#BlogBlitz The Unquiet Spirit by Penny Hampson

Today it’s the Blog Blitz for The Unquiet Spirit by Penny Hampson.

About the Author

Some time ago Penny Hampson decided to follow her passion for history by studying with the Open University. She graduated with honours and went on to complete a post-graduate degree.

Penny then landed her dream role, working in an environment where she was surrounded by rare books and historical manuscripts. Flash forward nineteen years, and the opportunity came along to indulge her other main passion – writing. Penny joined the New Writers’ Scheme of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and  three years later published her debut novel, A Gentleman’s Promise, a  historical mystery/romance. Other books in the same genre soon followed.

But never happy in a rut, Penny also writes contemporary suspense with paranormal and romantic elements. Her first book in this genre is The Unquiet Spirit, published by Darkstroke.

Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time). For more on Penny’s writing, visit her blog: pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/

Follow @penny_hampson on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy The Unquiet Spirit

About the book

A new beginning. A house with a past. A man with secrets. It was a dream come true…that turned into a nightmare.

Kate Wilson thinks moving back to Cornwall might be the answer to her prayers. But it isn’t long before she begins to have doubts. Is the house she inherited from her godmother haunted? Or is she going out of her mind? With a stalker, threats, and attempted break-ins, Kate’s troubles multiply.

Then there’s her enigmatic neighbour, the brooding Tom Carbis; a man with secrets he doesn’t wish to share. Can she trust him when he says he wants to help? In her quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding her, will Kate uncover more than she bargains for?

Review

Kate isn’t expecting to inherit anything from her godmother Win, so when she inherits an entire house in Cornwall it’s comes as a surprise, but not exactly a bad one. She is already spooked because she thinks someone is following her in her hometown, and multiple break-ins in her new home do nothing to alleviate her worries.

Her broody neighbour with the overly friendly dog doesn’t make her feel more at ease. She is afraid of dogs and her last relationship was a bit of a disaster. They can both keep their distance as far as she is concerned, but somehow they both seem to insert themselves in her life every chance they get.

Hmm it’s a question of tread lightly or give all the secrets away. This is a story of ghosts and the paranormal, but Hampson also has a strong sub-plot that plays alongside the ghost story. An important one, which tends to be silenced by the stigma surrounding it. Shame, guilt and embarrassment keeps the victims who suffer in the darkness. To admit is equal to being considered weak.

I liked the way the author approached this, by creating a character who is at first glance abrupt, rude and not very likeable. It’s an interesting way of showing the barriers and walls that are constructed to protect and heal, and how they are viewed from the outside by someone with no prior information about said person.

It’s an intriguing combination of mystery, ghost story and even a murder thrown in for free. It doesn’t stop there though because Hampson also adds a note of romance to the mixture.

Buy The Unquiet Spirit at Amazon Uk go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Crooked Cat / darkstroke; pub date 21 Aug. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Dead is Beautiful by Jo Perry

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour Dead is Beautiful by Jo Perry. It’s an interesting combination of paranormal and crime fiction with a noirish vibe.About the Author

Jo Perry earned a Ph.D. in English, taught college literature and writing,  produced and wrote episodic television, and published articles,  book reviews, and poetry.

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, novelist Thomas Perry.    They have two adult children. Their two dogs are rescues.

Jo is the author of Dead is Better, Dead is Best, Dead is Good and Dead is Beautiful, a dark, comic mystery series from Fahrenheit Press.

Follow @JoPerryAuthor on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads, Visit authorjoperry.com, Buy Dead is Beautiful

About the book

Dead is Beautiful finds Rose leading Charlie from the peace of the afterlife to the place he hates most on earth, “Beverly Fucking Hills,” where a mature, protected tree harboring a protected bird is being illegally cut down.

The tree-assault leads Charlie and Rose to a murder and to the person Charlie loathes most in life and in death, the sibling he refers to only as “his shit brother,” who is in danger.

Charlie fights-across the borders of life and death–for the man who never fought for him, and with the help of a fearless Scotsman, a beautiful witch, and a pissed-off owl, Charlie must stop a cruel and exploitative scheme and protect his beloved Rose.

