Wednesday, February 28, 2018

“What I’m Reading” Wednesday #110

This “WIR”-Wednesday I’m between physical books and since I don’t want to start a new book until the beginning of the month tomorrow I’m listening to an audiobook instead...

See How She Dies by Lisa Jackson
Blurb:
London Danvers was kidnapped as a child from her wealthy family. Over the years, many women have claimed to be her, trying to lay claim to the long-lost heiress's inheritance. Among them is Adria Nash, who has arrived in Oregon, claiming to be London-but, unlike the others, she's different: she knows personal details only London could have known. And there is someone who does believe her-who is watching her every move, waiting to see how she runs, how she screams, and how she dies... 

Why I Chose This Book | What I Think So Far:
I liked the sound of this book and initially I had it on my Amazon to-buy-in-print-Book list but then I introduced my grandmother to audiobooks and this was one of the ones she chose. We have a household account so I just shared it to my kindle so I could listen to it to. I like the narrator’s voice, she doesn’t put me to sleep or annoy me and I’m enjoying the story so far. One thing I’m noticing though is that some of the chapters are very long. (Example: one chapter is 43 minutes long when on audiobook.) I’m eager to see how this ends though because I like Lisa Jackson’s work.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

{Release Day Blitz} Baby Daddy by Kendall Ryan

It's here! Today I'm happy to share the release of Kendall Ryan's latest novel, BABY DADDY! I can't wait to read it!


A hot and hilarious new standalone from New York Times bestseller Kendall Ryan.
We met in a trapped elevator.

Emmett was on his way to work, sophisticated and handsome in his tailored suit and tie. I was on my way to the sperm bank. Awkward, right? At thirty-five, my life hadn’t taken the path I thought it would and I was tired of waiting—I wanted a baby. And I was ready to take matters into my own hands to make it happen. After our ill-fated elevator encounter, Emmett insisted on taking me to dinner—he also insisted on something else—that I ditch my plan involving a turkey baster and let him do the job. He would be my baby daddy. He was a wealthy and powerful CEO with little interest in diapers or playdates. And since he didn’t want kids, I’d be on my own once his bun was in my oven, free to go my own way. But once his baby was inside me, it was like a switch had been flipped, and I got a whole lot more than I ever bargained for. 

This full-length standalone contains a hot, swoonworthy hero, lots of playful banter and some hot baby-making ! Enjoy. 





A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine. Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras Subscribe to Newletter Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Book Review: Darkest Night by Tara Thomas

Darkest Night (Sons of Broad #1) by Tara Thomas
Blurb:
In this first novel in the explosive, brand-new romantic suspense Sons of Broad series from Tara Thomas comes a novel of deadly secrets and hidden danger. In the sultry streets of Charleston, one family, ruled by its powerful, take-no-prisoners sons, has risen to the top. But a merciless killer is out to destroy them…and everyone they hold close…

Keaton Benedict is the notorious playboy of Charleston’s streets. The youngest brother in the ruthless clan of men that run the biggest shipping industry in the South, he’s got money to burn and time to play. But there’s one woman for whom Keaton would give up everything he has just to kiss her one more time—the beautiful girl he loved when he was just a teenager. And when he finds her waitressing at an upscale gentlemen’s club the same night as a gruesome murder of one of the dancers, Keaton knows he must do everything he can to protect her.

Tilly Brock has learned the hard way to take care of herself. Once the daughter of a wealthy, well-bred Southern family, her life fell apart when her father was accused of embezzling money from Benedict Industries—an accusation that left her family destitute, and ripped Tilly away from the only boy she knew she would ever love. But just as she slowly reenters Keaton’s world of wealth and status, an enemy of Benedict industries is out there, biding his time, waiting to make his next move…

As the killer draws Tillly and Keaton closer into his dark web, they must uncover the threat that hunts them, before it’s too late.

My Review:
A week after Tilly Brock's first kiss with her childhood best friend Keaton Benedict, her father was accused of embezzling from Keaton's father's powerful shipping industry and her family's standing in Charleston was ruined. Now back in Charleston and working as a waitress in a gentlemen's club Tilly fantasizes that one day the boy she left behind will come walking through the door - and then he does.

