Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway – Shadows of Nightshade by Lyla Oweds.

18th Mar 202318th Mar 2023 / dianasbookjournal / Leave a comment

This is my post during the blog tour for Shadows of Nightshade by Lyla Oweds. Shadows of Nightshade is a ghost story for romance and tragedy lovers.

This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 13 till 26 March. You can see the tour schedule here.

Shadows of Nightshade (The Garden of Eternal Flowers #1)
By Lyla Oweds
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Paranormal Horror
Age category: Young Adult/ New Adult
Release Date: 8 March 2023

Blurb:
I dream of a time where I was warm, safe, and loved.

But my waking reality is starkly different.

Anxiety plagues me and spirits haunt the shadows. No matter how fast I run, I can’t seem to escape my past.

The only solace and steady force in my life is my best friend, Finn.

And now… there’s a ghost haunting me. And I’m not certain if it wants help or if it wants to kill me. There’s only one person who can understand: Finn’s brother, Damen.

However, in reaching out, I’m betraying Finn and setting things into motion that cannot be undone.

But nobody ever said that doing the right thing was easy.

The Garden of Eternal Flowers is a re-envisioning of my Grimm Cases series. Eternal Flowers has taken my original vision of Bianca’s story and transformed it into something new and beautiful. Some chapters are similar, and some dialogue is the same, as The Grimm Cases, Origins, but overall, about 75% of the book has been entirely revisioned with new plot points, mystery, and interpersonal relationships. Also, unlike Origins (originally a Wattpad release), there is now a clear beginning, climax, and conclusion in each individual novel, which allows them to be read alone or as part of the ongoing series.

I hope that you will enjoy Shadows of Nightshade as much as I enjoyed writing it. Truly, it is an honor to write about Bianca and her boys, and all of these characters are near and dear to my heart.

Trigger Warning: This series deals with the aftermath of severe childhood trauma.

Links:
– Goodreads
– Bookbub
– Amazon
– B&N
– Kobo
– Radish

Excerpt 1: I wasn’t sure why he thought he deserved any special rights to my time, but it was obvious that he believed he could do whatever he wanted. How did he become so arrogant? I opened my mouth to respond—which would probably have ended with me embarrassing myself—but nothing escaped. I stared at him, my heart racing, as I stood speechless. Then laughter—close enough for me to pick up—drifted over from the next row. The sound shattered the enchantment cast over me—how could I have forgotten our position—and my face burst with heat. How would this scene appear to anyone passing by? Damen’s eyes glinted mischievously. He must have had the same realization. “Let me go,” I hissed. But my whispered venom only encouraged him, and he smiled. My traitorous heart began to beat faster. “Someone might see us!” “Really?” His grin grew wider. This was the expression he’d had when we first met. “Then it’s fine if we don’t get caught? Consider it noted.” “No!” I was internally screaming, even though my words were a weak protest. “You can’t play around with students anyway.” Not that it mattered there’d be no games between us—ever. “You’re basically a professor.” “Ah.” He ran his finger down my cheek and I shivered. “But you’re not my student. I can’t help it.” His lips dipped slightly, and he tilted his head as his gaze continued to hold mine. “You’ve taken root in my mind.” How idiotic. I would bet my shoes that he said that to everyone. “Why are you so annoying?” I gritted out. Plus, what even was that line? It sounded like something from a cheesy romance novel. I’d be shocked if that ever worked for him in the past. Finn’s stupid, horny brother. He could go flirt with someone else. I didn’t even remember why I wanted his help anymore, because no matter how much I wanted to lean into his touch or melt under his scorching gaze, I wanted to poke him in the eyes that much more. What a quandary.

About the Author:
Lyla Oweds is a paranormal / urban fantasy author who resides in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania with her husband, children, and animals. While she enjoys all genres of fiction, she has a deep appreciation for fantasy, romance, mystery, crime, and horror. Lyla has a bachelor’s in anthropology and will be completing her master’s in information technology in 2023.

Writing is her moonlighting passion, and she loves having the opportunity to share her perspective as a disabled (profoundly hard of hearing) woman. During the daylight hours, Lyla works as a principal / lead design and development specialist focusing on user experience and accessibility. When not working, Lyla is usually indulging in one of her many hobbies such as amusing her children, gardening, crocheting, interior decorating, baking, cooking, or playing video games.

Author links:
– Website
– Facebook
– Instagram
– Amazon
– Goodreads

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Shadows of Nightshade. One winner wins a paperback copy of Shadows of Nightshade.

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Book Tour and Giveaway – Now and Always by C.J.Burright.