Review

This is the fourth book in the Charlie and Rose Investigates series, but this can absolutely be read as a standalone novel.

I have to admit the beginning reads like some mixture between an environmental activism plot meets the paranormal world. I was distracted by the whole nakedness issue. Eleanor tries to save both tree and owl whilst her boobs are dangling in the wind and Charlie is eyeing up her assets. That whole scene was doubly bizarre because of the lack of clothes.

Charlie and Rose are tight and they have something in common, as much as a man and a dog can have something in common that is, they are both dead. Wandering somewhere on the ethereal plane. neither here nor there just everywhere, especially everywhere Rose thinks they need to be. Even if it is the scene of a crime about to happen and the two of them can’t do anything about it. They can only watch and wait to greet the unfortunate victim.

Aside from the contentious relationship Charlie has with his brother, the relationship between Charlie and Rose is one of the most pivotal in the story, and the series. The interactions between them, albeit it lots of chat from Charlie and multiple variations of a bark from Rose, are actually quite interesting. At times it appears as if Rose is his super-ego (hello Freud, my old friend), his conscience and feeling of guilt. She leads where he is hesitant and dithers.

It’s an interesting combination of paranormal and crime fiction with a noirish vibe. A read with two very intriguing sleuths, perhaps more so because they are restrained by their lack of mortal coil.

Buy Dead is Beautiful at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published by Fahrenheit 13 in paperback and ebook formats on 13th February 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Fahrenheit Press.

#BlogTour Stars Descend by Kara Jaynes

Today it’s my pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Stars Descend by Kara Jaynes. It’s paranormal urban fantasy with a flair of sci-fi.

About the Author

Kara Jaynes is a fantasy and children’s book author. She loves rainy days, long walks, and fairy tales. She’s been writing since she was very young, and has more stories in her head than she could possibly write.

Follow @KaraJaynes on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Bookbub, on Amazon com, Visit karajaynes.com

Buy Stars Descend

Join Kara Jayne for the Stars Descend Facebook  Party on June 12th

Calling all book readers! Join author Kara Jaynes as we chat about her urban fantasy novel STARS DESCEND on June 12th from 8 PM to 10 PM EST (5 PM PST and 6 PM MDT).

Grab your favorite drink and snack and be prepared for a fun time of chatting with Kara, games, and giveaways.

Special guests Janeen Ippolito and Sarah Ashwood will also be sharing their books and joining in the fun. Follow this link to join the party – Stars Descend Facebook Party

About the book

The elves have come down from the sky in their ships, their countenances full of light and their bodies, power. But they rule over us humans with iron fists, and without mercy.

Vampires stalk the streets, lurking in shadows and the cover of darkness. Their lust for blood is never sated, and the nights are filled with the screams of their victims.

I’m just a street rat, a trash picker. I didn’t expect him to choose me. The Prince of Elves could have anyone, so why me?

Even as my heart sings at the elf’s close proximity, I still love the boy who left me, disappearing into the city’s corrupt underworld. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.

Stars reign. Rebellion brews. And with my already uncertain future disintegrating into chaos, I don’t know who to turn to, or who to trust.

Review

Stella is a trash rat. A human reduced to sifting through garbage to make ends meet for herself and brother, after their parents died. They live in a world run by elves, who have deemed the earth redeemable and they are the ones to do it. Humans spend all their time fighting each other, so it is up to them to help humans get back on the right track. How helpful of them.

It’s the elven rules that dictate the actions of others. From when they can roam the streets to whether they can rummage in skips. Stella has no choice though, she has to break the rules to keep Quinn safe. He doesn’t function well in this altered world and it is up to her to make sure he stays healthy and happy.

The real problems start when she encounters the prince of elves, under less than fortunate circumstances and ends up in a twisted situation. She finds herself inexplicably draw to this rude snob. He on the other hand finds himself with a bit of a conundrum, because having the hots for a trash rat human – well it just isn’t the fae way.

