pre-ordered it. Releases on the 24th.

Vala Yarlen is one of the Barren—an infertile female ostracized from the rest of Kelderan society with others of her kind. So when she’s given the opportunity to join the new colony on a human-occupied planet, she jumps at the chance for a fresh start. The only downside is that she has to serve General Thorin Jarrell for the duration of the journey. The cool, distant male goes out of his way to show his disdain of her. But for the chance at freedom, Vala endeavors to endure.

Thorin Jarrell is the general in command of the Kelderan colony transport ship. After years of concealing his true parentage and working his way through the ranks of the army, Thorin will do anything to make his mission a success. What he didn’t count on was to find the female assigned to clean his quarters unconscious on the floor. The reason why throws his life into disarray.

Yet as Thorin tries to help Vala recover, the ship encounters trouble. Will they ever reach Jasvar alive? And if so, will Thorin and Vala find a way to be together despite the mountain of obstacles standing in their way?

Amazon     iBooks

commanders mateFARSEEK – COMMANDER’S MATE (FARSEEK MERCENARY SERIES) by Clarissa Lake

VS Note: Sounds GOOD. On my TBR List.

While they were fighting the Consortium’s war against the Sargus Empire far from their home world, the Sargus Empire attacked Farseek, leaving mass destruction in its wake. Only about a dozen survivors remained to tell what happened—a dozen of over a million. Those who weren’t killed were taken to become slaves of the Empire. As the story opens, Commander General Zared Maktu has found the piles of wreckage that is all that’s left of his family’s neighborhood.

Nothing the Consortium has to offer can compensate what was lost. Time for the company of Farseek Dreadnought One to make a new plan. They must find those who were taken alive and bring them home. After terminating their contract with the Consortium, they take a job to rescue a governor’s daughter stolen to be sold into slavery.

Commander Maktu doesn’t just rescue the Governor’s daughter and her companion. He and his company take all the 100 abductees from the auction house. Only two are from Farseek, but there are four unusual females from a planet called Earth—and one of them is his fated mate Harper Avery. Things heat up from there.

Amazon

kiss across worldsKISS ACROSS WORLDS (KISS ACROSS TIME BOOK 7) by Tracey Cooper-Posey

VS note: I’m a huge fan of Tracey’s books!

To save Veris’ and Brody’s son Aran from sex traffickers, Neven Zoric must step into the life of his alter ego in this timeline.  Kristijan Zoric is a hardened crime boss Neven doesn’t understand.  Worse, Neven must fool Kristjan’s lethal, ruthless lieutenant, Remi De Sauveterre, a vampire who survived the French Revolution and now gives no quarter.

Then Kristjan’s estranged, bitter wife arrives in Serbia.  London McCallum wants nothing but her freedom from the vile tyrant that rules her life–except he’s not as hateful as she remembers.

Amazon     iBooks     Author’s Universal Links

destiny foundDESTINY FOUND  by Beth Valentine

Earth has been dying for years, but it has reached a critical point and they are running out of time. They now have the task of looking for a new home for Earth.

When Natalie White signed up to become a pilot with the Intergalactic Forces, a specialized branch of the Armed Forces, she never thought she’d be volunteering for a solo mission into space. But after the death of her family a year prior, that’s exactly what she does. She is tasked with searching for a new home for all humanity.
But no one expected there to be an anomaly that would lead to an inhabited galaxy.

Taavi Larn, Captain of the Elite Warriors of Tarlon, doesn’t need anything to distract him from fighting his peoples’ enemies, the Nezleans, so when he boards their ship, he’s surprised to find….(more…)

Amazon

taming the cyborgTAMING THE CYBORG by Anne Kane

Although he doesn’t understand why his brother chose to bond with a human female, Noah agrees to be the official cyborg witness at the birth of the cyborg/human couple’s first son. When he arrives on the human space station, he finds himself face to face with a female pilot, an unheard of occupation for a female on the cyborg home world of Terras Five. Hailey’s cute, she’s sassy, she’s sexy and she doesn’t automatically defer to him just because he’s male. Noah finds that combination irresistible.

After a night of amazing sex, Hailey heads off on a reconnaissance mission with her squadron, and Noah arranges to spend a little more time in the human world to get the sassy redhead out of his system. But when her ship goes missing, it’s up to Noah to use all the tricks of his cyborg heritage to track her down and rescue her.

Amazon     iBooks

kiss my asteroidKISS MY ASTEROID by Milly Taiden

Ivy Grimaldi can’t stand change. Ever. But change is something she’s had to deal with a lot lately. Like when her cousin Cassandra moved away to start a new life, baby and all. That all changes when Gerri Wilder shows up at her door with a letter from her cousin. Cassie wants her to come visit. Sure, why not? There’s just one problem. Cassie lives on another planet. A far-the-heck-away planet, with her hotter than hell shifter mate.

Vander Kasval, King of the shifter warrior planet Galaxa, has his own problems with change. A lead by example kind of a king, he’s between a rock and a hard place. He needs to find a mate to help put an end to a brewing civil war. None of this would be happening if not for a plague affecting only the females of his planet. His warriors and the men of the Palladian Capitol are ready to riot. Vander reluctantly agrees to send for matchmaker, Gerri Wilder. If she can find a match for him and his men, then his world might be saved.

Ivy agrees to go, if only to make sure Cassie’s okay. Oh, alright, and to maybe find an intergalactic hookup for herself in the process. In a planet full of big, bad, sexy shifters, anything’s possible, right? Ivy’s in for the time of her life in a planet of unimaginable beauty and dangers she had no idea existed. But Ivy isn’t one to sit idly by and let something happen. With two new friends, they’re about to take Galaxa by storm.

Amazon

dominion risingDOMINION RISING  by Various

VS Note: Actually released August 8th, wasn’t sure how much romance in the 23 stories but apparently some!

Whether it’s alien invasion or dark fairytales, heart-pounding galactic adventures or cyberpunk romance, Dominion Rising will satisfy with a thrilling mix of 23 BRAND NEW novels set in fantastical realms. Sword and sorcery, far-flung galactic empires, alternative history, epic magic, slipstream futures: this collection of carefully selected, exclusive novels is sure to please and delight readers of speculative fiction.

Over five thousand pages packed with aliens, faeries, vampires, gargoyles, warriors, telepaths, space pirates, starship captains, hapless mercenaries, street urchins, robots, cyber-enhanced humans, badass heroines, and lost princesses.

Amazon     iBooks

men of the northTHE RULER (MEN OF THE NORTH BOOK 2) by Elin Peer

Four hundred years in the future, women control the world but Khan Aurelius, ruler of the last free men, is determined to take back the power that has been denied men for centuries. Outnumbered by far, he knows that women need to give up their power willingly and with one of their councilwomen as a hostage, he’s certain he can influence her with his superior male intellect. She is justa soft woman, after all.

Councilwoman Pearl has sacrificed herself to save an innocent priestess. Trapped in the Northlands, her soft voice and sugar-coated view of the world doesn’t impress Khan, who constantly challenges her by playing his mind games to corrupt her and see things his way. It’s a battle of words and wills when the two intelligent rulers clash. Will Pearl succeed in bringing enlightenment and democracy to the primitive Nmen or will Khan corrupt her with his charm first?

Amazon

diplomacy of loveDIPLOMACY OF LOVE by C J Scarlett

Remi is an alien ruler, looking for a mate to marry. Audrey is a young human girl, ready to finally find the one that she wants. When the two of them meet, at first, they gravitate towards one another for diplomatic reasons, but as Remi goes through and meets other girls, he knows that Audrey is for him.

But of course, there is trouble in paradise. While falling in love is easy, dealing with troublesome alien exes and maintaining diplomacy is quite hard. Will the two of them work it out before it’s too late? Or will the fate of the galaxy be torn apart before the diplomacy even starts?

Amazon

simon saysSIMON SAYS ORDER OF THE BLACK SWAN (DIT BOOK 1) by Victoria Danaan

Rosie Storm is about to get the chance to head up a new Black Swan unit, D.I.T. The Department of Interdimensional Trespass.