Keaton Benedict never forgot about Tilly Brock nor did he ever quite believe what he father was accused of. Now years later when he reconnects with her by chance and realizes their old attraction is still there and stronger than ever he knows that he doesn't want to lose her from his life again. 

But someone in the shadows has an old grudge against the Benedict family and he's targeting the Benedicts through the people they care for the most and when bodies begin dropping at their door Keaton and Tilly will have to rely on each other and the strength of the Benedict family to stop a killer before it's too late.

I really liked Darkest Night. The story draws you in, told in multiple perspectives including the mysterious "The Gentleman." Who is the Gentleman? Why does he hate the Benedict family so much?

I liked the pacing of the book although it felt too fast in places... I swear there were two or three deaths in three days. I would have drawn it out a little more. The suspense was gripping and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen, but this book doesn't give a true resolution but a lead into the second book. I'm not sure we'll get an answer as to who The Gentleman is until the third book, but I'm sure it will keep me reading the series until I find out! I loved the Benedict brothers and Tilly's relationship with Keaton, although at times some of the things he said to her were a little cheesy. 

The one thing I didn't like in this book was the Elise subplot. There's a killer after Tilly but hey, let's add in someone blackmailing Keaton into marriage just for the hell of it. It should have been one or the other or maybe Elise as the killer in my opinion. I also didn't feel like I got a true handle on Tilly's father's embezzlement. Did he do it or not? Will the answer be revealed in a future book?

Overall, I really liked this book. It reminded me of an early Carly Phillips crossed with Lisa Jackson and I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to read the next two books!

My Rating
🌟🌟🌟🌟
4 of 5 Stars!

Monday, February 26, 2018

MCM: Book Boyfriend of the Month - February

This month I fell in love with a lot of book boyfriends. The fierce warrior loyal to his people, the sexy lifeguard who becomes complicit in a murder, the broken boy-king and this one; my book boyfriend of the month...


Man Crush Monday: Book Boyfriend of the Month - February
Slate Allen

Book Slate appears in:

Why I'm Crushing:
Slate Allen is portrayed as the playboy manwhore who's only after a good time. But in reality he's a caring soul who reads to children in the sick ward of the hospital, reads to people in comas, cares about the people in his life, and is completely destroyed by his uncle's illness. I love the way he watches over Vale in this book and even when the story flips on its' head I love his chemistry with Vale. 

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Book Review: The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

The Wrath and The Dawn (The Wrath and The Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh
Blurb:
One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

My Review:
The Wrath and The Dawn was recommended to me almost a year ago by my bookstagram friend Tyffany and I bought this book and its sequel during Good Choice Reading's Virtual Signing last May but for some reason I didn't read it until now. And as I write this review I'm sitting here wondering why it took me so long because I loved this book so much.

The Wrath and The Dawn is a fantasy retelling of Shahrzad and the thousand and one nights. If you're unfamiliar with the tale its about a Middle Eastern sheikh or king or something that after being betrayed by his first wife marries a new woman every night, murdering his brides the day after the wedding but then he marries Shahrzad, who stalls him from killing her night after night (for presumably 1001 nights) by telling him a story every night but stopping in the middle of each so he'll have to wait until the next night to hear the end. And by that time the ruler has fallen in love with his enchanting bride, so he decides not to kill her at all. 

This book follows that basic storyline with a twist, Shahrzad is the best friend of one of the girls Caliph Khalid has killed and she marries the young Caliph to get close enough to get revenge for her deceased friend by killing him. But the longer she spends in Khalid's company the more she sees that he's not the monster she thought he was, but a broken soul who's being forced to kill one bride after another as an awful sort of penance. 

At the same time her childhood love is gathering forces to save Shahrzad and kill the Caliph. Can Shahrzad admit her love for the man she holds responsible for her friend's death? Or will they become casualties of the brewing war?

