Awaken the Darkness (Immortal Guardians #8) by Dianne Duvall
Kindle Edition, 414 pages
Publication: July 10th 2018 by Dianne Duvall
Return to the “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly) world of New York Times bestselling author Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians.
He awakens encapsulated in dirt with no knowledge of how he came to be there. Riddled with injuries, he can remember neither his past nor who he is. Nor can he remember what he is. But surely no mortal man could survive being buried deep beneath the earth. All he knows with certainty is that the soothing voice and presence of the woman moving around above enables him to endure the agony of his wounds. And he will do whatever it takes to be with her.
When Susan first sees the old two-story house for sale, such warmth and longing fill her that—against all reason—she makes an offer. It will take years of hard work and money she frankly doesn’t have to fix up the place. So she can’t explain why she bought it. She also can’t explain what compels her to spend hours one night, digging in the basement until she unearths a man. A man who still lives and breathes despite having been buried alive. A man whose intense brown eyes glow amber with pain, declaring him far more than ordinary. Susan knows she should keep her distance. He has no memory and possesses gifts that would make most fear him. But as the two work together to unravel the mystery of his past, she finds herself drawn in by his teasing nature and tender touch. So much so that she loses her heart to him even as they find themselves hunted by unknown enemies who are ruthless in their quest to capture them.
Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians series and The Gifted Ones series. Reviewers have called Dianne’s books “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly), “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “extraordinary” (Long and Short Reviews), and”wonderfully imaginative” (The Romance Reviews). Her books have twice been nominated for RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews,and/or Night Owl Reviews.
Dianne loves all things creative. When she isn’t writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she creates in her books.
For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit DianneDuvall.com. You can also find Dianne online . . .
Rachel is starting her sophomore year at Oklahoma State. She meets a friendly engineer student, Asher, but he his soon overshadowed by Liam. Liam is a man Rachel is sure stepped right out of her dreams. The more Rachel gets to know Liam the more she realizes she might be in over her head and she may need some help from Asher.
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EXCERPT
Rachel is starting her sophomore year at Oklahoma State. She meets a friendly engineer student, Asher, but he his soon overshadowed by Liam. Liam is a man Rachel is sure stepped right out of her dreams. The more Rachel gets to know Liam the more she realizes she might be in over her head and she may need some help from Asher.
Blurb: It is the winter of 1776, and Captain John Carlisle, one of His Majesty’s not-so-finest, is on a secret mission from General Howe. In an effort to win back his commission, he must discover the true nature of the relationship between the Six Nations of the Iroquois and the Colonial Army. Undercover as a war profiteer, John travels to the treacherous Mohawk River Valley and infiltrates local society, making friends with those he was sent to betray.
But a chance meeting with a beautiful half Oneida innkeeper, whose tragic history is integrally linked to his own, will provide him with the intelligence he needs to successfully complete his mission—and devastate her people. When a band of thieves thwart his plans and a mysterious adversary from his past resurfaces, hell bent on revenge, he is forced to come face to face with his demons or fail in his mission.
Now as the flames of war threaten to consume the Mohawk Valley, John has the chance to not only serve King and country, but to clear his name as well. When the truth he uncovers ties his own secrets to those in the highest positions of the British military and noble society, and threatens the very life of the woman he’s come to love, will he be forced make a choice?
T.J. London is a rebel, liberal, lover, fighter, diehard punk, and Mohawk rockin pharmacist-turned-author who loves history. As an author her goal is to fill in the gaps, writing stories about missing history, those little places that are so interesting yet often forgotten. Her favorite time periods to write in are first and foremost the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolution, the French and Indian War, the Russian Revolution and the Victorian Era. Her passions are traveling, writing, reading, barre, and sharing a glass of wine with her friends, while she collects experiences in this drama called life. She is a native of Metropolitan Detroit (but secretly dreams of being a Londoner) and resides there with her husband Fred and her beloved cat Mickey.
It is a great honor to present the revamped Award winning book, The Unholy, by Author Paul DeBlassie III!
”The Unholy, an excellent novel by Paul DeBlassie III, keeps the reader engaged throughout in mystery, suspense, and church politics. In addition to vividly depicting the beautiful landscape and culture of New Mexico, it exposes and strengthens the traditional work of the medicine women of the Southwest. I am looking forward to Dr. DeBlassie’s next book.” –Eliseo ”Cheo” Torres, author of Curandero: A Life In Mexican Folk Healing, professor, and university administrator.