Twenty years ago Sir Simon was a vampire hunter. He took three month’s bereavement leave to go wild camping in the far north of Scotland following the death of his team leader. He expected solitude and fresh air to clear his mind and heart. He did not expect to fall in love. While wild camping on the stark landscape of the Orkney Islands, she disappeared into the standing stones. She faded into nothingness, a look of panic frozen on her face. As she reached out and silently called his name, he lunged to grab her an instant too late.

Her memory has haunted him every hour since.

Simon channeled his sorrow and loneliness into work until he eventually rose to the most powerful position ever held by an ex Black Swan knight. With tireless dedication, he built a congregation of talented misfits, watching and waiting for the one who could find Sorcha.

Amazon

dragon foretoldDRAGON FORETOLD (DRAGON POINT BOOK 4) by Eve Langlais

He’s big, bad and golden. Also a jerk.

Sue-Ellen can’ t believe the golden-haired boy she fell in love with is acting so cold. She gave up everything for him; her freedom, her family. But it’s become clear Samael will never do the same.
He is the golden dragon the world has been waiting for. The one foretold.

What the world doesn’t know is Samael plans to conquer humanity—unless someone stops him, and she might have just found the only weapon that can.

Amazon     iBooks

deal with the devilDEAL WITH THE DEVIL by Evangeline Anderson

Luz Velez is a shapeshifter who can’t shift. Every time she tries to summon her inner wolf, she has a massive panic attack. Worse, her anxiety extends to the rest of her life. At twenty-seven, she’s still a virgin because attempting to have sex sends her into lockdown mode. She’s miserable and stuck—until Jude Jacobson comes along.

Tall, blond and dangerous, Jude is the most feared vampire in town and the minute he sees her, he wants Luz. Vampires and shapeshifters don’t date but he makes her an offer she can’t refuse—a blood exchange that will help her control her panic attacks and give her the life she’s always wanted.

Luz is desperate—she takes Jude up on his offer. But she doesn’t expect to fall for the darkly seductive vampire—or to be plunged into danger when her past comes calling. When Jude’s own dark secret comes to light, she begins to question her deal with the devil and wonder if she and Jude can make it…or if they’ll die trying.

Amazon     iBooks

when dawn comesWHEN DAWN COMES: CITY OF SIN by Ursula Sinclair

Aaliyah: I’m the daughter of a daemon lord of hell. And one of his best soldiers in Vegas. I’ve spent my life doing his bidding and gathering souls. The more souls gathered, the greater the daemon powers. I took great pleasure in stealing a soul from beneath the nose of the damn guardian angels. That was the only life I knew, and I excelled at it. Until one day, I tried to steal a dying soul that didn’t belong in hell and an angel came to stop me. In doing so, he showed me the world I knew was a lie.

Micah: My human life ended to save the woman I love. My reward was to become one of heaven’s angels, a guardian of souls. I didn’t want to leave her, but I thought eventually we’d be reunited. For decades I’ve waited and searched for her but never found her. Then one day, to my shock, the soul I’d been sent to save was being taken by a daemon.

I finally found Aaliyah, only now I have a fight before me. She has no memory of us, but I know I have to save her soul. And if I have to give up heaven to do it, so be it.

We have a daemon lord to kill.

Amazon     iBooks

enemy of magicENEMY OF MAGIC (DRAGON’S GIFT THE PROTECTOR BOOK 4)  by Linsey Hall

My enemy Drakon is on the hunt for dragons, and I’m on the hunt for him. Problem is, he’s a step ahead of me every time. Worse, I’m a pawn in chess game only he understands.

When Drakon puts my hometown under a horrifying freezing spell, I get the first terrifying clue to his plan. My family is trapped, slowly wasting away. I must break the spell before it’s too late, but the task might kill me.

Though I’ve got my friends at my back, I’m the only one who can stop Drakon. And I’m not sure my magic is strong enough to do the job.

Amazon

agent of darknessAGENT OF DARKNESS (DARK FAE FBI BOOK 3) by C N Crawford and Alex Rivers

There’s a dark power growing within me. And I’m not sure I can control it.

The fae king wants me dead. His assassins tracked me down and nearly killed me— now they’re the ones lying lifeless in a pool of blood. But the price I’ve paid is too high. They hurt someone I love, and I burn for revenge.

I’m done watching from the sidelines. Following the seductive fae Roan, I join the rebels but find myself surrounded by suspicion at every turn. But with the strange new magic in my blood, no one trusts me anymore.

It’s the magic of fear, of terror, of nightmares. The king’s minions have given me another name: Mistress of Dread. My power is unstable and deadly, and to get my vengeance, I must learn to control it. Yet with fury boiling in my blood and desire for Roan kindling my heart, it seems like an impossible task.

FBI Agent, Pixie, Terror Leech, Mistress of Dread. Will I become a King Killer as well?

Amazon

her fairytale wolfHER FAIRY TALE WOLF by Milly Taiden and Marianne Morea

Isabel Lassiter knows with the right opportunity, her custom couture could rule Tinsel Town. Instead, she’s tied to a boss she both hates and pities, waiting for her chance shine. Lonely, she waits for the right someone to notice and sweep her off her feet.

Zander Petrov has Hollywood and the city of Los Angeles at his feet. Still, he’s never forgotten his shifter roots or his duty to his clan. He knows he has to mate, but in his glittering world a genuine mate is hard to find. The search continues until the day he meets Isabel in this modern twist on a favorite fairytale.

A chance meeting opens the door for everything this Cinderella wants and more, but jealousy and betrayal nearly snatch the happily ever after from her hands. What they didn’t count on was a Prince Charming with a bite.

Amazon

playing cat and mousePLAYING CAT AND MOUSE: ZODIAC SHIFTERS LEO by T L Reeve

A lion prince who likes to party…

Wilhelm must take a mate by his thirty-fifth birthday, or his status as Alpha-apparent will pass to his twin brother, Christoph. Motivated to find his bride, he throws a Wag festival to attract the most eligible bachelorettes of the realm. Little does he suspect, the woman of his dreams is more than one man can handle… alone.

A bored cat-goddess in disguise…

As a prominent lawyer, Samiyah Lisimba acts as champion for the poor and the powerless. Being a champion, however, fails to satisfy her most primal needs. When she receives an invitation to the Wag festival, curiosity leads her astray. Wilhelm is as delicious as he is arrogant… but his twin brother is also a sinful temptation. Why should a goddess have to choose?

A game of cat and mouse…

Christoph would do anything for his brother, including one final blowout for their birthday. With the stakes running high, he sets out to help his brother select a worthy mate, never expecting to find the perfect woman is also his fated mate.

Amazon     iBooks

turos fated mateTURO’S FATED MATE IRON WOLVES MC by Elle Boon

A LONE WOLF…Turo has searched for centuries for the one female to complete him. The Iron Wolves seemed like home to him, but after fifteen years, he’s thinking about moving on, until he finds her.

A LOVE WORTH ANYTHING…Jozlyn isn’t your average human and knew it would take a special man to accept her as she was. However, she hadn’t counted on a man like Turo.

TESTING THE BONDS…As Turo and Jozlyn’s love grows, a creature from their worst nightmares will do anything to destroy them. Will they be able to survive the coming battle, or will fate be give them what they’d always craved…true love?

Amazon     iBooks

scattered flamesSCATTERED FLAMES (DRAGON QUEEN SERIES BOOK 5) by Yvonne Nicholas

Rayne, the Dragon Queen, is out for blood!

Her guardian, Blaze, has been abducted by a demon witch and a warlock, two powerful minions who are under the command of Satan’s spawn, Lucius. Demetri Bithanos, Rayne’s consort, is being held prisoner by a creature forged in the bowels of the demon realm.

Rayne and her team of battle angels share a spiritual bond with Blaze, a bond that can be exploited. When they make an attempt to rescue Blaze from her captors, they come face to face with another powerful foe.

During the assault, Rayne finds herself drawing closer to the demonic side of her nature. With her sanity hanging in the balance, Rayne may be forced to abandon her humanity and succumb to the monster inside of her.

Amazon

desires unknownDESIRES KNOWN by Lilith Saintcrow

To accountant Emily Spencer, the junky thrift-store ring is perfect for her Halloween costume. A few too many drinks, a slip of the tongue, and all of a sudden, there’s a guy calling her mistress and demanding to know her desires. If she just ignores the weirdness, it’ll go away, right?