I’d like to see Jaynes develop the more complex and creative ideas she brings to the table with A game of Stars and Shadows. It’s easy to fall back on the tropes of paranormal urban fantasy, but going beyond those and developing new ideas and following through on them is a wee bit harder. This author has plenty of ideas to bring to the table.

This is paranormal urban fantasy with a flair of sci-fi. Tell us more about the space elves, their world and their culture. Hopefully that will happen in the second book Shadows Grow.

Buy Stars Descend (A Game of Stars and Shadows #1) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogBlitz Forms of Things Unknown by Elizabeth Ireland

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour Forms of Things Unknown by Elizabeth Ireland. It’s the third book on the Backstage Mystery series. It’s a paranormal murder mystery with a nod to historical fiction.About the Author

Elizabeth Ireland discovered her passion for theater early. After receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees in Theater, she accepted a teaching position in a vibrant performing arts department at a college in northern Illinois. For ten years, she taught, directed and ran front-of-house operations. American Theater History—particularly that of the 19th century—has always been of particular interest to her.

She has been a quarter-finalist and a semi-finalist for the Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Two of her screenplays have been optioned, but remain unproduced. Her nonfiction work, Women of Vision: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives, was published in 2008. Her work has also been published in a collection of paranormal short stories, Paramourtal: Tales of Undying Love and Loving the Undead. She lives in metro Atlanta with her ever-patient husband, and two quirky dachshunds.

Follow @EbethIreland on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Follow Backstage Mystery on Facebook,

Buy Forms of Things Unknown

About the book

Recently returned to Chicago after a successful tour of Hamlet, Lillian Nolan is awakened in the dead of night by a strange voice. She is shocked to learn that well known and admired actress, Louise Hawthorne, has fallen to her death from the sixth floor of the Tremont House. Was it an accident? Did she jump or was she pushed? Louise’s former lover, and the main suspect, pleads with Lillian to uncover the truth and clear his name.

In the process of learning to trust her intuitive abilities, Lillian attempts to find balance between relying upon her gift and uncovering the truth in her own way. But the menace of death pursues her and soon her own life is at risk. When she finds herself in a trap from which she cannot escape, her only hope of survival is to call upon the metaphysical world.

Forms of Things Unknown is based on an actual event which occurred in June of 1876 in Chicago. It is the third standalone book in the Backstage Mystery Series.

The Backstage Mystery Series

Tagline: Life upon the wicked stage can be deadly.

Set against the backdrop of the Gilded Age, the Backstage Mystery Series stars Lillian Nolan, an unconventional member of Chicago’s upper class who dreams of a career of fortune and fame in the theater. Talented and ambitious, she possesses a hidden skill which she is extremely reluctant to use—the ability to communicate with those who have died and now live in the world of “The Beyond.”

The series chronicles her adventures in which she continually becomes enmeshed in solving mysteries which often require her accessing the realm of the paranormal. Filled with an incredible cast of characters—factual, fictional, and sometimes non-physical—who either help or hinder her quest for the truth, the stories take place during a period considered to be the golden age of both acting and spiritualism in America.

Review

You can read each book in the series as a standalone novel, but there is a nice progression in the books, as Lillian discovers her talents and tries to understand how to use them and come to terms with them.

As Lillian works her way from the past to the present – story by story of her life, her talent or gift evolves. With each new story there is a new aspect to her abilities and the dead also appear able to communicate better with her each time. It freshens up the plot each time.

This time I think Lillian becomes a little too convinced that she is the next Miss Marple. She ends up overestimating her detective skills and underestimating someone who is willing to kill anyone in their way.

This time Lillian tries to discover whether the famous actress Louise Hawthorne accidentally fell to her death or whether she was she pushed? Did her co-star have anything to do with it or is he a victim of unfortunate circumstances?

Ireland weaves a clear love for theatre and acting into this series. It gives the characters and scenes much more depth, because it feels alive and personal. The pleasure derived from entertaining others and experiencing the joy of acting. It plays a pivotal part in this series, which may seem like an obvious thing to say considering what the series is called, but backstage doesn’t necessarily mean you can capture the magic.