4th Feb 2023 / dianasbookjournal / 3 Comments

Hearts and Haunts Book 1

Paranormal Romance

Date Published: 01-10-2023

Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Romance may not be all that awakens while two best friends renovate a mansion rumored to be haunted.

If you kiss your best friend…

Halloween-loving Ren needs a new job. The only problem? The sole accountant opening in her small town requires construction experience, which are skills she lacks. Luckily, her best friend Leo— sexy, grumpy and completely off limits— is a construction hotshot. Their relationship is perfect as is, and, despite the intense chemistry, Ren refuses to ruin it with romance. Leo agrees to teach her, with one condition— she must live on site with him… and somehow survive the temptation.

You’ d better be sure…

Skeptic, sword-swinging Leo has loved Ren since she mistook him for a hardware employee in the plunger section two years ago. While he took his time winning her trust, she caged him in the friend zone. He’ s done hiding his feelings, and living together— working, sleeping, playing— at the Gothic mansion he’ s renovating will convince her that best friends make the best lovers.

It’ s meant to be forever.

Ren resolves to resist Leo, even if he bends every rule. Discovering the mansion’ s secrets— and lingering spirits, no matter what Leo claims— offers distraction enough. But with her defenses splintering, one kiss is all it takes to shatter every boundary, one night of passion to believe in happily ever after… and one crumbling letter of unrequited love to awaken ghosts forgotten. If Ren and Leo can’ t piece together the past for two lost souls, they might lose more than their hearts.

EXCERPT :

Before the lunch hour had hit on Monday, Karen visited human resources, applied her saved vacation and personal time off so she could work part-time. She used Tuesday and Wednesday to finish up bookwork. Thursday at noon, she ditched the office and packed her suitcase. She made it to the gravel driveway leading to the Granton estate in time for afternoon cocktails. The mighty iron gate leading to the mansion, locked every time she’d driven by before, was opened wide in welcome.

Excitement shivered through her as she drove through the gate, and the crowding trees offered new glimpses of the building’s pointed, Gothic gables. Diamond-paned windows flashed like waterfall spray in sunlight, liquid and magical. The woods opened up into a roundabout drive circling a cracked, dry fountain and she got her first full look at the mysterious GrantonHall.

“Wowza.” Karen parked her car beside Leo’s motorcycle and got out for an unobstructed view. She knew Leo had some serious cash, but this must have cost most of his hard-earned fortune. The steep roof and killer gables made it seem taller than two stories high, not including the attic. Walls tangled with ivy and made of gray stone added a foreboding beauty. It would make the perfect horror movie setting. She couldn’t hide a grin. Leo probably wouldn’t appreciate the irony.

A fractured stone walkway, hardly more than a trail, led through weeds and overgrown grass to the mansion’s front porch. An occasional sculpture weathered by years and negligence added a cemetery vibe. Matching faun statues flanked the entryway, lichen oozing from their eyes and leering mouths, ivy shackling their limbs.

She couldn’t wait to see what hid inside.

Suitcase in hand, she stepped toward the walkway and paused as a tremor rolled down her back. Maybe it stemmed from delight at discovering Granton Hall’s secrets. Maybe it came from taking a dive into the unknown.

Or maybe the man stepping from the porch and heading for her, his lopsided smile aimed at her, sparked her imagination to life.

Her pulse kicked into race-car speed. Best friend. Not made for jumping.

That was a total lie. There was no better specimen for a girl to jump on, grab ahold of and explore every wicked daydream with. Leo’s collar length hair would be perfect for her fingers to tangle in. Too many times to count she’d wondered if his mouth felt as soft as it looked. His body was sculpted from a foundation of sports and horseplay with four brothers, perfected by hard labor and the Hughes clan fighting with swords, light sabers or the weapon of the week. A few of those muscles tempted her from beneath his long-sleeved T-shirt and faded jeans. Had he been any other man, she’d be drooling.

But Leo wasn’t any other man. She had to keep things cool…somehow.

“Hey, Ren.” He took her suitcase and pivoted to face Granton Hall with her. “What do you think?”

Karen did her best to ignore the heat radiating from him, the scent of cedar and sawdust that always clung to his clothing and instead focused on the mansion before her. Shadows and secrets lurked in every corner, from the stained-glass windows frowning from the second floor to the moss-filled crevices in the stone walls. A black iron fence caged one side of the building, a subtle warning to keep out. No light glowed from within, as if Granton had already dismissed Leo’s presence as a passing memory.

“It’s everything I imagined—stark, arcane and breathtakingly Gothic. Splendidly chilling. I’m shocked you went in there alone.” She smirked sidelong at Leo. “Did you check under the stairs for demented clowns with chainsaws?”

“Yes,” he said, utterly serious, “I did.”