Wrong. Hal is a creature of almost limitless power, eternally bound to serve the owner of the ring. Though modern technology is puzzling, he has no difficulty deciding he likes being out in the world again. Even if he has to train a reluctant but undeniably attractive new mistress.

Unfortunately, the man who lost Hal’s ring so long ago is still around—rich, unscrupulous, and more than a little insane. He’ll try anything—deceit, treachery, torture—to regain control of Hal. Anything at all.

Including murder.

Amazon     iBooks

dragon burn 1001 dark nightsDRAGON BURN: 1001 DARK NIGHTS (A DARK KINGS NOVELLA) by Donna Grant

A promise made eons ago sends Sebastian to Italy on the hunt to find an enemy. His quarry proves difficult to locate, but there is someone who can point him in the right direction – a woman as frigid as the north. Using every seductive skill he’s acquired over his immortal life, his seduction begins. Until he discovers that the passion he stirs within her makes him burn for more…

Gianna Santini has one love in her life – work. A disastrous failed marriage was evidence enough to realize she was better off on her own. That is until a handsome Scot strolled into her life and literally swept her off her feet. She is unprepared for the blazing passion between them or the truth he exposes. But as her world begins to unravel, she realizes the only one she can depend on is the very one destroying everything – a Dragon King.

Amazon

marked by darknessMARKED BY DARKNESS (DARK FAE HOLLOW 8) by Lia Davis et al

Crystal Hollow used to be a magical winter wonderland. Now it’s a wasteland of frozen death ruled by an evil Ice Princess.

As the last ice fae, Roshia’s the only one with the power to save her world. When her family is destroyed by the queen’s demonic army, she flees to the North Mountains, hoping to join the rebels rumored to live there.

But she discovers more than just the rebel camp.

She finds three men determined to help her learn to love again–and in them, the key both to her heart and to reversing the evil spell poisoning the Hollow.

If only they can convince her she can do it.

Amazon

untraveledUNTRAVELED  (TREASURE HUNTER SECURITY BOOK 5) by Anna Hackett

VS Note: Not a scifi romance but I love her books in all genres so I’m including it!

After a mission gone terribly wrong, former Navy SEAL Hale Carter has made a good career for himself at Treasure Hunter Security. He gets to use his engineering skills designing new gadgets, his SEAL skills providing security for exciting expeditions and treasure hunts, and he enjoys a variety of ladies on his downtime. He might still be plagued by nightmares, but all in all, life is good. Then he volunteers for a dangerous undercover mission into the Kalahari Desert, alongside a cool, attractive FBI agent who challenges him at every turn.

Special Agent Elin Alexander is driven to bring down the deadly black-market antiquities ring Silk Road. She’s experienced firsthand how they destroy lives and she’s vowed to end their greed and killing. After months of undercover work, she’s eager for the mission to find the Lost City of the Kalahari. What she wasn’t expecting was six-feet-three inches of former Navy SEAL as her partner. Hale is too handsome, too sexy, and isn’t inclined to follow orders.

As the pair infiltrate the Silk Road hunt, Hale and Elin find themselves fighting a scorching attraction as they work to discover just what the lost city is hiding. But stuck in the bowels of a legendary ancient mine, Hale and Elin must put their trust in each other, to not only save the day, but to get out alive.

Amazon     iBooks

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

August 16

August 9

August 2

July 26

July 19

July 12

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

It’s a mix of the genres in no particular order. Also the term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

Let Me Take A Look Weekend Writing Warrior

Warriors logo revisedHere’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

The snippet is from Two Against the Stars (story below the excerpt), my latest release. I’ve jumped ahead to a scene where Carialle tries to help her elderly landlady. Edited slightly from the published version to fit into our rules here. I’ll go on with this scene next week.

“You certainly maintain the garden in great shape,” Carialle said, trying to change the subject.

Pride evident on her face, Mrs. Galaganos surveyed her small domain, “Yes, all but the biggest tree. I’ll be devastated if anything happens to it but the leaves have been dropping for ten days now and this isn’t the leaf-casting season – I gave it extra water.”

Impatient as she was to be off about her own errands, Carialle felt a compulsion to react to the concern about the possibly ailing tree.  Tulavarrans and nature worked hand in hand on her planet and a priestess was never to ignore the needs of the differently-sentient. “Additional irrigation isn’t always the best tactic,” she said, walking toward the tree in question, “Let me take a look.”

Mrs Galaganos trailed behind her while the pet yawned, rolled over in its patch of sun, and ignored them.

The tree had a beautiful shape, with a swirling trunk rising twenty feet in the air, and graceful branches currently sporting rather patchy clumps of leaves.  The older leaves were a glossy deep green but the newer ones were shriveled, mottled with red and brown. Carialle stepped across the ornamental barrier of white shells and rested her hand on the tree, reaching for the sentient with her power.

twoThe story:

Empathic priestess Carialle has escaped the evil Amarotu Combine, but she’s hardly out of danger. Not when she risks everything to rescue a drugged man from a crooked veterans’ clinic. By lulling the clinic staff to sleep, she reveals her powers. And once again, criminals are after her and her rescuer.

Marcus Valerian, a wounded Special Forces veteran, never expected to have his life threatened by the clinic that’s supposed to help ex-soldiers like him. But when he wakes from a drugged state to find a lovely woman urging him to run–he does. In his family’s remote fishing cabin, he suffers the agony of withdrawal, soothed only by her powers.

In their idyllic hideaway, the two also discover a nova-hot attraction flaring. But can they stay alive long enough for it to become more? Not if the Combine has anything to say–they are not giving up until Marcus is dead and Carialle is their weapon

Buy Links:

Amazon     iBooks     Barnes & Noble  Kobo 

3 empath covers canva

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday August 16

temporary duty assignmentAs always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

TEMPORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT by A E Ash

Samantha Gao is an elite Metro soldier, dedicated to the job and to her team. But following a devastating mission, Sam is handed a new temporary duty assignment. On paper, she’s supposed to babysit a Metro tech-inspector during a routine evaluation of Greenerhouse seed colony’s corporate sponsor. Sam expects to be on duty at all times, ready for whatever comes. But what she didn’t expect was to see him—Caleb—again.

Caleb Estes is an engineer at Greenerhouse and cannot believe his luck when his first love, Samantha Gao, walks into his lab—and back into his life. It’s enough to make him believe in second chances after all.

But Sam and Caleb’s reconciliation will have to wait when the routine bodyguard job goes sideways, and the future of the seed colony itself is at stake.

Amazon     iBooks

accidental bountyACCIDENTAL BOUNTY (INTER-GALACTIC BOUNTY HUNTER BOOK 4) by KD Jones

Drake Miller owed his two bosses a debt. To repay them, he agreed to train the newest bounty hunter. He thought a few days out in the field with the newbie would be a piece of cake. That was until he met the trainee: a pretty woman named Jinx with rainbow-colored hair. She was cute but not his type. Jinx was a walking accident waiting to happen. He should hand her off to someone else to deal with, but his pride refused to let a small slip of a woman bring him down. All he had to do was train her, set her out on her own, and walk away. How hard could it be?

Jane Jean “Jinx” Alexander started out as a troublesome teenager on the wrong path in life. Then she met two bounty hunters who helped her change her life for the better. Now she wanted to work for them as a bounty hunter in hopes of maybe helping someone else turn their lives around. The only obstacle in her way was Drake Miller, the well-built bounty hunter who was her trainer. He was gorgeous and sexy, but not her usual type. She was determined to stop him or anyone else from holding her back from her dreams. Jinx knew she could do this; all she had to do was ignore the sexy Drake and keep her eyes on her perps. How hard could that be?

Amazon     iBooks

new guyTHE NEW GUY (OFFICE ALIENS BOOK 2) by VC Lancaster

VS Note: Found by reader Merry.

Maggie works in Enquiries at DETI (The Department of Extra-Terrestrial Immigration) and they’re a little under-staffed. She’s confused but grateful when a handful of Teissian refugees fresh off the spaceship are allocated to her department. She is put in charge of training Ro, a charming, scaled alien with a sexy voice, cute dimples, and a lot of secrets.