It’s a paranormal murder mystery with a nod to historical fiction. A mixture of cosy mystery with a more complex storyline weaving in and out of it.

Buy Forms of Things Unknown (Backstage Mysteries #3) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of A Walking Shadow (Backstage Mystery #1)

Read my review of Foul Deeds Will Rise ( Backstage Mystery #2)

#BlogBlitz The Raven Coven by Emma Miles

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour The Raven Coven by Emma Miles. It’s paranormal fantasy with intricate world-building.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win 3 x Paperback copies of The Raven Coven (Open INT)

About the Author

Emma Miles: ‘I presently live in the stunning county of Dorset where I’m a cat slave to Wolfe and Piglitt. I spend as much time as I can outside in nature and love exploring and learning about new cultures and languages. I’ve visited Greece, Serbia, Transylvania, Sicily and Norway as well as making several road trips around our beautiful United Kingdom. I paint, sculpt, dabble in photography and do a little archery but most of all – whenever I get a chance – I write.

My writing started from a very young age when I often found myself being the one taking charge of and entertaining all my younger cousins. They loved to hear my stories and although they mostly called for ghost stories it was fantasy I fell in love with when I read The Lord of the Rings when I was ten. I went on to write stories and short ‘books’ for my friends through school and college; then one evening whilst I was waiting for my aunt and uncle to visit an image came to my mind of a boy sitting beneath a bridge. I didn’t know who he was or why he was there, but from exploring those questions ‘The Wind’s Children’ trilogy blossomed and grew with roots going back into his far history as well as stretching out to his future. The boy’s name was Tobias.

I have since left Tobias’s world of ‘Naris’ to explore the Valley with Feather in the ‘Hall of Pillars’ which is now available through Amazon. I am now presently finding my way through Elden, the beautiful Fulmer islands, the ravaged Borrows and haunted Chem with Kesta Silene; a shamaness of sorts with a big journey ahead of her. I hope you come along to share her story and join her adventure; she needs you and you won’t regret it.’

Follow @EmmaMilesShadow on Twitter, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit emmamilesauthor

Buy The Raven Coven

About the book

Kesta had left her heart across the sea. They were at peace, her people saved from slavery, and yet… her soul was uneasy.

Chem lies in chaos, its people suffering as a result of the death of the ruling sorcerers. Refugees flee the cursed Borrows, begging for help from those they had made their enemy. A Queen unknowingly makes a dark, deadly pact, and new powers rise to fill the seats left empty by the Dunham necromancers.

Review

This is the second book in the Fire-Walker series, and I would definitely recommend reading the first book The Raven Tower. It has quite complex world-building, a lot of storylines and characters, which may seem unclear if you don’t read the first. The fact the second begins with a series of correspondence between said characters speaks even more to the need to read the first book.

Kesta makes the ultimate sacrifice by leaving the man she loves behind, but in this book it becomes clear that her sacrifice may have been a lot of hot air. Saying it is one thing, doing it is something else entirely. When she reunites with Jorrun they both realise that neither of them can bear being apart. So the trick is being able to find a way to be together, despite the opposition and obstacles.

Miles has incorporated important topics such as the oppression of women, the prejudice, fear and discrimination against those who hold elemental power and the people who appear to be the enemy. Sometimes there are grey areas, and Kesta and Jorrun have to navigate these difficulties to find a way for everyone to coexist.

It’s quite interesting how the two of them find it hard to balance the fact they are powerful in their separate universes, however when one of them steps into that of the other one of them becomes less powerful, which is probably the real reason they find it hard to agree about certain matters along the way. In this case it’s Kesta, because she finds it hard to be relegated to a secondary position, hence the real reason for her inability to understand her adopted nation.

It’s paranormal fantasy with intricate world-building. Although Miles brings everything together at the end there is always an opening to take the story forward from that point. It has a paranormal aspect to it, however I do think this has more of a high fantasy feel to it. Again, I recommend reading the first book in the series to get the full flavour of the story.