A young curandera, a medicine woman, intent on uncovering the secrets of her past is forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil Archbishop. Set in the mystic land of Aztlan, The Unholy is a novel of destiny as healer and slayer. Native lore of dreams and visions, shape changing, and natural magic work to spin a neo-gothic web in which sadness and mystery lure the unsuspecting into a twilight realm of discovery and decision.
Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D. is a depth psychologist and award-winning writer living in his native New Mexico. He specializes in treating individuals in emotional and spiritual crisis. His novels, visionary thrillers, delve deep into archetypal realities as they play out dramatically in the lives of everyday people. Memberships include the Author’s Guild, the Depth Psychology Alliance, the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and the International Association for Jungian Studies.
Winner of the NYC Big Book Award, Goddess of the Wild Thing is a dramatic tale of one woman’s spiritual journey where magical happenings, unexpected turns of fate, and unseen forces impact her ability to love and be loved. Eve Sanchez, a scholar of esoteric studies, is driven into unreal dimensions of horror and hope as she encounters a seductive and frightening man, criminal lawyer Sam Shear.
Sam introduces Eve to a supernatural world in which the wicked powers of a surrogate mother’s twisted affection threaten love and life. Struggling to sort through right from wrong, frightened yet determined, Eve nears despair.
In the mystic realm of Aztlan del Sur, a mythopoeic land of hidden horrors and guiding spirits, Eve, with three friends and a wise-old woman, is caught in an age-old struggle about love—whether bad love is better than no love— and discovers that love is a wild thing.
Elizabeth cradled the cup in her hands as she sipped. Claire had just begun to feel settled into the session as Elizabeth finished her tea, set her eyes hard on Claire, and threw a poison dart, in her gravelly voice, asserting, “You are a medicine woman—of Lozen—like your mother, Claire.” The words were hate-filled, meant to wound. Despite the culture in which she had been raised, Claire considered herself a natural therapist not a medicine woman, the distinction a matter of life and death. In her mind, she had long ago made the decision that being a medicine woman like her mother meant exposing herself to evil and injury and, potentially, death. Years ago, when handed the five-foot oak staff that had belonged to her mother, Claire had angrily rejected it, refusing initiation into the way of the medicine woman. Back then, she had often had fearsome memories of being a young child in the forest, an ominous black-cloaked man assaulting her mother, and hearing her mother’s screams— a child’s nightmare.
The words of her adoptive mother, her mother’s closest friend, reverberated in her mind: “You are of Lozen—a medicine woman. A time may come when only the staff can save you.” Claire’s stomach churned. None of her patients had ever attacked her so personally. She felt the blood draining from her head and a sharp pain shooting through her eyes. Elizabeth was trying to stop her from asking anymore prying questions.
“Are you all right,Claire?” she asked after a minute, her tone laced with sarcasm and a sneer on her face, expressions Claire was sad to see.
“You did what you wanted to do, Elizabeth. You shut me down,” Claire replied evenly, holding her gaze. She felt compassion for Elizabeth, realizing that all that she had locked inside of her must be nothing short of terrifying. Elizabeth didn’t let it go, though, saying, “You are of Lozen just like she was.”
This time her sneer was even more etched into the sunbaked lines that streaked across her face.
“I’m a natural therapist, Elizabeth, not a medicine woman,” Claire replied firmly.
She heard a voice whispering, Land of the forsaken, land of the lost… bring her to me…Claire. As she ran forward, out of nowhere the two crows flew at her, scraping the air near her face with their sharp talons. Fists clenched, she struck out at one and grabbed at the other. They flew up, circled overhead, then dove, talons flaring. Unmoving, Claire placed her hands by her side and held their gaze. They fluttered above her head for a minute, then left. Claire turned and saw an eagle soaring—a healer’s spirit manifestation. Medicine women said it came only when needed, when danger lurked.
Frantically tugging away bush, bramble, and cacti, she uncovered the mouth of the seventh cave and stepped in. She had the feeling somebody was watching.
Her eyes adjusted and she made out the contour of something. Squinting, she stooped and touched what seemed to be a circle of stones and charred, cold logs. She stood up and pulled back. A bat flew at her. She waved it away.
She stopped, waited for her breathing to slow, and, stepping sideways, touched the walls of the cave. They were damp and the stink of blood and guts was everywhere. Using the hard surfaces as a guide, her fingertips suddenly brushed through a hollow space roughly the size of a human body.
Books On Fire Tours Review: It is so awesome to have a kickass read that not only empowers women but broadens your horizons. Set in New Mexico’s mythical city of Aztlan a woman takes on a very powerful man and confronts her past.