She knows office romances are a bad idea, but she just can’t resist after spending every day sitting opposite him. As the two get closer, however, questions arise that threaten their relationship. Why does his friend seem to hate her so much? What is he hiding about his life on his home planet?

Can Maggie get Ro to open up before it’s too late? Or will his secrets overwhelm them both?

Amazon

colbornCOLBORN DROGON HEALER (A DROGON’S FATE SERIES BOOK 5) by  T J Quinn

Gil Ra looked around trying to put on a good face and a bright smile.

This was supposed to be a second chance in life. But she couldn’t stop thinking about the past and what she had left behind.

Being abducted by aliens sounded so much like the title of a cheap sci-fi movie, and yet it had happened to her. That night, when she had decided she couldn’t take it any longer, the mocking, the loneliness and the feeling she had failed the only person that depended on her completely had become overwhelming, and that night she had decided to end it all.

She had left everything ready, no unfinished matters, no one to worry about her and surely no one to mourn her. And so, she had walked in the middle of the night, to the highest bridge she was able to find near the tiny room, she had been living in.

Amazon

vilkas mateTHE VILKA’S MATE (SHIFTERS OF KLADUU BOOK 2) by Pearl Foxx

During her final flight exam to become the first female Falconer Elite, Jude Quincy crashes through a wormhole onto an unknown planet. Before she can catch her breath, a massive shape-shifting alien thunders onto her crash site in all his sexy, infuriating glory. He’s rude and bossy, but when a rival clan threatens Jude’s safety, the alien marries her in a hasty ceremony to save her life.

Gerrit never wanted a mate. He has enough on his mind after his father’s recent death and his new role as Alpha of Clan Vilka. Except Jude isn’t like anyone he has ever met, and the more time he spends with her, the more their fake marriage starts to feel real. Stranded in another clan’s territory, Gerrit must negotiate the turbulent political waters to get him and Jude out alive.

But when Gerrit is attacked, Jude will have to make a life or death decision between returning home or saving the husband she never wanted.

Amazon

zorans babyTHE ZORAN’S BABY (BARBARIAN BRIDES) by Luna Hunter

Aria Winters is on a mission to rescue Grace, her little sister. The Nezdek came from the skies and took her, and she won’t rest until Grace is safe. Aria talks her way onto a Zoran ship set to explore a distant planet, but she didn’t expect to fall for the ship’s brooding, tall, imposing alien commander. She tries to resist the growly warrior, but he has his radiant eyes set on her. And what a Zoran wants, he takes…

Dost is a Zoran general. A deadly warrior. Seven feet of pure muscle. His mission is to find a new home for his kind, but when sees the curvy human, everything changes. He never thought he’d lust for a human, but he can’t deny what his body is telling him. She is his fated. His true mate.

She will be his.

Amazon

phoenix warriorTHE PHOENIX WARRIOR: SPACE GRIT TWO: BOOK ONE (THE PHOENIX CYCLE 1) by Ella Drake

VS Note: I like Ella Drake’s style. On my TBR List.

In the outer reaches, facing the imminent destruction of her ship, Captain Anna Voron accepts help from newly-discovered, space-faring phoenix shifters. Their leader awakens dark memories and makes trust impossible but she’s out of choices.

Piotr dom Raven lives for duty. And that duty has two goals: become a full phoenix with reincarnation abilities and win a decades-long war threatening to destroy their kind. The intriguing captain of a derelict ship changes everything. His phoenix wants her, but mating a human means permanent death and deserting his command.

The enemy of old has Anna in his sights and Piotr can’t stop the years in the diabolical plans set in motion. If Anna can face her past and Piotr can follow his phoenix instincts, they stand a chance to save the endangered crew. But will they find the key to survival in time?

Amazon     iBooks

zuranZURAN (ALBATERRA MATES BOOK 6) by Ashley L Hunt

As a nurse, Phoebe has spent her career helping people. She knows it’s her calling and throws herself into tending to her patients heart and soul. In the city of Ka-lik’et, she is considered one of the best attendants amongst those in the human colony. When she loses the most important patient she’s ever had, though, a fuse is ignited that sends her spiraling into a course of events she never could have imagined.

Zuran is the Interplanetary Affairs Officer for the Albaterran kingdom of Dhal’at. He is also a reformed criminal, but he walked away from that life in pursuit of something better. When he meets the curvaceous and intelligent Phoebe, it’s in the midst of a crisis, and he realizes he has never met someone so genuinely good. He soon discovers walking the straight-and-narrow is not the only unexpected change in himself as he finds himself captivated by the compassionate, beautiful human.

Albaterra has been playing host to a colony of Novai for many months, but they are suddenly stricken with a mysterious disease neither A’li-uud nor humans have seen before. Suddenly, Zuran and Phoebe are thrown into the race against time to cure the disease before it kills the Novai colonists or spreads to the other beings who call Albaterra home. (more…)

Amazon

rhavosRHAVOS (WARRIORS OF THE KARUVAR BOOK 3) by Alana Serra and Juno Wells

VS Note: I’ve enjoyed other books in this series! So this is on my TBR List.

Ren Alvarez doesn’t remember the last five years of her life. Taken hostage by an anti-alien terrorist organization and forced to write malicious code to target the Karuvar, she hasn’t been in control of her own destiny–or even her own mind–for a long time. When a massive, brutish, sexy-as-hell Karuvar warlord storms the base where she’s being held, she doesn’t know her salvation has arrived. After all, as far as he’s concerned, she’s the enemy. It doesn’t matter that he keeps saying she’s his mate.

As Conqueror, Rhavos has spent his life eliminating threats to the Karuvar and bringing other, lesser species to heel. A group of rebel humans should be an easy problem to solve, but when he finds his mate among them, Rhavos does the one thing he swore he’d never do: He hesitates.  (more…)

Amazon

krayterKRAYTER (MATED TO THE ALIEN Book 5) by Kate Rudolph and Starr Huntress

When his brethren begin to discover human mates, Krayter knows his best chance at surviving the Denya Price is to journey to Earth and find the woman he’s been waiting for. Otherwise, he’ll waste away and die by the age of thirty like most other Detyens. But when his speeder crashes in a hostile human settlement, a mate is the last thing on his mind. Until he sees his salvation. (more…)

Abandoned. Neglected. In trouble. 

Penny will do anything to protect her two sisters, even if it means remaining in Highland Settlement, the anti-alien town that her father rules with an iron fist. But when an alien crash lands near her house, she knows that she can’t let her father’s men find him. Something about the intriguing blue man calls to her and she will not let him die.

A journey into something more. 

The pull of the alien stranger is so strong that Penny has only one choice: kiss him or go mad. Krayter will do anything to earn his mate’s trust and her love… (more…)

Amazon

unseenUNSEEN by Lucy Felthouse

Medical scientist Rory is working in his top secret underground laboratory in Central London when a procedure has unexpected results. Far from curing his patient, a monkey called Arnold, of an unpleasant disease, he manages to turn the animal invisible! In his panic, Rory accidentally gets some of the serum he injected Arnold with into his own bloodstream, rendering himself invisible, too.

With disbelief and confusion filling his brain, Rory finds it impossible to think straight, much less to figure out what precisely happened, and what on earth he’s going to do about it. So, after stripping off his clothes—which remain visible and therefore would give him away—he heads out into the London night for a walk to try to clear his head…(more…)

Amazon

fire in his embraceFIRE IN HIS EMBRACE (FIREBLOOD DRAGON BOOK 3) by Ruby Dixon

There’s only one way to tame a dragon.

Emma Arroyo knows this. She also knows that the big golden dragon captured by her brother’s biker gang is in trouble, and it’s all her fault. He followed her scent, and now his life is in danger.

She has to fix this, somehow. If she could talk to the dragon, they could form a plan to escape, both of them. But the dragon’s mind is wild and full of uncontrollable, killing rage. There’s no reasoning with him. There’s certainly no freeing him, not when he’s like this. But Emma can’t leave without him.

There’s only one way to solve this problem – a mating. When Emma approaches Zohr to claim him as hers, she realizes just what it means to be a dragon’s mate, and how much she’s in over her head…

And she learns how fiercely possessive a drakoni male can be.

