Tuesday 5 November 2013

Outcast by Kiru Taye

Book Release Blitz
Outcast
Sacred Amulet, part one
Kiru Taye

Tags: Paranormal / Fantasy / Romance

Out November 1, 2013
Available from Amazon

FREE Kindle Download from November 2 to 6
Available for $0.99 / £0.77 afterwards until 30 November 2013.

Blurb

Ugo’ji is an outcast, an untouchable. She lives on the fringe of society as the lowest of the low, a living sacrifice to the gods. The only person she interacts with is her aged grandmother Nne who nurtures her powerful gift of healing. Until the day she meets Ebube a strange warrior to their lands. He  ignites a yearning within her she's unable to ignore.
Ebube is drawn to the young maiden with the emerald green eyes who possesses the body of a goddess and the healing touch of an angel. But he is forbidden from mating with a human and the consequence is the wrath of the gods.
Moreover he is on a mission. If he fails, the gates of hell will be opened and the earth plunged into darkness. He cannot stay and she cannot go with him.


Excerpt


Help me...Do whatever it takes...Keep the gates of Alammuo sealed.
Darkness tugged at him and threatened to pull him into its murky depths. With a jerk, Ebube sat up on his pallet. The creaking wood and thumping of his heart echoed in his acutely responsive ears.
Danger seeped from the nightmare he couldn’t remember into the air, leaden and oppressive. His breath heaved as he choked, his throat clogged with the fetid stench of death.
On reflex, he extended his right arm, grabbing the scabbard he always kept within reach, the pitch shadow no hindrance for his sharp eyesight. As a leopard-shifter, his vision was excellent, night and day. He didn't need to look at his hands to see the extended claws. Sharp tips dug into his palm. He ignored the sting and his awkward grip on the carved wooden hilt of the single edge sword.
His beast came to the fore, clawing to take over, an instinctive response to potential threats. Muscles tensed, Ebube fought the shift. Sweat streaked down his body in rivulets. He swiped his face with his left palm, stopping the liquid from dripping into his eyes.
Sweeping his gaze across the large, airy chamber of his sparsely-decorated home, he sought the source of danger setting off his internal alarm.
Apart from the raised bamboo sleeping platform covered in padded deer hide and the wooden trunk that stored his personal belongings, the only other items were his tools of warfare – his spears, shields, machetes and scabbards. They hung on the single-rung mantel against the burnt-umber rock wall, gleaming with polish and sharpness, ready for use.  Undisturbed.
A tingle ran up his spinal column, the way it always did when he sensed something out of place. Something terribly wrong. He swung his legs around. Cool unglazed stone flooring met his bare feet. The muscles on his back tensed, primed for action. Slowly, he stood to his full height and walked through the room.
His home consisted of two chambers, one for sleeping and the other for entertaining guests. Though as a guardian, a special warrior of the gods, he could live as luxuriously as the gods did, they had agreed communally to live as simply as humans of the era so as not to draw attention to themselves as supernatural beings.
Nothing was out of place in his rooms, no stray, malevolent being in the vicinity. Yet the tingling in his bones didn't dissipate. When he found nothing inside, he grabbed the wooden knob, opened the door and walked onto the corridor linking his residence to the rest of his family's. Their homes were hewn out of Amauwa rocks, a hill range in the middle of the rain forest.
He stopped in front of the last house, the tension on his shoulders increasing. Nothing lurked inside it, living or inanimate. Yet the memory of the previous occupant flooded his mind, hitting him low in the abdomen, spreading pain through his body. Gritting his teeth, he shook his head and turned his back to the building and its unwelcome memories.

About Kiru

A lover of books, as a teenager Kiru Taye used to read novels under the blanket during lights-outs in boarding school. These days, with a young family to take care of, she's still sacrificing sleep for the pleasures of a good book.
During the day though, she transforms her wildly vivid imagination into sensual, atmospheric romance stories with passionate characters.
When she’s not writing or reading, she'd hanging out with family and friends or travelling. Born in Nigeria, she currently lives in the UK with husband and children.
You reach her via her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Pinterest
Follow her blog for latest news and giveaways: http://kirutayewrites.blogspot.com
Read book excerpts and free short stories on her website: http://www.kirutaye.com

Contest

Kiru is giving away 2x $5 Amazon gift cards or paypal cash and 5x ebooks of the follow-up story Sacrifice. Complete the rafflecopter to enter the prize draw.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday 4 November 2013

Under the Alpha's Protection Promo and Review

Love Bites and Silk Blog Tour Organisers have given me the privilege to promote and review "Under the Alpha's Protection" written by Doris O'Connor.