Buy The Raven Coven (Fire-Walker #2) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win 3 x Paperback copies of The Raven Coven (Open INT)

Click here to Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

#BlogBlitz A Walking Shadow by Elizabeth Ireland

Today it’s my pleasure to take part in the BlogTour A Walking Shadow by Elizabeth Ireland. It’s a murder mystery with a nod to historical fiction and interwoven with elements of the paranormal.About the Author

Elizabeth Ireland discovered her passion for theater early. After receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees in Theater, she accepted a teaching position in a vibrant performing arts department at a college in northern Illinois. For ten years, she taught, directed and ran front-of-house operations. American Theater History—particularly that of the 19th century—has always been of particular interest to her.

She has been a quarter-finalist and a semi-finalist for the Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Two of her screenplays have been optioned, but remain unproduced. Her nonfiction work, Women of Vision: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives, was published in 2008.

Her work has also been published in a collection of paranormal short stories, Paramourtal: Tales of Undying Love and Loving the Undead. She lives in metro Atlanta with her ever-patient husband, and two quirky dachshunds.

Follow @EbethIreland on Twitter, on Facebook, Follow Backstage Mystery on Facebook,Visit elizabethireland.net

Buy A Walking Shadow

About the book

In 1871, Lillian Nolan accepts a small role in Macbeth, and finally fulfills her dream of becoming an actress. That is until the renowned, but venomous, female star of the production is murdered onstage opening night. When her enraged spirit haunts the theater, Lillian is shocked to discover she can communicate with her. Offered a Faustian bargain in which she will be given talent and expertise way beyond her ability in exchange for uncovering the killer, Lillian can’t resist.

Her quest for the truth causes her to descend into the Underworld, the den of inequity below the streets of Chicago. What Lillian finds soon embroils her in a battle between her passion for performing and control over her own body as it all plays out in a supernatural game of good and evil.

About The Backstage Mystery Series

Tagline: Life upon the wicked stage can be deadly.

Set against the backdrop of the Gilded Age, the Backstage Mystery Series stars Lillian Nolan, an unconventional member of Chicago’s upper class who dreams of a career of fortune and fame in the theater. Talented and ambitious, she possesses a hidden skill which she is extremely reluctant to use—the ability to communicate with those who have died and now live in the world of “The Beyond.”

The series chronicles her adventures in which she continually becomes enmeshed in solving mysteries which often require her accessing the realm of the paranormal. Filled with an incredible cast of characters—factual, fictional, and sometimes non-physical—who either help or hinder her quest for the truth, the stories take place during a period considered to be the golden age of both acting and spiritualism in America.

Review

A young woman from a wealthy and reputable family, Rosemary, goes against the wishes of her family to pursue a career in acting, which is consider to be quite scandalous in the 1870s.

Rosemary becomes Lillian Nolan. In order to protect the reputation of her family, but it also helps to invent an alter ego of sorts who isn’t expected to abide by the stringent rules of society. The myriad of oppressive rules the female gender is governed and expected to abide by.

Although this is a murder mystery it also has a flair of historical crime fiction, because the author has incorporated a lot of historical facts about theatre, actors and the acting profession into the story. It cements the storyline of Lillian, because it explains the magical pull of the profession and the superstitious nature of those in the profession.

What’s also quite important is the history behind the ‘reputation’ female thespians used to have. Those who took to the stage were considered unsavoury, little more than disreputable women. This is the reason Lillian has to make a choice between a career on the stage or her family, because the two are incompatible.

Her decision takes on a life of its own when she becomes embroiled in a murder and subsequently makes a deal with the devil, in the shape of a ghost, to further her own ambition and to find a murderer.

I liked the approach the author took by taking the reader back in time and telling the tale as if it were a story within a story. It gives Lillian the air of telling her story as if she were performing for an audience, the theatrical side of her can’t resist I suppose.

It’s a murder mystery with a nod to historical fiction and interwoven with elements of the paranormal. The result is a compelling read, which has the air of literary fiction at times. Kudos to Ireland for capturing the allure, passion and drive of the acting profession. It’s hard to describe the magic that happens on stage, the exhilaration and pleasure derived from the magic, but Ireland does it well.