Amazon

rage to adoreRAGE TO ADORE (WARRIORS OF CHAOS BOOK 2) by Cara Lake

To realign The Balance and save the universe from destruction Tanith must form an intimate bond with a dangerous man who is her complete opposite.
Like Tanith, he is a warrior, but the similarity ends there. She holds the essence of Love and he of Hate. In a world where he has known only betrayal and violence, he fights to resist his burning attraction to this woman who offers him comfort. He knows if he surrenders, his heart will only be broken again, and this time it could cost him his life.
Slaves to destiny, two warriors must battle the dark forces threatening to consume love and compassion in a galaxy threatened by chaos. If they want to survive the darkness, they must negotiate the blurred lines between love and hate—together.

Amazon

taming the lionTAMING THE LION (SHIFTER WARS Book 3) by Kerry Adrienne

For Marco, heir to the lions’ throne, seizing control of the Cave of Whispers from the bear clan is more than just a quest—it’s fulfilling the legacy of his breed. But the latest crusade has left Marco gravely wounded in enemy territory and in the hands of Alicia, healer for the bears. An irresistibly sensuous adversary, Alicia presents a serious problem. She carries the scent of a mate.

Drawn to this dominant master of his den, Alicia knows her allegiance has been compromised. His brooding sexuality is testing her defenses, but falling in love with Marco means falling in league with a rival shifter. And turning her back on the bears in a time of war is a lethal move.

Two breeds united by destiny could inspire a peaceful new future for their opposing clans—or ignite the fiercest battle yet and destroy all of Deep Creek forever.

Amazon     iBooks

citrineCITRINE (DATE-A-DRAGON) by Terry Bolryder

Citrine Vanderguard has searched tirelessly for his mate. And now, hundreds of miles later, he’s found her. She’s on the brink of mating someone she can’t possibly love, all for the sake of responsibility. So he does the only thing he can to win over the curvy, confident woman that makes the dragon inside him roar with approval: challenge the jerk that would be her mate to a fight for her hand.

Robbie can’t believe her eyes when Citrine, her former coworker in Seattle who she felt an irresistible attraction to, shows up on her doorstep out of nowhere. What’s more, he’s here to challenge her fiancé. But in spite of the audacious overture, the tall, muscular man with dark brown hair and amber eyes that are warm like a sunset still has the same effect on her body and heart.

As time ticks by leading up to the fight that will determine her destiny, subtle attraction blazes into pure fire. Though Citrine knows he’ll do anything for Robbie, she will have to make the ultimate choice between familial responsibility and personal happiness. And whispers of a big, bad wolf in the mountains of Robbie’s home may be more than just a fairy tale.

Amazon

MALEFICAMALEFICA BENEFICUS: THE BEGINNING by  Katie H Weill

VS Note: From July, sounds NA, not sure how much romance…had good reviews, I think.

Claudia Matthews turns 18 tomorrow – as long as she can make it through the first day of classes at Oakley High School. It’s more than her inherent strangeness that keeps her from fitting in. Her ill-tempered service dog, Luca, isn’t winning her friends and her class schedule is even less welcoming, dropping her into the government- mandated, “The History of Witches.”
They are real; she’s been told. They are powerful, and evil – yet Claudia wants to know if that’s actually a universal truth. Are all witches really that bad?
When a mysterious gift appears, dark secrets are cast into the light, and the world as she knows it may change forever. Now armed with questions, Claudia will need to figure out if it’s truly worth finding the truth when textbooks don’t hold all the answers. Drawn into a world of hidden covens and regulated magic, she may learn more than she bargained for. Now Claudia has to fight the lure of power and a temptation much more passionate…or lose herself to both. The truth could set her free… or damn her forever.

Amazon

carolina wolfCAROLINA WOLF by Sela Carson

All it takes is a spark of Grrrrl power to set the swamp on fire!

Debra Henry is living the meek librarian cliche, except for the teeny hint of magic in her blood. As the keeper of magical knowledge passed down from her ancestors, she’s content with her quiet existence in the tiny town of Culford, South Carolina. But a monstrous attack could reveal her secret and end her life.

Maddox Moreau was a happy lone wolf until the day he spotted pretty, bewitching Debra along the trails of the Congaree Swamp. When he saves her, his fate is bound up in hers, and they have to learn to work together in a hurry to defeat the spread of evil.

Amazon     iBooks

abandonABANDON (HALFBLOOD CLUB BOOK 3) by Viola Grace

Graylin Treel is on a deadline. With only a few hours to go, she needs to put herself in the path of the dragon that she has chosen as a mate. The problem is, he thinks she is a pathetic human. When the glamour drops and their senses are aroused, can any structure of man take the heat of two dragons in the throes of passion?

Amazon

 

 

sacrificeTHE SACRIFICE: A REVERSE HAREM FANTASY (THE AIRLUDS TRILOGY BOOK 1) by Nhys Glover

Having grown up in a harem as the favourite, if not dutiful, daughter of the ruling Godling, Airsha knew what it was for a powerful man to have more than one wife. But for her to have more than one husband, when she would have preferred none at all, felt like just one more way her fate was being taken over by a vengeful goddess.
Rescued by four legendary airling trainers when she escapes the harem, Airsha finds herself drawn into an uprising that has rebels planning to replace the Godling with the Goddess’ Chosen One: Airsha herself.
But having hidden her magic to avoid being castrated, sneaked out of the harem dressed as her twin brother to learn to fight, refused to become her father’s human sacrifice, and broken society’s rules by falling in love with not just one unsuitable man but four, Airsha was never going to willingly follow the destiny someone else laid out for her. Not even if that someone was the Goddess of all Creation.

Amazon

hired bearHIRED BEAR (BEARS OF PINEROCK COUNTY BOOK 5) by Zoe Chant

Curvy Crystal Martinez didn’t think anything could bring her back to rural Pinerock County, but if the family legend of a hidden treasure on her grandfather’s old farm is true, it could get her whole family out of debt. And she never suspected she’d want to stay, with her friends, her job, and her entire life back in the city. But that was before she met the red-hot rancher next door, with electric blue eyes and a body to die for. She doesn’t dare get attached (no matter what her betraying body thinks about his kisses) but she does need help if she’s going to find her family’s treasure before her time in Pinerock County runs out. It’s strictly a business arrangement … with a few fringe benefits … right?

Grizzly shifter Cody Hayes has watched his clan brothers find their mates, one by one. As the peacemaker in his rowdy clan, Cody has almost given up on finding love, until Crystal moves in next door. In one glance, Cody and his bear know this stubborn city girl with curves in all the right places is the mate they’ve been waiting for.

Even though she’s falling for both Cody and the rural beauty of her family’s old farm, Crystal is determined to make her time in Pinerock County short. As the search for her family’s lost treasure brings them together, Cody must show this commitment-shy city girl that Pinerock County is where she belongs—or risk losing the only treasure that matters to him!

Amazon

foxling soldatiTHE FOXLING SOLDATI (SOLDATI HEARTS BOOK 2) by Charlie Cochet

Foxling Toka has served the Soldati king for centuries, and now he attends to the kingdom’s cherished Soldati prince. It’s a position of honor, and as Toka helps the once-human prince adapt to their magical realm, he finds joy in their friendship. He also grows bolder in his encounters with Rayner, Soldati warrior and the king’s second. But the laws are clear: servants and Soldati are not permitted to mate. It doesn’t matter that Toka lost his heart to the dashing cad long ago.

Rayner never imagined he would fall in love with a servant, but the clever and beautiful foxling has ensnared him, and he resents the regulations keeping them apart. When an arrogant and spiteful king visits from a neighboring realm, Rayner is in danger of losing everything. But Soldati warriors don’t surrender, and he intends to fight all the harder to keep Toka where he belongs—in Rayner’s arms.

Amazon     iBooks

her billionaire lionHER BILLIONAIRE LION: ZODIAC SHIFTERS: LEO by Dominique Eastwick

When Kalista’s father suffers a stroke just hours before making an important payment on a loan, she rushes to Greece to make amends before the billionaire tycoon swoops in to take the family business. She is convinced if she gives him the check in person, all will be fine and she can return to help her father on his long road to recovery. She did not anticipate Leonidas Karatasos.

