Moonless, Realms Faire, In Lord Shadow's House, part 3

Today, I am beginning with a review of Crystal Collie’s debut novel, Moonless. The book is set to be released in three days, but I (aren’t I lucky?) received an ARC in exchange for this review.

First off, thanks Crystal for sharing this with me. I’m a sucker for stories with authentic romance at the core of the tension, and this was certainly it. From the very beginning you’re caught up in Alexia’s world(s), which are both elegant and horrifying.  What I liked most, besides the romance of course, was the peeling back of the story. You discover along the way that things are not what they appeared, including Alexis herself.  Great job Crystal!

Alexia’s nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the Soulless. 

MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.

Goodreads | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes and Noble

 

It all begins today! The Realms Faire:

 

Realms Faire Line Up

  

Events I will be participating in:
 

Masquerade Parade

 

• Angela Brown

Attend the Masquerade Ball, guess who the masked writers are before they’re revealed.

Prizes will be drawn everyday for each day’s attendees who comment on Angela’s event.

Dueling Boards 

 

• Cas Webb

How will the matchups between dueling writers turn out? You decide. Winners drawn each day from the comments.

The Joust

For those of you who want to know, my key words are Sir Burns, Newstead, and enchanted, put these words on your comments for the joust this week!

M. Pax

Can anyone beat the 2012 champion, Ghost Knight? Angela Brown turned out to be a formidable opponent.

Prizes will be awarded everyday to those who cheer on the knights in the comments. The names will be thrown into a hat and randomly drawn by my Husband Unit.

The Rules: A knight scores a point by the crowd using her/his words of valor. Up to three points can be scored per comment. A commenter can cheer up to three times a day. Each comment gives them an entry into that day’s drawing for prizes. Grand prize at the end of the week.

Commenting will be open from 3:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. US eastern time each day. All winners will be announced Monday, November 18th.

The knight with the most points wins a year of promotion in the sidebar of my site, including their badge, link to their website and a scrolly featuring their books. Other prizes include an M. Pax paperback of choice and chocolate.

The 10 Knights:

• Star Knight
• Lady Mary
• K.E.N.
• Lady Elson
• Sir Burns
• Xanthus Ehrensvard
• Ghost Knight
• Lady of the Lab
• Sir Elias Gargarin Tavish
• Lady Patricia Lynne

Come check out are wares! 

 

 

And finally, my latest installment of In Lord Shadow's House.

 

Read part one here

Read part two here

 

Part three

 

Jarius, shattered and broken, turned to finish his walk to his place of trade. For the first time in nary a year, thoughts of Bridget O’Fallen did not fill his head.

     The man that both he and she had ignored became alive again and fell into line behind him.

 

Jarius, although a man of trade, did extremely well for himself.  He owned his own estate, and even had plans for a second in town. He was well liked, but more importantly he was well respected. More than one young lady saw him as a most eligible bachelor, and several more mothers had already claimed him for their daughters.

     All this being true, Jarius was still unhappy. The tawny locks and bright smile of a certain coffee maiden kept his mind otherwise engaged, so as to always keep him from being content. This was noticed at once by the man who followed him to his warehouse.

     Jarius had just settled at his desk when a knock came on his door.

     “It is open,” he called, not looking up from the papers before him. Jarius was often engaged with matters of business, so it did not occur to him that this person might be of some interest.

     The door opened and in stepped a tall man that Jarius swore he’d never seen before in his life, although that was not true; he passed him by nearly every day, and indeed had stood next to him just that morning.

     “May I help you, sir?” he asked, rising to his feet.

     The man smiled. “No, but I believe I can help you.”

     Jarius blinked, unsure of what matter of address this was.

     “I will take it from your silence that you wish me to continue,” the man presumed, not entirely incorrectly.

     “My name is Jethro Taylor, and I have something I wish to pass on to you.”

     Jarius’s eyes narrowed, taking the man in.

     It was fortunate for Jarius that for the first time in a year, his head was not full of a certain young lady, because at that moment he needed all the use of his faculties.

     The man standing before him was tall and broad shouldered, not what one would call a gentleman, but still there was a certain presence about him. He had money, wither old or new, Jarius could not determine, but from the look of his woolen trench coat and his polished new boots, money was certainly not on the list of this man’s concerns.

     But more than any of that, the man appeared eager. He was leaning forward, rocking slightly from side to side, as if the meeting was of vital importance to him. Jarius noted that and wondered why, if it was for his good, was this man so eager to give it?

     “Proceed, sir,” Jarius said, after a few moments of silence.

     The man smiled, seeing his victory already half won. “I am here on an errand of the most delicate of natures,” he said, stopping to weigh the mood in the room. Satisfied, he continued, “All of us want things, and for each of us those things are different.”

     Jarius nodded, picturing bright eyes and smooth creamy skin.

     “But is there one thing that stands out from the rest? Is there one thing that you desire more than anything else?”

     Jarius nodded as the picture completed itself in his head.

     “What if I told you that you could have that one thing?”

     Jarius licked his dry lips. “Anything,” he whispered. “I would do anything.”

 

 

 

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The Newstead Project

by Melanie Schulz

Giveaway ends November 29, 2013.
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