Author Paul DeBlassie III deserves more rewards for this masterpiece, because it challenges conventional beliefs. Trust a depth psychologist to grip you into a war between good versus evil, and make you research mythical versus historical .
I loved the way reality blurred with fantasy! You will never know what to expect next in this page turner.
“Mr. Paul DeBlassie III’s novel is a story about a battle between the medicine women of Aztlan (Yes, I had to look it up) and an evil archbishop. It has an ending that you do not see coming. This novel also shows the author’s vast knowledge of Aztlan’s culture and customs. A good read.” Joseph Inzirillo, Author of “The Meeting.”
“Nothing like a good religious oppression to create fanatics that follow their religious authorities to the extremes. In this very entertaining novel, Paul treats this theme with mastery.
The plot is well elaborated and it all starts with a murder witnessed by a young girl (Claire). Her mother was just killed in a mysterious way. Somehow she managed to escape with the help of wolves and a good friend of his mother takes care of her. When she grew up, she became a doctor and starts working for a hospital in the area where she was born. But she finds that the institution Ecclesia Dei has strong influence over most of the inhabitants of the area, mostly through its leader, Archbishop Anarch. Trying to dig into some mysterious facts happening in the hospital and the community, she finds that the church controls even the authorities of the city, like the police chief. And through signals and perception, she starts finding her power, inherited from her mother, a medicine woman. And with the help of her aunt and a couple of friends she tries to unveil her past and figure out what really happened to her mother. But playing with Ecclesia Dei puts everybody that she cares at risk, including herself, as she soon finds out.
The story is full of suspense and you will read it at the edge of your chair, until you turn the last page. The characters are well developed and you feel their emotions. The environment is richly described and soon you start cheering and caring for our young heroine.
I recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader who appreciate a well written novel, full of twists and suspense, which will keep them entertained for hours. It took me around seven hours to read the whole book.”
“Claire Sanchez comes from a long line of medicine women. At the age of five she was witness to her mother’s brutal murder. But since there was no evidence, they claimed Claire imagined the black cloaked man that claimed her mother’s life, and instead they believed that Lucia Sanchez had fallen victim to wolves. Now twenty years has passed, Claire has to decide if she will accept her destiny and have her medicine woman ritual done, with a fear that her mother died because she was a medicine woman or fight her destiny. The spirits are sending her warnings, will she listen before she loses everyone she holds dear?
This was an excellent good verses evil novel. It held new captivated throughout! This book has everything, there’s action, suspense, and even romance! Claire is an easy to love character, she was such a selfless person, you could easily see why Anthony loved her. Francesca, was an awesome second mother. Although she knew what Claire needed to do, she never pushed. The relationship between Anthony and Claire was so wonderful, he was such a patient guy. Archbishop Anarch was a guy you just love to hate, he was so self-centered it was unreal. This was a great book for a Friday the 13th review. If you like thrillers mixed with suspense, then this should be at the top of your TBR pile!”
Enoch wants to live an ordinary life. He’s content to lie ow, skip his college classes, and avoid committing to any one girl. But ordinary isn’t on the syllabus for Enoch because at night, he dreams of demons. Vivid dreams that leave him wanting escape more than ever. When they escape his dreams and attack him during daylight, his reality becomes a nightmare.
As he pieces together the meaning behind the encounters, supernatural creatures emerge. Demons. Vampires. Witches. Angels. And they all want something from him. In a supernatural world he never thought possible , Enoch uncovers a secret that either will destroy him or force him to become much more than he ever wanted.
Priscilla’s caught by her enemy, abandoned by her family, and betrayed by her dragon lover. But she refuses to stay down. Driven by her need for revenge against all who’d forsaken her, Priscilla struggles to escape her captors.
Samantha Lee is the Author of “The Rise of The King,” a book that reached the top 100 on Amazon, she lives in Phoenix, Arizona and is often found reading or listening to a book. She writes to entertain both herself and her readers. When she is not writing she is spending time with her twins, who keep her thoroughly entertained.
When I met Rafe Morelli, he didn’t look like the biggest mistake I’d ever make; he seemed closer to the crime family version of Prince Charming. Charismatic, beautiful, and attentive—with an intoxicating air of power—Rafe was the stuff of my darkest fantasies.
What we had should have been a simple fling, no-strings-attached. My hot weekend with the sexy, dominant Vegas boss—a harmless memory to replay once I returned to my quiet, predictable life.