This is not the first time Mr. Vidal has missed a payment, but it would be the last. Leonidas would let no one take advantage of him or his family, but when he steps off the boat on his family’s island, his mate is waiting for him check in hand. Kalista Vidal is everything he wanted and nothing he expected.

With the moon rising into the reign of Leo, Leonidas has one month to woo and bond with Kalista, or he must wait until the next Leo cycle. But with the world’s prides convening on the island for the month, he must deal with dangers his mate could never imagine. All the while figuring out how to let his lion out of the bag.

Amazon

pretty kittenPRETTY KITTEN by May Sage

Out of every kind of paranormal out there, shifters are incontestably the least frightening; until now.
It’s a closely guarded secret that some shifters are born with the ability to change ordinary human beings, and there are plenty of dangerous Alphas would kill to keep it under wrap.

A few months ago, Daunte’s biggest problem was hiding his attraction to the human woman he doesn’t want to destroy; now that she’s turned, those who don’t want her dead want to lock her in a lab, and worse yet, get their hands on the shifter who did it to her.
His newborn nephew.

Amazon

ritualsRITUALS: THE CAINSVILLE SERIES by Kelley Armstrong

VS note: Not familiar with this series, not sure there’s romance…but the books seems to get good reviews.

When Olivia Taylor-Jones found out she was not actually the adopted child of a privileged Chicago family but of a notorious pair of convicted serial killers, her life exploded. Running from the fall-out, she found a refuge in the secluded but oddly welcoming town of Cainsville, Illinois, but she couldn’t resist trying to dig out the truth about her birth parents’ crimes. She began working with Gabriel Walsh, a fiendishly successful criminal lawyer who also had links to the town; their investigation soon revealed Celtic mysteries at work in Cainsville, and also entangled Olivia in a tense love triangle with the calculating Gabriel and her charming biker boyfriend, Ricky. Worse, troubling visions revealed to Olivia that the three of them were reenacting an ancient drama pitting the elders of Cainsville against the mysterious Huntsmen with Olivia as the prize.

Amazon     iBooks

stone skyTHE STONE SKY (THE BROKEN EARTH BOOK 3) by N K Jemison

VS Note: Not a romance but has been much awaited by many readers.

The Moon will soon return. Whether this heralds the destruction of humankind or something worse will depend on two women.
Essun has inherited the power of Alabaster Tenring. With it, she hopes to find her daughter Nassun and forge a world in which every orogene child can grow up safe.
For Nassun, her mother’s mastery of the Obelisk Gate comes too late. She has seen the evil of the world, and accepted what her mother will not admit: that sometimes what is corrupt cannot be cleansed, only destroyed.
PISA2 coverDOWNLOAD A FREE SAMPLER OF THE FIRST CHAPTERS OF ALL 12 STORIES IN PETS IN SPACE: EMBRACE THE ROMANCE while you wait for our October 10th release date! (I wrote a rock star romance…)
VS Note: We’re also going to make this anthology available in print. Pre-orders for the paperback at Amazon and the ebook everywhere…
10% of pre-orders as well as all first month sales goes to Hero Dogs, Inc. charity, which provides service dogs to veterans.
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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

August 9

August 2

July 26

July 19

July 12

July 5

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

It’s a mix of the genres in no particular order. Also the term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

Who Could Predict Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedHere’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

The snippet is from Two Against the Stars (story below the excerpt), my latest release. I’m continuing on from last week although I’ve skipped ahead a bit. After leaving the hotel and pawning Dobkin’s watch, Carialle rides the city’s mass transit all day, working her way into the seedier areas of town. She leaves the transport, buys lunch and studies the situation. (Edited somewhat from the published version.)

After finishing her meal, surprised at how healthy her appetite was after the traumatic events of the day, she wandered through the area, which boasted small shops with the proprietors’ living quarters above. The neighborhood was crowded and lively with street musicians playing for credits. Carialle kept her eyes open for any signs of Combine activity but detected none. Oh, there were scammers and pickpockets, but when she touched them lightly with her highly attuned senses, the petty crooks had no thought of the Combine.

Reassured she’d made a good choice, she strolled further, observing the mix of older, poorly maintained buildings and the newer, refurbished places. She encountered no police, which for her was just as reassuring as not seeing Combine enforcers. Who could predict how the mysterious authorities would view what she’d done as a Combine tool? And she’d probably be suspected of killing Dobkin, which was another huge problem.

High in the azure sky, the glint of an ascending spacecraft drew her attention for a moment. Averting her gaze, she blinked away tears – this planet was going to be her home for the rest of her life.

twoThe story:

Empathic priestess Carialle has escaped the evil Amarotu Combine, but she’s hardly out of danger. Not when she risks everything to rescue a drugged man from a crooked veterans’ clinic. By lulling the clinic staff to sleep, she reveals her powers. And once again, criminals are after her and her rescuer.

Marcus Valerian, a wounded Special Forces veteran, never expected to have his life threatened by the clinic that’s supposed to help ex-soldiers like him. But when he wakes from a drugged state to find a lovely woman urging him to run–he does. In his family’s remote fishing cabin, he suffers the agony of withdrawal, soothed only by her powers.

In their idyllic hideaway, the two also discover a nova-hot attraction flaring. But can they stay alive long enough for it to become more? Not if the Combine has anything to say–they are not giving up until Marcus is dead and Carialle is their weapon

Buy Links:

Amazon     iBooks     Barnes & Noble  Kobo 

3 empath covers canva

 

 

 

Chatting with Anthony Lemke, ‘Three’ on SyFy’s “Dark Matter”

Three_Dark_Matter_A_LemkeSometimes I get to do really fun things as part of being a scifi romance author and this past week I had a chance to talk with actor Anthony Lemke about his role as the character Three on the “Dark Matter” SyFy TV show. Here’s the beginning of the article and for the entire interview, I hope you’ll hop on over to Amazing Stories!

“One of my favorite hours of science fiction every week is Dark Matter on SyFy. Over the course of three seasons co-creator and showrunner Joseph Mallozzi (with Paul Mullie) and the cast and crew have explored concepts ranging from lost memories, time loops, self-determination of androids, blink drives, interstellar corporate wars to love and loss – high adventure served up with feeling and panache.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Anthony Lemke, who plays the character Three on the program. Our conversation was wide ranging (and fun) so let me share the highlights. SPOILERS for Season Three!

He and a group of friends are in the process of building a storefront theater in real life, where he lives, with a tight deadline, so we began by talking about acting and the theater in general and I asked if he was going to do a one act play, whose life would he choose to enact? After some thought, Anthony said probably the life of one of his own grandparents, who were in that “epic generation” born at the beginning of the 21st century and lived through amazing experiences and world wars, eventually emigrating to a new country.

Pivoting to the subject of Dark Matter and Three…..”

Annnnd please follow the link to Amazing Stories for the rest of our wide ranging chat!

Dark_Matter_cast

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday August 9

jazonAs always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

JAZON: AN OMNES VIDENTES NOVEL by Wendie Nordgren

Determined to put his torturous thoughts and fantasies of a nonexistent female behind him, Jazon volunteers for a dangerous mission. He must discover and capture the scientist responsible for the creation of treacherous clones being used to threaten both the Imperial family and the peace of the Parvac Empire. Jazon’s mission takes him to the Laconian Sector where he discovers a beautiful Laconian scientist desperately seeking answers to her father’s death. As a genetically engineered hybrid soldier viewed in that sector of space as an abomination, he’ll have to earn her trust. However, the woman isn’t his only problem. Staying alive against mutated virus strains and a deadly assassin may be too much even for a telepathic warrior of Jazon’s skill.

Amazon

secondbornSECONDBORN  by Amy A Bartol

Firstborns rule society. Secondborns are the property of the government. Thirdborns are not tolerated. Long live the Fates Republic.

On Transition Day, the second child in every family is taken by the government and forced into servitude. Roselle St. Sismode’s eighteenth birthday arrives with harsh realizations: she’s to become a soldier for the Fate of Swords military arm of the Republic during the bloodiest rebellion in history, and her elite firstborn mother is happy to see her go.

Televised since her early childhood, Roselle’s privileged upbringing has earned her the resentment of her secondborn peers. Now her decision to spare an enemy on the battlefield marks her as a traitor to the state.