Blurb:

Nikita Ashton and Raoul Saint Germain have been friends for five years, so when Nikita is attacked, there is only one place she can run to—straight into Raoul's arms.

Raoul is the Alpha of his pack and he is furious that the woman he loves has been harmed on his territory. Were it not for the fact that Nikita does not believe in anything even remotely paranormal, his wolf would have claimed her aeons ago.

Nikita is in need of tender, loving care, not his baser needs that are threatening to overtake him.
However, when Nikita admits that she knows about his being in the lifestyle, the Dom in him cannot resist the challenge to make her his submissive.


Blissfully happy in their new Dom/sub relationship, everything changes when Nikita is kidnapped. Can Raoul get to her in time to save her life?



Excerpt:

"We will have to have a conversation about this warped self-image of yours soon, but now is not the time or the place. You're a beautiful woman, Nikita, and anyone saying otherwise will have me to answer to. Now drop the robe and stop stalling, before I have to drag you to the hospital to get these properly checked over."
Nikita tensed at the mention of the hospital, and he chuckled.
"I'm not going to any damn hospital. You can't make me." She glared at him over her shoulder, and he quirked an eyebrow at her in that irritatingly superior way of his that always turned her insides aflutter. She dropped her gaze to his throat instead and immediately wished she hadn't. This close she could see him swallow, the movement of his Adam's apple strangely erotic, and her fingers itched to trace the veins down to the thatch of dark hair she could just about see in the V of his polo shirt. A shirt that clung to his muscular frame and only served to outline the bulging biceps, as he raised an arm to brush his dark hair out of his eyes. He was in need of a haircut, his hair longer than she had ever seen it, the perfect length to grab hold and…
Nikita bit her lip and shut her eyes for a second at the wayward direction her thoughts were taking.
"You know I hate hospitals. I don't ever want to go back there."
Hospitals meant death and grief, and she had sworn on her mother's death bed that she would never set foot in that place again, if she could help it. Unbidden, the tears fell as they always did when she thought of her mum, her grief still as fresh and raw as it had been two years ago.
Raoul made a rough sound in the back of his throat, and then his hands were cupping her face, his thumbs wiping away her tears.
"I'm sorry, squirt. That was thoughtless of me," he said.
She forced her eyes open, and the quiet compassion she saw in his azure gaze made her cry harder.
"No, I'm sorry. It's been two years. You'd think I wouldn't go into meltdown mode every time the hospital is even mentioned. Whoever said time is a great healer is a blasted liar, and I'm such a goddamn watering pot. Dammit, I'm sorry. That's the second time today I got you all wet."
Raoul laughed—a deep belly rumble that trembled through her until she had no choice but to smile back at him. He always managed to do that to her. One of the many reasons why she loved him.
Her heart clenched painfully, as the truth dawned on her. She did love him, and sometime over the last five years, that love had blossomed and deepened, until she couldn't imagine her life without him in it. Nikita wanted more, so much more, but he was her friend and only saw her as the little squirt he always pulled out of one scrap after the other.
"Don't you worry about me, squirt. Now drop that robe and hold still while I see to these."
Nikita did so, and a tense silence fell between them, only interspersed by their combined breathing. She winced a few times, as his nimble fingers smeared the ointment over her wounds, and he murmured his husky apologies. His hot breath skittered across her slick flesh, and Nikita swallowed her groan.
"What's in that stuff?" she finally asked to break the tension and to distract herself from the tingles of awareness his touch created.
"Oh, this and that. It's an old family recipe. It aids the healing process and staves off infection. Works better than any of that new fandangled mumbo jumbo as my grandfather would have said."
She heard the wistful note in his voice and turned slightly to see his expression. The action exposed her breasts, and she made a hasty grab for the robe to pull it up over her front. Again, Raoul's hands on her tightened and then released. He hastily wrenched his eyes up to her face and sat back on his haunches, before straightening up. She hadn't realized that he had been kneeling on the floor behind her, and the thought of this big strong man on his knees for her made her feel quite light-headed.
Raoul wiped his hands on the hand towel and then screwed the lid back on the old-fashioned jam jar that held the family ointment.
"We'll have to reapply that several times more overnight, for maximum effect, so I'm afraid you're stuck here with me for the foreseeable future."
"I don't want to impose on you, if—"
"Don't be an idiot." He cut off her protest with a wave of his large hand. "If you think for one minute that I would let you walk out of here, after what almost happened to you tonight, then you're insane. You're staying right here with me. You can take the bed, and I'll sleep on the couch."
"You can't sleep on the couch." The thought of his six foot five frame sandwiched on this couch was ridiculous. "You're far too big. I'll take the couch. I can't turf you out of your own bed."
"And you can't sleep on the couch. Your back needs tender care. It's not up for discussion. You're on my bed."
He crossed his arms and clenched his jaw, but Nikita was in no mood to back down from this. She could be just as stubborn if she had to be.
"Fine, then you'll sleep in there with me. I'm sure a man with your reputation has a nice big bed, and I won't take up much room at all." Her voice wavered slightly as his face grew murderous, but she plowed on regardless. "So that's sorted then."
"This is far from sorted." Raoul was growling again, and Nikita thanked the universe she was still seated, as she very much doubted her legs would have been able to carry her right now. He bent, putting his hands either side of her on the back of the couch, until she had to lean backwards to escape him.
"What reputation, squirt?"