Like I said, I loved this book! The storytelling was great, I could see everything so clearly and I loved this reimagining of the 1001 nights story. Shahrzad is a strong female character who meets her true equal in the (not-so-) cold-hearted Khalid. I also love the minor characters we're introduced to at the palace, especially Despina. 

I saw Tariq and Shahrzad's father as villains in this book and I worry for how things will go in the next book. Will Khalid and Shahrzad get a happy ending? I can't wait to read the next book and find out!

My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
5 of 5 Stars!

Saturday, February 24, 2018

#BookTag Saturday: Catching Up Part II

Oftentimes I get hopelessly behind in my book tags on here and on Instagram, so I do a bunch of them at one time. This week I've cranked four out at once...


I was tagged by @heretherebeareader for the #shelfie tag and also for the #animalbooktag

🐶 Dog (A Book You Always Bring With You): My checkbook 😆😆
😺 Cat (Classic Tale): Northanger Abbey
🦊 Fox (A Book You Thiught Was Dull But Turned Out to Be Exciting): RoseBlood starts off slow..
🐢 Turtle (A Book You Spent A Lot Of Time Reading): Empire Of Storms
🐳 Whale (A Book w/ 500 pages or more): ACOMAF
🦁 Lion (A Funny Book): Queen Of Babble
🦄 Unicorn (1st Book You Read): The Princess Diaries? 

I was also tagged by @dogearsandcatnaps for the #top5bookishfandoms tag:

1. ACOTAR
2. Grishaverse
3. TOG
4. Royals Series
5. Stalking Jack the Ripper


And the #spellthedayinbooks tag:

S - Shadowsong
A - Anna and the French Kiss
T - Ten Tiny Breaths
U - Uprooted
R - Renegades 
D - Daylight's
A - And I Darken
Y - You Don’t Know My Name

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Book Mail of the Month: February

It's the last Thursday of February which means it's time for Book Mail of the Month. I've gotten a lot of great book mail this month so let's open my mailbox and see what's inside...



Week One (February 1-2, 2018)

Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Week Two (February 4-10)

Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh (Signed Copy + Character Cards)

As She Fades by Abbi Glines (eARC)

Week Three (February 11-17)

Shatter by Aprilynne Pike

Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones

Week Four (Feburary 18-24)

Heart of Ash by Kim Liggett

One Small Thing by Erin Watt (ARC)

Week Five (February 25-28)

No Anticipated Book Mail

Anticipated March Book Mail:
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (UK Edition)

Lost Crow Conspiracy by Rosalyn Eves (Library Hold)


Did you get any exciting book mail this month? Any new releases you just had to have? Shatter and Heart of Ash were my two big important ones for February and I'm so excited to read them.

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

EXCERPT REVEAL: Baby Daddy by Kendall Ryan

Today I'm excited to help InkSlingerPR and Kendall Ryan reveal the excerpt for her upcoming - *almost here* - release, BABY DADDY!

         


A hot and hilarious new standalone from New York Times bestseller Kendall Ryan.

We met in a trapped elevator.

Emmett was on his way to work, sophisticated and handsome in his tailored suit and tie. I was on my way to the sperm bank. Awkward, right? At thirty-five, my life hadn’t taken the path I thought it would and I was tired of waiting—I wanted a baby. And I was ready to take matters into my own hands to make it happen. After our ill-fated elevator encounter, Emmett insisted on taking me to dinner—he also insisted on something else—that I ditch my plan involving a turkey baster and let him do the job. He would be my baby daddy. He was a wealthy and powerful CEO with little interest in diapers or playdates. And since he didn’t want kids, I’d be on my own once his bun was in my oven, free to go my own way. But once his baby was inside me, it was like a switch had been flipped, and I got a whole lot more than I ever bargained for. 

This full-length standalone contains a hot, swoonworthy hero, lots of playful banter and some hot baby-making ! Enjoy.        

Amazon | Amazon.UK | Amazon.CA | Amazon.AU | iBooks

Prologue
Emmett 

I love my dick. 

That’s a fact. 