But Roselle finds an ally—and more—in fellow secondborn conscript Hawthorne Trugrave. As the consequences of her actions ripple throughout the Fates Republic, can Roselle create a destiny of her own? Or will her Fate override everything she fights for—even love?

Amazon      iBooks

draekon fireDRAEKON FIRE: EXILED TO THE PRISON PLANET (DRAGONS IN EXILE BOOK 2) by Lili Zander and Lee Savino 

When I wake from my coma, the first thing I see are two hot aliens.

And I’m informed that they’re my mates.

I don’t think so.

This isn’t the story of Sleeping Beauty, and the two sexy, possessive, Draekons aren’t my fairy tale princes.

I’m certainly not going to wake up, kiss them, and live happily ever after on this stupid prison planet, where everything’s out to kill me.

Not happening.

Not even if they heal me from my injuries and nurse me back to health.

Not even if they protect me, care me, and keep me safe.

Not even if their abs could grace the cover of every men’s fitness magazine back home.

Sleeping Beauty isn’t going to kiss her Draekons. She’s going to find a way back home.

Amazon

defiant battle bornDEFIANT (BATTLE BORN BOOK 13) by Cyndi Friberg

VS Note: Actually out on the 11th. Oops. But there’s a pre-order.

Rivals, enemies, lovers, Jenna and Drex are soon all three. She wants him, nearly as much as she resents him, so how can they ever hope to build a future together? Jenna has good reason to despise all Rodytes, but that doesn’t keep her from longing for Drex, thinking of him night and day, and finding incredible pleasure every time they touch. Still, happily ever after is built on trust, and Jenna will never trust a Rodyte.

Drex is determined to prove to Jenna that he is different. He never expected to find a mate, so he refuses to let her slip away. He will court her with ruthless patience, wear down her emotional defenses until she understands that she is the most important person in the universe to him. But hostilities between humans and the battle born are rapidly escalating and the couple keeps getting caught in the middle. Can they overcome their pasts and focus on the future or will the conflict consume their love?

Amazon      iBooks

aveothAVEOTH (VLG BOOK 7) by Laurann Dohner

Jillian Milzner has lived a life on the run. Her biological sperm donor has made it clear he wishes she’d never been born. Most kids get presents from their dads growing up. He sent thugs to make death threats to ensure she never tries to find him. He needn’t have bothered, since she wants nothing to do with Decon Filmore. His father, however, thinks Jill might be useful. Things go from bad to worse when her grandfather’s goons snatch her up to deliver her to a man both terrifying…and straight out of her sexiest daydreams.

Lord Aveoth isn’t surprised to hear from Decker Filmore. The man is desperate to make the GarLycan lord call off the hunt for his life, and equally determined to reclaim his VampLycan clan. To achieve both goals, he’ll offer Aveoth yet another half-human granddaughter from his bloodline.

It’s lonely being a lord of a clan, so Aveoth agrees to the meeting—and he’s instantly attracted to Jill. He’s also angry to learn she’s been brought to him against her will, but he still wants to keep her. Even if it exposes his darkest secret…which could tear his clan apart.

Amazon     iBooks

blade1001 DARK NIGHTS: BLADE: A BAYOU HEAT NOVELLA by Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright

Blade was held captive and abused for decades. Benson Enterprises was desperate to use his superior blood to create super soldiers. But when he’s finally rescued, he can’t return to the Wildlands with the other prisoners. Not without the female he was forced to watch being impregnated. The female who has gone missing.

Beautiful and broken, Valli just wants to run away and never look back. But with the shocking news of her pregnancy fresh in her mind, she wonders if that’s even possible. Told by her captors that one of the caged animals assaulted her, she knows she must do everything in her power to keep her unborn child safe. But when a glorious male tracks her down and claims her and her baby as his own, will she have the strength to walk away?

Amazon

masked possessionMASKED POSSESSION (MASKED ARCANA SERIES) by Alana Delacroix

A MAN WHO CAN WEAR ANY FACE:
Caro Yeats doesn’t run from much. As a former investigative reporter now working PR for Toronto’s supernaturals, what she hasn’t seen mostly isn’t worth seeing. But the assignment to “rebrand” Eric Kelton’s out-of-control alter egos has her on edge from the start. Kelton is the heirarch of the Masquerada, beings able to change their face—their entire persona—on a whim. Eric’s charisma muddles her instincts. How can she trust a man who can become anybody?
 
A WOMAN WITHOUT A PAST :Eric has never met anyone like Caro, with her lightning wit and uncanny insight. But desirable as she is, he’d be a fool to let her near. Struggling to hide the sudden loss of his powers, Eric can’t risk becoming entangled with a woman who scorns her supernatural side and claims not to play politics. The enemies on her trail are strong, clever, and vicious. And when they force Eric and Caro together, the fallout could shatter far more than two hearts.

Amazon      iBooks

desert devilDESERT DEVIL (OLD SCHOOL BOOK 5) by Jenny Schwartz

Donna Keats is a seer. But when she defies fate to save her estranged foster brother she becomes fate’s victim.

As one of only three couriers alive, Forrest “Rest” Castillo can travel anywhere on Earth in seconds. However, the price of his rare talent is to be forever alone. Anyone who gets close to him becomes a potential hostage for the powerful people that seek to own him.

Two years ago, Rest retreated to the isolated beauty of the Arizona desert to save those who have his loyalty and love, but it was the wrong strategy. It’s not his life that should be sacrificed for peace. Nor will it be Donna’s.

Rest’s enemies are about to learn that this former Army Ranger is not as alone as they believed, and that no conspiracy can be buried forever.

The time has come for Rest to walk the Path for justice, and Donna will match him step for step.

Amazon

blood enforcerBLOOD ENFORCER (WOLF ENFORCERS BOOK 2) by Jessica Aspen

It was just another ordinary day for Glenna…until she was violently attacked and ended upin the hospital. Now, Glenna is on a whirlwind discovery of the world of wolves, dreamwalkers, and spelltalkers–a world she never knew existed. And she’s hell-bent on escape.

After nearly going wild wolf, Sam Wulfric is back and sane–mostly. The last assignment he wants is babysitting a new wolf shifter and all the chaos that involves. Even worse, she’s one of the sexiest women he’s ever seen and she’s driving his wolf crazy. But when everyone from the US Government to an unknown assailant comes after Glenna, Sam’s instincts take over. Now, he’ll do anything to keep Glenna safe–even if her new found mating urge drives him over the edge.

Amazon

hidden magicHIDDEN MAGIC  (ANCIENT COURT #2) by Amy Patrick

Macy Moreno has been through hell. She only survived because the guy she loved—Nicolo Buonaccorsi—sacrificed his own life to save her. Though she’s discovered there’s much more to the world than she ever imagined, as far as Macy is concerned, all its magic died with him. She’s alive, but her heart will never recover.

Macy goes back on the road, trying to outrun her painful past and the haunting memories of the love she’s lost– and trying to forget that the end of mankind is quickly approaching. If only Nic had survived. If only there were something she could do to stop the coming Plague. But she’s only human—as far as she knows.

The only bright spot in her life comes from an unexpected source—a traveling companion she didn’t want but can’t seem to get rid of. And just when she thinks she might find some semblance of happiness in her new life, everything changes again, and she’s caught in an emotional tug-of-war between her past and the present.

Amazon      iBooks

witchs hungerWITCH’S HUNGER by Deborah LeBlanc

As a Triad witch, Vivienne François knows better than to let Nikoli Hyland get too close. Her family’s ancient curse means Viv can never be with the sexy human warrior. If she succumbs to her forbidden desires, she risks losing everything and putting all humanity in danger. Still, Nikoli affects her like no other…

Nikoli swore an oath to protect the world from the Cartesians, interdimensional beasts bent on destruction. He needs Viv’s help to defeat them, but the feisty beauty’s company makes focusing on the mission difficult. Viv and Nikoli know how to fight evil; it’s battling their hearts that could be their undoing.

Amazon      iBooks

desert wolfDESERT WOLF by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Grant Wade is a former Texas Ranger. He’s also a Lycan Alpha and, in the ghost town of Desperado, he’s found a perfect refuge for his desert pack and a place to shelter other werewolves in need of a safe place.