Author Bio:

Glutton for punishment would be a good description for Doris... at least that's what she hears on an almost daily basis when people find out that she has a brood of nine children, ranging from adult to toddler and lives happily in a far too small house, cluttered with children, pets, dust bunnies, and one very understanding and supportive husband. Domestic goddess she is not.

There is always something better to do after all, like working on the latest manuscript and trying not to scare the locals even more than usual by talking out loud to the voices in her head. Her characters tend to be pretty insistent to get their stories told, and you will find Doris burning the midnight oil on a regular basis. Only time to get any peace and quiet and besides, sleep is for wimps.

She likes to spin sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get. From contemporary to paranormal, BDSM to F/F, and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.

I just have to comment. Mother to nine kids. Wow! You are marvellous, Doris!

Stalking Links:


Review of Under the Alpha's Protection:




I was given this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

Nikita has just been accosted by strange creatures in the night. For a woman who doesn’t believe in paranormal, she is rather shaken. Her instincts take her to her friend, Raoul’s home. He’s furious to see her so hurt and nurses and comforts her. Raoul is a shape-shifter werewolf. He’s very alpha and very sexy and has loved Nikita for so long. She’s loved him, too, but both are afraid to admit feelings to their friend. Raoul is afraid Nikita will push him away if she discovers who he really is.

Sparks begin to fly as he shields her in his home. They succumb to their love for one another. Raoul isn’t only a shape-shifter but also a dom. When Nikita submits to his charms, she also submits very smoothly to his role as dom and her as sub.

Nikita isn’t out of danger yet. A rogue hybrid werewolf-vampire is after her and wants to destroy her. When he eventually finds her, Raoul has the hardest fight of his life on his hands. Can he save her from the worst possible destiny yet? In saving her, will he lose her love as she discovers who he is?

Wow! All I can say is I was blown away by this book. I’ve read erotic romance before but to be honest, have never gone the paranormal route. My fascination with vampire movies stirred my interest in this book plus my curiosity about the BDSM part as that’s rather new to me, too. The author has converted me to a new genre.

I so enjoyed the action in the book. She had me on my toes. Her ability to make us feel the suffering of one of her characters is phenomenal. The sex was hot, fascinating, and heart-touching.

This is a short, impactful read with tight prose and dialogue and strong visualisation and sense of emotion.
I have to admit I didn’t like all the swearing in the dialogue and thought there was too much to be necessary but that minor problem did not put me off the book.

A beautiful romance filled with suspense, action and intrigue and interspersed with amazing sex scenes. A book hard to put down.