And I’m not afraid to admit he’s both my best friend and my most trusted advisor. Sure, he’s gotten me into some tight spots over the years—pun very much intended—but that’s what makes life fun, right? I wouldn’t trade our relationship for the world. He stands tall and proud . . . and when he spots something he likes? He bobs with pleasure, begging to get closer. 

And as for me? Well, I trust his judgment. Completely. He didn’t bob for the stunning and funny Laura in accounting. I knew there was a reason, and as it turns out, she’s a bit of a klepto. Three hundred seventy-two staplers kind of klepto. 

But I’m not a total douchebag, I promise. I’m just a young CEO under immense pressure, so in my downtime, blowing off steam is practically a necessity. It’s my duty to keep my dick happy, and a steady diet of beautiful women keeps us both satisfied. I do what I can to make his life as simple and as easy as possible. Plenty of no-strings sex does the trick. 

I find that when he’s well taken care of, I feel better and my brain works efficiently. Shit, my whole life just seems easier. 

It’s that simple. I love my dick, and loving my dick makes my entire life better. 

When my dick perks up in interest, begging for a taste of the woman we’re stranded with in a stuck elevator for two hours, I listen to his dirtiest wishes and ask her out to dinner. But the last thing I expect her to say is that she’s not interested in my dick. She’s just interested in the stuff inside, the stuff that can give her the baby she so desperately wants. No strings attached. 

Who am I to say no? 

Welcome to the craziest ride my dick’s ever gotten me into.
      

About the Author:  

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine. 

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras Subscribe to Newletter

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I'm No Longer Interested In Reading


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'm No Longer Interested In Reading

This week's TTT is all about books I've purchased with the full intent to read but when the time came to actually read them I'm no longer interested in reading them - or I'm on the fence on whether I actually want to read them or not.

1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

2. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
I have a friend who has bashed the Red Queen series so much and so frequently that I no longer wish to read the books. It's sad because at one point I was really looking forward to them.

3. An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
This was a pressure buy. Everyone else was reading it, so what was wrong with me that I had no interest in reading it?? I don't know.. I still have no desire to read it.

4. The Affiliate by K.A. Linda
I read the first page of this and it didn't appeal to me. I know other people love it, I just couldn't get past that first page.

5. Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis
I was excited to read this one when it first came out but I've tried reading a couple other books by this author and hated them, so I'm not sure I'll actually enjoy this one or whether I should pass on it.

6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Read this book they said. It's better than TOG they said. I'm not sure about that. I've heard rave reviews, I'm just not sure I feel like reading it.

7. The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine
I bought this one because I loved the cover but then I tried reading and disliked The Shadow Queen which makes me skeptical of this one. Was it just that particular book? Is it the author's writing? I'm not sure. I'll maybe give it a try when I whittle my TBR shelf down and have nothing else to read. (Like that will happen).

8. The Heir by Kiera Cass
Part of me wants to read this book because it's the next generation of The Selection series, but the other part of me still doesn't like Maxon from the original trilogy and might be irrationally taking it out on his daughter. Bring on The Bachelorette!

9. And I Darken by Kiersten White
I just bought this book and Now I Rise because my friend who hates Red Queen was raving about it. I have no idea why I bought these books. I held out for so long thinking I wouldn't like them. But I bought them anyway. I need a bookstagram break.

10. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris
I lost interest in this book after it was turned into a tv show. Why bother reading the book when the show will be probably way different? Plus I wasn't that fond of the Sookie Stackhouse series after book 4.

What are some books that you were excited about when you bought them but then negative reviews or just lack of interest changed your mind about reading it?

Let me know in the comments or drop me a link to your own TTT post!

Happy Reluctant Reading Bookdragons!

- 💀 Taylor

Friday, February 16, 2018

Book Review: Boy Heaven by Laura Kasischke

Boy Heaven by Laura Kasischke
Blurb:
They were seventeen, with perfect tans and perfect bodies. They planned on a joyride in a convertible on a hot summer day. They planned on skinny-dipping in a beautiful, secluded lake. They planned on making it back to camp before anyone noticed they were gone. What they "didn't" plan on was being followed by two guys in a beat-up station wagon. . . . Their day soon takes a drastic turn -- all because Kristy Sweetland smiled at the wrong time, in the wrong place, at the wrong boys.