Determined to reclaim her full birthright, Paxton Hall goes home for the first time in decades. Her plan to strike a deal with Desperado’s new owner doesn’t work any better than her attempts to resist this sexy cowboy. Even as she falls for him, Paxton has no idea what he’s trying to protect her from—his animal desire, her own true nature and a rogue predator on the prowl.

Amazon      iBooks

kendallKENDALL (WOLF’S HUNGER BOOK 10) by Marcia La Porta

VS note: From July

Betrayed by his brother and his ex-fiancée, Kendall McKenzie’s heart is cold as ice and he no longer believes in love. If it weren’t for his responsibilities as an alpha, he would have left the Seattle’s Wolf Pack to disappear into the wilderness and good riddance to bad rubbish. But he can’t even escape the pack grounds for a weekend without reality intruding in his carefully arranged plans to drink himself to oblivion. Little Wolf, his beta, has taken upon himself to accept an invitation to a Hawaiian getaway on Kendall’s behalf.
Juliette Kewada is one of the few She-Alphas in the States and the leader of the Honolulu Wolves…(more…)

Amazon

forbidden bondsFORBIDDEN BONDS (IMMORTAL CURSE SERIES BOOK 2) by Lexi C Foss

Exile never felt so good. . .

Tom’s a trained sniper, not a babysitter. He kills rogue immortals for a living, but after releasing classified information to a friend, he’s banished to a remote location with the CRF’s most prized asset.

Can two tortured souls find solace and love in one another?

Secrets unfold as Tom forms a forbidden relationship with his new charge. The immortal woman evokes memories and feelings long forgotten, and forces him to question everything he’s ever known.

Sacrifices must be made.

A rash decision sends them both running for their lives as enemies vie for their heads.

Some bonds are meant to be broken.

Amazon      iBooks

anayas prideANAYA’S PRIDE (BEASTS OF IRONHAVEN BOOK 1) by Chloe Cole

Tutoring lionesses in the ways of seduction for the King’s Royal Harem is a time-honored tradition. And, as luck would have it, the Saint John brothers love their work. But when they’re called on to teach young, captivating Anaya Eldrich the pleasures of the flesh, they can’t get enough.

As their bonds strengthen and whispers of a dark secret run rampant through the palace, will the Saint John brothers turn her over to their king, or will her tutors become her guardians, laying down their very lives to protect her?

Amazon

into the stormINTO THE STORM (FORCE OF NATURE BOOK 2) by Amber Lynn Natusch

When Piper Jones fled New York for a secluded mountainside in Alaska, she thought she was safe from the back-stabbing, supernatural drama of the city. Now she’s back, with the sexy werewolf Alpha Knox, his pack, and her grizzly bear sidekick for backup. But Piper’s plan to get closure is derailed when her vampire mate Merc is abducted, forcing her to form a shaky alliance with a warlock lord.
Faced with death threats, romantic entanglements, and dubious allies, Piper is running out of time before someone she loves becomes the latest casualty in a never-ending war.

Amazon

fifth dollTHE FIFTH DOLL by Charlie N Holmberg

VS Note: Sounds intriguing. One reviewer does mention a romance.

Matrona lives in an isolated village, where her life is centered on pleasing her parents. She’s diligent in her chores and has agreed to marry a man of their choosing. But a visit to Slava, the local tradesman, threatens to upend her entire life.

Entering his empty house, Matrona discovers a strange collection of painted nesting dolls—one for every villager. Fascinated, she can’t resist the urge to open the doll with her father’s face. But when her father begins acting strangely, she realizes Slava’s dolls are much more than they seem.

When he learns what she’s done, Slava seizes the opportunity to give Matrona stewardship over the dolls—whether she wants it or not. Forced to open one of her own dolls every three days, she falls deeper into the grim power of Slava’s creations. But nothing can prepare her for the profound secret hiding inside the fifth doll.

Amazon

hunger j frankHUNGER (THE ENERGY VAMPIRES BOOK 2) by Jacquelyn Frank

As an energy vampire, Halo enjoys the chase for human blood—if it’s pure and consensual. But Halo goes from hunter to hunted when he is knocked unconscious and taken hostage by vicious sycophants. As he comes to, he realizes that he’s naked, starving, and trapped in a sealed room. With him is a deliciously human female, tempting him to feed—except her blood is heady with the scent of poisonous drugs. Never has nourishment been so near, yet so far . . . and it’s all part of the sycophants’ sick game.

The last thing Felice Mendoza remembers is everything going black. She awakens stripped, drugged, exposed, and alone—with a vampire. Halo is at once savage and tender, terrifying and alluring. Felice senses that her only chance to escape depends upon his survival. Given the choice between Halo and his enemies, Felice surrenders to his ravenous hunger. It’s a calculated risk—and a delirious pleasure. As Felice is ushered into a world as dangerous as it is desirable, their fight for deliverance is only the beginning.

Amazon      iBooks

grizzly secretGRIZZLY SECRET (ARCADIAN BEARS BOOK 3) by Becca Jameson

Grizzly shifter Joselyn Arthur has been living a lie. She’s been lying to her parents, her siblings, and even herself. The decision to move back to her hometown in the mountains of Alberta, Canada, after university and take a job in the family brewery two years ago was the dumbest choice she’d ever made.

Alton Tarben has also been working his butt off for the past two years in his family’s brewery on the other side of town. He too is questioning why on earth he thought this would be a good idea. He’s lonely and bored, and his bed needs warming.

When the two breweries end up in a battle over new product launches, Joselyn and Alton decide they’ve had enough. Enough hiding. Enough sneaking around. Enough separation.

The problem is that life is not that simple. Silvertip isn’t progressive enough to tolerate the binding of two shifters from rival bear packs. Joselyn and Alton must decide if they’re finally willing to put their happiness first and risk losing their families and their community.

Amazon     iBooks

VS Note: And if you don’t mind, I’ll just mention my recently released TWO AGAINST THE STARS again here and tiptoe away!

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3 empath covers canva

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

August 2

July 26

July 19

July 12

July 5

June 28

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

It’s a mix of the genres in no particular order. Also the term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

No Time To Waste Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedHere’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

NEW RELEASE! The snippet is from Two Against the Stars (story below the excerpt). I’m continuing on from last week, where Dobkin, Carialle’s mob handler, has died in the bathroom of their cheap hotel room from an accidental, drunken fall. She was handcuffed to the bed but has gotten loose, although one cuff remains around her wrist. Edited somewhat from the published version:

Carialle swallowed hard and forced herself to go through his pockets, snagging the key to the handcuffs and his ID and credit tag. Her hands were shaking so hard it took her three tries to release the shackle around her wrist.

She took a deep breath to quell her rising hysteria – No time to waste.

Carialle unfastened a gaudy, retro timepiece from his wrist and sidled away. It took her a few moments in the bedroom to dump out the contents of his small pack, snatching whatever might be useful and leaving the rest on the bed.  She contemplated the small hand weapon for a long moment. She’d no idea how to use it but the allure of possessing a means of defending herself against those immune to her power was impossible to resist. Grabbing the shiny mini blaster, she hid it at the bottom of the pack and sealed the seams.

She straightened her spine, took a deep breath and checked the mirror to be sure there was no blood on her drab gray tunic, leggings or shoes. She hastened to the door and stepped into the hall, closing the portal behind her, keying the advisory to Do Not Disturb.

twoThe story:

Empathic priestess Carialle has escaped the evil Amarotu Combine, but she’s hardly out of danger. Not when she risks everything to rescue a drugged man from a crooked veterans’ clinic. By lulling the clinic staff to sleep, she reveals her powers. And once again, criminals are after her and her rescuer.

Marcus Valerian, a wounded Special Forces veteran, never expected to have his life threatened by the clinic that’s supposed to help ex-soldiers like him. But when he wakes from a drugged state to find a lovely woman urging him to run–he does. In his family’s remote fishing cabin, he suffers the agony of withdrawal, soothed only by her powers.

In their idyllic hideaway, the two also discover a nova-hot attraction flaring. But can they stay alive long enough for it to become more? Not if the Combine has anything to say–they are not giving up until Marcus is dead and Carialle is their weapon

Buy Links:

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