One tiny hitch in that plan: a panty-melting memory isn’t all he left behind. Now the stakes have changed, and I’m faced with a potentially life-altering decision. Do I stay away and enjoy my status as the only woman in known history who has played in the Morelli flames without getting burned, or do I risk everything and step back into the fire?
BOOK 1 OF 3 IN THE VEGAS MORELLI TRILOGY.
Can be read if you have not read the original Morelli family series, but this trilogy will have spoilers for that one.
Sam Mariano loves to write edgy, twisty romantic reads with complicated characters you’re left thinking about long after you turn the last page. Her favorite thing about indie publishing is the ability to play by your own rules! If she isn’t reading one of the thousands of books on her to-read list, writing her next book, or playing with her adorable daughter… actually, that’s about all she has time for these days.
Genre: Women’s Fiction | Drama | Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
When a child is born they’re a blank canvas. A canvas that is later molded by the influences of the world around them. Those influences determine that child’s future, but they are not always kind. Some of those children will enter adulthood easily, unscathed by the harshness of life, but for others, that journey is not an easy path to follow. And then there are those, whose journeys are cut short. He only ever wanted ….. to fit in. He only ever wanted ….. to be included. He only ever wanted ….. to have friends. Alec never wanted for anything. His parents made sure of that. But, what Alec desperately wanted, they couldn’t buy. He just wanted to be normal…….. He could never see what the rest of us could. Smart. Funny. Good-looking. Sensitive. Alec only saw what his mind wanted him to see. And believed the false truths it told him. BUT, I won’t allow him to become one of the lost, and when the clouds clear after the rain, I WILL make him see that he is everything WE believe him to be, and so much more……..
Lying before me in a sterile hospital bed is the love of my life, my husband; a man whose fragile soul has been at the mercy of that very same evil, vile creature for as long as he can remember. A man who always put the needs of others before his own, regardless of the cost to his own personal welfare. Or, he did, until three days ago when he decided that the people closest to him, the ones who love him unconditionally, would be better off if he were dead.
For nearly thirty years I have stood beside this man before me, watching as an unseen evil devoured him, digging its claws in, slowly destroying him. As I take Alec’s cold hand, I am hit with a barrage of memories – both happy and sad – of our life together. In retrospect, even the photos that line the walls of our family home show the face of a tormented man fighting an internal battle to stay in control. Unfortunately, fighting day in and day out, year after year, against something that powerful becomes tiring and eventually, it can take its toll.
As I look at Alec’s pale face while he sleeps so peacefully in his coma, I wish I could find what triggered his decision to end his life. Or, at the very least, when he reached that point of no return. Understanding his reasons is all I’ve been able to think about for the past three days since we found him unresponsive in our backyard. His empty medication bottles and the bottle of Jack Daniels lying beside him were apparent signs my husband had finally lost his battle.
Author Bio:
Stacey Johnston was raised in Perth, Western Australia. She is a wife and mum to four children. Having been an avid reader most of her life, Stacey finds herself most at ease when she can lose herself in stories of romance and mystery. Stacey has a creative way of bringing suspense into her stories which keeps her reader hanging onto every word to find out how it ends.
After traveling the country with her aunt, Genesis Berkley finally feels like she is home. Settling in Tillamook, Oregon, she begins a new life and everything seems to be going smoothly. That is, until she runs into a mysterious young man.
The feelings that he awakens are unsettling, and soon, her simple, peaceful world shatters. Lies and secrets are revealed, and danger lurks in every corner.
Now, Genesis must discover if she is strong enough to fulfill her destiny. Will she learn to accept the truth before it is too late?
Genesis Berkley’s place in this world is more confusing now than ever. After struggling for months to bring her aunt’s murderer to justice, she feels lost in the turmoil that his death has solved nothing. To make matters worse, the love of her life has gone, leaving in shame. Disappointment sets in and Genesis must find her way back to herself. Only the acceptance of who she must become will set her free.
Liam Volkov is on the run. He has become the monster that Genesis fears they all are. The love and trust between them is broken. The only way to free himself from the agony of becoming someone he hates is to face the consequences of his actions. He must cleanse himself for redemption.
With the prophecy looming over them, they find themselves at a crossroad. Can they learn to accept their fate and find their way back to one another or will their path lead to destruction?
I was nothing, a washed up,useless nobody to them. The angered look that permanently etched my face wasn’t new for any of them. The resting bitch face was something that defined me, Davina, the spoiled, unhappy, selfish brat. I suppose they were right about that . I really wasn’t a happy go lucky girl. I didn’t carry around a cheery disposition. I didn’t grow up showered with love and affection or dolls and ponies. I wasn’t a pampered princess like that.