Buy A Walking Shadow at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Foul Deeds Will Rise (Backstage Mystery #2)

Read my review of Forms of Things Unknown (Backstage Mystery #3)

#BlogTour Karma by S.C. Cunningham

Today it’s the BlogTour Karma by S.C. Cunningham. It’s paranormal urban fantasy with a flair of Brit attitude.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win a Signed Copy of Karma by S. C. Cunningham (Open Internationally)

About the Author

Author of The Fallen Angels Series, Cunningham creates adrenaline-charged paranormal crime rom thrillers, with a skilled mix of fuelled tension, dark humour and pulsating sex scenes. Having worked in the industries she writes about, her novels offer a fresh level of sincerity and authority, rare in fiction.

Abducted as a child she survived. Every night for months afterward she prayed to the heavens asking for a deal. This personal journey sparked the fuse behind the intriguing and riveting fictional world she portrays in The Fallen Angels Series.  First in series The Deal is free. Standalone Book II, Karma is her latest release. She is currently working on Book III, Calling.

An ex-model, British born of Irish roots, she married a rock musician and has worked in the exciting worlds of music, film, sports, celebrity management and as a Crime Investigator for the British Police (Wanted & Absconder Unit, Major Crime Team, Intelligence Analyst, Investigations Hub).

She supports Veterans, MH and Animal causes, is the proud mother to Contemporary Artist Scarlett Raven, loves coffee, chocolate, Prosecco, shabby chic’ing and beach walks, and is owned by three soul-soothing dogs.

Follow@SCCunningham8 on Twitter, on Amazon, Amazon com, on Facebook, on Instagram, LinkedIn, on Goodreads,

Visit sccunningham.com, about sccunningham, subscribe to sccunninghams page,

Buy KarmaAbout the book

At the age of four, Amy was taken… She survived. A week later, another little girl was taken…She didn’t.

Angry that a bad man has gotten away with murder, feisty young Amy Fox makes a deal with the heavens.  When she dies, if she’s been a good girl, would they let her sit on a cloud for a while, invisible, and get the bad people who slip through God’s fingers?

Her deal and God long forgotten, career girl Amy mysteriously dies. Her lifeless body is found beneath a London underground commuter train.

She awakens in the afterlife to discover an international network of like-minded souls who’ve all made the same deal. A sophisticated MI5-esque justice machine sits in the skies. The only evidence they leave behind during their earthly visits is a small white feather sashaying to the ground.

Amy hates rules, she may be a new Angel but for how long?  Abusing her powers, lusting after her partner, avenging personal scores, protecting the underdog, dishing out unauthorized karma on terrorists, traffickers, abusers, hunters, bullies, bitches and competing Warlords will have her thrown below ground.

In a chaotic world of vendettas, jealous ex’s on her heels and powerful adversaries trying to close her Unit down, Amy has never worked so hard in her entire earthly life. She has to wonder if making the deal was a mistake.

Review

This is the second book in The Fallen Angels series. It can be read as a standalone novel, although to be completely fair the author has included plenty of information about the first book, the characters and the plot at the beginning of Karma, that it’s easy to catch up on the story. (Perhaps just a wee bit much info)

The myth or folklore of the feathers or white feathers being a sign of a visit from heaven or from an angel is a widespread one. I am sure plenty of people think there is divine intervention behind every event that looks like a miracle or lucky save.

That’s where Amy and her elite group of angelic interventionists (good name for them, eh?) come in. Amy and others of her ilk dispense a sort of justice among the living, but in a way that nobody notices. A whisper here, a suggestion there, a shove or an intervention at the right time. It makes all of the difference to those still in the realm of the living, and it just seems as if karma is happening.

I think every time Amy uses her powers to help someone in trouble she eases the nightmares hidden inside her. The dark dreams that rip her from sleep and keep her awake at night. Her childhood fears and the moments that determined her destiny.

It’s paranormal urban fantasy with a flair of Brit attitude. It’s a combo of lusty romcom and supernatural adventure written with gusto. A bawdy game of justice with every tier of the hierarchy reaching from the top of the clouds to the bottom of hell along for the ride.