Now the girls feel prying eyes on them all the time -- during pep practice, on the path through the woods, outside the window of their cabin. The boys are stalking them, leaving threatening notes on their beds, and watching their every move.

"Boy Heaven" is a provocative, page-turning mystery, and a must-read for anyone who loves an urban legend.

My Review:
The first time I read Boy Heaven was twelve years ago. I was thirteen and at the time this story creeped me out. Years passed and I lost track of the book but never forgot the story, eventually managing to track down a used copy online. And so as a now-twenty-five-year-old-woman I read this book for the third time.

Boy Heaven is about a girl named Kristy who attends cheerleading camp with her best friend Desiree. There they meet a redhead also named Kristi and one day decide to ditch camp and drive to a nearby lake to skinny dip. Along the way they attract the attention of two boys in a station wagon who decide to follow them. The girls decide to turn back for camp and see the boys following them so they decide to flash them. Unbeknownst to them this event causes a disastrous chain of events. Soon Desiree and the redheaded Kristi insist they're seeing the boys watching them at the camp but the other Kristy doesn't believe them, thinking they're losing their minds. 

With the help of the camp lifeguard, T.J., Desiree and Kristy discover the truth about what really happened the day they ran into the boys in the station wagon, a truth that will change all of their lives forever.

This book is an okay read. It's told in a very strange way - like you know how someone starts talking about one subject then before you know it they've off-shot into about a hundred other topics that you wonder how they were connected to the original topic to begin with. That's how this story is written. Originally it starts with a camp counsellor telling horror stories around the campfire, and the Desiree and Kristis' story is one of them then we hear the story in Kristy's perspective with a bunch of offshoots to things that happened in her past that aren't really but sort of are connected to the main story. 

It's not as eerie of a story as I thought it was as a teenager but the ending - the fate of the three girls still gives me an uneasy feeling and reminds me why I never liked telling scary stories in the dark as a kid. 

Overall, I like this book but I think there are a lot of things that could have been cut from the story. 

My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟
3.25 of 5 Stars!

Thursday, February 15, 2018

{Release Day Blitz} 20 SHADES OF SHIFTERS ANTHOLOGY

Today I'm helping RockStar Book Tours share the release day blitz of the 20 SHADES OF SHIFTERS ANTHOLOGY!


If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful box set, be sure to check out all the details below. 

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card (where Amazon is located), courtesy of author K.L. Bone and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About The Book:


Title: 20 SHADES OF SHIFTERS ANTHOLOGY 

Author: Demelza Carlton, Evelyn Lederman, ML Guida, Aidy Award, Carmen Fox, David Adams, Sascha Illyvich, Lynn Best, Lilly Cain, Emma Alisyn, Vonnie Davis, Brenda Trim and Tami Julka, Nina Croft, K.L. Bone, Natalie Jones, Kailin Gow, Moxie North

Pub. Date: February 14, 2018

Publisher: Laudanum House

Pages: 511

Formats: eBook

Find it: Amazon, Goodreads

Order now for only $1.99! Or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

20 Shades of Shifter is a limited-edition collection of new and exclusive paranormal romance novels guaranteed to suck in you from page one. 

A shape-shifting dragon must win over his reluctant mate and stop Jack the Ripper. A Fae trucker becomes allies with an MC member when trying to deliver magical motorcycles to the Fae Queen. A wolf shifter is held captive in a human research lab where he is tortured until he meets one sexy scientist. An angel risked it all to steal the elixir of life and save his mortal love’s life and over two millennia later must get her to remember she once loved an angel. These stories and many more are included in this steamy, hot collection. 

Don’t wait to read this set. It is only out for a short time before it will be gone forever! 