Heather Girton has been a creative writer since her childhood, writing creative stories and poems for the love of imagination and literacy. It started out as an outlet for personal struggles and a way to cope with them through fictional fantasy and turned into a passion and need to share her aspirations with the world. She has always been passionate about storytelling and impressed by the influence it has on people and the decisions they make in life. It wasn’t until 2013 that she decided to share her talent through fictional novels due to the encouragement from her family and friends.
Since graduating high school in 2006, Heather as spent the last eleven years being a dedicated mother and military spouse. In that time she nurtured a family of four children all while traveling the country following her husband’s career. She spent the last five years working towards her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Sociology. She has done volunteer work with grief support organizations gaining experience with her field of study.
Currently Heather lives in Texas with her husband, children, support dog, and lazy cat. She is an avid reader and loves it as much as she adores writing. She spends her free time sharing her devotion for it with her children. When she isn’t reading. writing or focusing on her family, Heather has a personal admiration for photography.
Blurb: This boxed set features the entire Heroes of Arcania trilogy.
Heroes of Arcania: SuperNova, Book 1
Sometimes the villain must create the hero.
The streets of Arcania are overrun with crime, deteriorating as a madman named Fortune makes himself at home. He shows no mercy, striking down anyone in his path – including Nova Benson’s little sister. Devastated, Nova vows to seek justice for her family, but aside from her freak strength and impenetrable skin, how is she supposed to stop a monster like Fortune?
Cole Warner wants to help people. Entrusted to keep his family’s secret, he’s also frustrated at having to hide his gift. He knows he could do more to help in the fight against Fortune. If he could convince his sister Penelope to join him, they might even have a chance at beating him. When Cole meets Nova, he realizes his whole world is about to change. And he’s going to welcome it with open arms.
Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan.
Then again, neither was becoming a superhero.
Heroes of Arcania: Fortune’s Favor, Book 2
Not all villains can be defeated.
Nova will learn it takes more than sheer strength to be a superhero. Her world implodes when Fortune strikes back for all the trouble she’s caused. His dangerous games put everyone around her at risk, especially when he decides to turn Arcania against its precious Heroes. Nova wants to protect Arcania, but how does she save a city that doesn’t want her help?
Cole has no idea how to deal with his sister Penelope, especially now that she’s learned the truth about their family secret. Thanks to Fortune, she’s headed down a dark path, one with no return. Torn between helping Nova and protecting his sister, Cole will be forced to make a choice. Tensions rise as Cole and Nova discover war will come to Arcania if they don’t get Fortune off the streets…or preferably six feet under.
Nova and Cole might have each other, but will they lose everything else in their mission to save Arcania?
Heroes of Arcania: Unbreakable, Book 3
True heroes refuse to be broken.
Nova started the fight against Fortune for simple revenge, but now it’s turned into something much bigger. Arcania’s criminals are at each other’s throats, putting the city right in the middle of a warzone. She’ll have to work with a few unlikely allies to end Fortune’s games once and for all. Nova thought she understood what it meant to be a superhero, but will she have to lose herself to truly defeat Fortune?
Fortune has given Cole a choice, one with unbearable consequences. When Cole takes matters into his own hands to save his sister Penelope, he realizes too late he’s another pawn in Fortune’s games. Fortune will use Cole’s gift against his enemies…including Nova. Cole will have to become the hero he always wanted to be if he’s going to protect the love of his life.
Nova and Cole could finally save Arcania from Fortune’s deadly games, but are they willing to sacrifice each other?
Liz Long is a proud graduate of Longwood University and author of ten novels. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her day job as Associate Editor includes writing for a magazine publisher in Roanoke, VA. She is also the director of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference and the annual Roanoke Author Invasion.
Comic book readers and fans of CW Network smash hits Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Netflix’s Daredevil will root for Liz Long’s bestselling YA summer series as the HoA’s gifted teen superheroes attempt to save their city from its impending demise. The Donovan Circus series has best been described as “X-Men meets the circus.” Adult horror story Witch Hearts tells the tale of a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. New Adult PNR A Reaper Made is about a teen Reaper who gets caught between falling in love or saving her sister’s soul. All titles are available for paperback or ebook on Amazon.
To learn more about Liz (including more information on her books, plus writing, marketing, and social media tips), visit her website: http://lizclong.com.