Buy Karma (The Fallen Angels #2) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Books2read.

FREE at the moment: Buy The Deal (The Fallen Angels #1) at Amazon UK or Amazon com

Enter the Giveaway below to Win a Signed Copy of Karma by S. C. Cunningham (Open Internationally)

Click here to Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.*

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

It is has a gothic spooky feel to it mixed with a wee bit of horror.

The reader follows the story of two women in the same grand house. One in the distant past and the other  in the more past. Elsie’s story starts in an insane asylum charged with quite a few murders. The doctor in charge is trying to get her to communicate, because he is convinced there must be more to the story. Why would a well situated woman suddenly go off the deep end and cause such brutal mayhem?

Before ending up in the asylum Elsie is pregnant, has just recently lost her husband and is returning to his childhood home accompanied by her husband’s impoverished cousin. This isn’t exactly her choice, as her decisions are being made by her much younger brother. Her brother is more concerned about the way it looks to society and any possible scandals. Women weren’t allowed to own anything per se in that era and any property, inherited or otherwise would always fall to the men. This includes husbands, brothers, fathers and cousins.

It isn’t long before the women in the household start experiencing strange events. Footprints and messages in the dust, empty rooms suddenly become fully furnished clean ones, and peculiar wooden statues start appearing throughout the house.

A peaceful retreat turns into a fight for sanity and a fight to survive. Elsie finds herself drawn into the dark abyss of the past and the personal tragedies of the previous inhabitants of the house.

It’s a decent premise, however the execution could have been better. The companions are an excellent idea, they give the whole story a creepy vibe, and the ending is wonderfully macabre. Purcell is creative enough to pull off a great story, this one just needs a bit of a polish.

Buy The Silent Companions at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Follow @spookypurcell @BloomsburyRaven

Visit laurapurcell.com

The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry

I can imagine being fascinated by an ancestor connected to the Salem Witch Trials, especially if it’s one of the alleged witches. In this story everything revolves around the events during 1692-1693. The characters are obsessed to the point of murder.

Callie returns to the scene of the cause of her childhood trauma only to find that it is still fresh in the minds of everyone. The killer is still at large, despite the police having a suspect and plenty of theories about the why and how.

Said suspect has been suffering from mental health issues since the night of the murders. Rose is convinced all evil is caused by a banshee. A paranormal presence with a taste for blood. Are there dark powers trying to compete for control and attention or is it just the ravings of a mad woman?

To this day Salem profits from their turbulent and violent past. I can imagine it isn’t as amusing or innocent to the locals though. A little bit like Whitby being filled to the brim with goths and ghouls every Halloween, because that is where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula. It’s all fun and games until you have wannabe vampires draped over the headstones in your local cemetery.

It felt as if there was a lot going on, perhaps too much, and the red herring was brought up and beaten to death over and over again. It certainly doesn’t lack zest though.

Buy The Fifth Petal at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

The Turn by Kim Harrison

This is the very extensive prequel to The Hollows series by Harrison. Saying that I would suggest reading it after the rest of the series, as opposed to before or as the start to the series. I believe the author recommends doing exactly the same thing on her website.

Why? Well I think the prequel assumes that the reader will know the characters and where the story will eventually lead. Personally I don’t think it does The Hollow series the justice it deserves.

What the prequel does do is inadvertently shed a light on a can of worms called genetically modified crops. In this case it is woven into the deaths, extinction and survival of certain supernatural species and of course just normal old human beings.

It shows the positive side of being able to feed the world, and yet also the dangers of eating something that has had its basic code changed. Hopefully we won’t find out a century down the line.

I am still shaking my head at the whole Trisk and Kal scenario, especially the ending. If, as a new reader, you don’t know where the series ends up then it all might seem a wee bit exaggerated. If you do then you’ll probably have an aha moment or two during the read.

What Harrison does excel at is the bursts of creativity and plotting that any urban fantasy author needs to keep their audience captivated.

Buy The Turn at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.