Demelza Carlton 
Evelyn Lederman 
ML Guida 
Aidy Award 
Carmen Fox 
David Adams 
Sascha Illyvich 
Lynn Best 
Lilly Cain 
Emma Alisyn 
Vonnie Davis 
Brenda Trim and Tami Julka 
Nina Croft 
K.L. Bone 
Natalie Jones 
Kailin Gow 
Moxie North






Excerpt from one of the books in the Box Set:
Embracing the Dragon:
The Flames of Kalleen
By: K.L. Bone

Ash fell from the sky, blanketing the charred ground like cascading snow. Amelia stretched out her fingers, finding the burnt residue cool against her pale skin, lacking the heat responsible for the land’s horrific transformation. As she searched the valley for the conflagration’s source, or any living being, toxic particles coated her lungs with each labored breath.

Normally this lush region would have been filled with the merry songs of chittering birds, and the scattering rustle of creatures hidden amid the tall grass. As she walked the field, the only sounds were the crunch of charred vegetation, and her occasional cough as her chest attempted to expel the smoke-laden air.

She scanned the horizon, seeking flames. Gloomy air surrounded her, with smoke so thick she couldn’t even discern the fire’s glow through its suffocating layers.

Amelia pushed forward, drawing shallow breaths as more particles lined her throat, turning coughs to occasional gags as she reached what should have been the forest’s edge. In place of towering trees, she found blackened stumps. Her heart skipped at the sight, her mind rejecting the ruined vision of the land she had loved.

“What happened?” she asked the desolate terrain. “What, by the gods, took place here?”

She had cherished this land with its lush shrubbery, thick enough to hide even her darkest secrets. A place all were once welcomed to enjoy shaded comfort, perfumed by the sweet scent of fresh grass and wildflowers. Now, only cooling embers remained.

When she reached the clearing’s center, a pitiful squeak drew her attention. She knelt, brushing her hand through ash and soot to find a bird chirping meekly between desperate gasps. Gently cradling the suffering creature between her hands, Amelia closed her eyes.

As though anticipating her intentions, the wren remained motionless against her palms, and its labored breathing eased.

Settling her mind upon the bird, soft-blue light emanated from between her fingers, bathing the unremarkable brown feathers in cerulean light. As Amelia’s power drew out the toxins poisoning the delicate creature, it first flapped its wings, and then flew from Amelia’s hands.

“Fly away,” she urged. “The air remains poisonous.”

The bird chirped in thanks before fluttering away, though Amelia was uncertain as to the safety of its chosen direction.

She resumed her survey of the ruined forest, helping a struggling squirrel in the same manner she had the bird. As it scampered away, Amelia stood and attempted to brush the soot from her hands, but only managed to smudge the fine black powder.

Without audible warning, orange flames surged toward her, forcing Amelia to jump to her left, rolling through the fire’s debris, hands and knees stinging as they encountered hidden rocks.

A roar resounded, shattering the unnatural silence as Amelia glanced toward the sky to face a looming figure.

Above, darker than the choking smoke, hovered an immense beast, its wingspan casting a wide shadow over her curled form. The deep purple wings had a feathered appearance, glowing with what appeared to be golden flames, though they did not burn. Instead the menacing creature’s wings fanned hotter, reminding Amelia of a forge fire amplified by a blacksmith’s bellow. From an ebony body, its back feet were hooved, but its front arms had claws similar to a bird’s, while larger talons protruded from the outer tips of both wings. A terrifying creature of utter destruction.

The dragon stared down with glinting silver eyes, glowing nostrils framing the fire within. With each methodical beat of its wings, Amelia’s blonde tresses were alternately tugged and blown back in the wash of hot air.

Fear consumed her, stole her breath, and froze every thought. She briefly considered running, but knew she would never escape the creature’s wrath.

Shakily, Amelia climbed to her feet, her blue eyes wide as she waited for her inevitable fate. The dragon’s jaws opened, flames spilling to engulf the girl below before she could even utter a scream. 

Embracing the Dragon Copyright © 2017 by K.L. Bone 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

Giveaway Details: All International


1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card (where Amazon is located), International

Ends on February 21st at Midnight EST!

Read NIGHT OF TERROR