“Are you sure you’re up for living here?”

“With you to protect me, I’m feeling pretty good about my odds.” Hefting her suitcase as if it weighed no more than a goldfish, he led her past the statues guarding the entrance.

Karen followed, savoring each soft step of her boots on moss-fuzzed pavestones. It was a true testament of her willpower that she managed to drag her gaze away from Leo’s fine backside to the looming mansion. She slipped into the shadows cast by the gabled roof and shivered at the sudden cold. Dead leaves gathered in the corners of the covered porch, and dry husks of moths dangled from cobwebs in the rafters. A stand of pale toadstools crouched beside a faceless gargoyle.

“How long has it been since anyone lived here?” she asked, catching up with him as he reached the porch stairs.

“Decades. Careful of the steps.” He frowned as the planks creaked under his boots.

“How much you want to bet someone died here?” The wooden steps groaned and threatened to buckle beneath her, and she jumped to the safety of the porch. “Or better, was murdered?”

“How is being murdered better?”

“You know, restless spirits. Secrets in the attic. Monsters in the basement.”

“You watch too many horror flicks.”

“Not possible. You’re supplying popcorn, right?”

His lazy smile reappeared. “Movie buttered, caramel, chocolate dipped—I’ve got you covered.”

“I knew there was a solid reason why we’re friends.”

“So many reasons.” The blue of his eyes deepened. He held her gaze as he opened the front door wide. “After you, darling.”

Her pulse quickened, and she forced herself to focus on the vines and roses carved into the door before her imagination took over. She slipped her hands into her coat pockets to prevent any touching mishaps as she passed by. That didn’t prevent his heat from caressing her neck when her shoulder brushed his chest or the goosebumps on her arms. She crossed the threshold into the mansion, and electricity tingled through her, as if she’d shifted between one world to the next.

About the Author

Once upon a time, a girl with flat hobbit feet dreamed of adventures in the woods with an elven hero, fighting off orcs and saving magical rings. All grown up now, C.J. Burright resides in Oregon (at least she got the trees). While she faces her duties at the law office day job, she avoids writing legal thrillers and instead turns toward romance—contemporary (sometimes with a supernatural flair), paranormal or fantasy. With a 5th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, it’s no surprise she prefers feisty heroines who aren’t afraid to jump into the fight. Her slivers of spare time are spent working out, gardening, playing the latest Assassin’s Creed, and rooting on the Seattle Mariners, always with music. She shares a house with her husband (not elven, alas, but a fine alternative) and a devoted cat herd while missing her daughter from afar. C. J. is represented by Brittany Booker of The Booker Albert Literary Agency.

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Book Tour and Giveaway – Shadow Touched by Beth D. Carter.

25th Jan 2023 / dianasbookjournal / 1 Comment

MC Romance, Paranormal Romance

Date Published: 12-06-2022

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Cursed with the ability to see the shadow of death, Leia hides from the world and stays far away from people. Until the night she comes face to face with Brimstone Jandreau.

Brim is the president of the Death Riders MC, but he went nomad in an effort to heal from grief. The moment he spots Leia, he is drawn toward her. When she warns him of his impending death, he’s not sure if he believes her, but decides to take precautions.

He finds the would-be assassin. Then discovers it’s one of his own men.

Hit hard from the betrayal, he takes Leia with him back to his world. The more time they spend together, the deeper their bond grows. But death is waiting for Brim, and Leia will do anything to protect the man she’s fallen in love with.

Excerpt –

“I hope my mother hasn’t been too stressful,” he said, nudging her knee with his own.

“Nah, she’s been enlightening.”

“Uh oh. What does that mean?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she asked with a smirk.

“Don’t tell me she told you about what happened on my sixteenth birthday.”

“No, she hadn’t, but now that you have, tell me everything.” Leia rested her chin in her palm as she stared at him, waiting.

            Brim slinked down to mimic her pose, but his big frame only looked ridiculous. “Not on your life.”
            “That embarrassing?”
            “That’s for me to know and for you to never find out.”

She narrowed her eyes. “That makes me want to know all the more.”

He smirked. “Good luck.”

They stared at one another, a challenge on each of their faces. Slowly, Leia stood up and while still holding his gaze called out.

“Oh, Marth-”

Quicker than she could finish, Brim jumped up, grabbed her hand, and tugged her away from the bonfire.

“Nope,” he said. “Come on.”

She laughed as he led her away from the revelry,

“Shouldn’t we stay?” Leia asked, pointing back toward the gathering.

“I want to show you something.” He led her further away, toward the line of trees. As they got farther from the fire, darkness gathered around them.

Leia blinked a few times to readjust her sight. Soon, they were all alone. “Should I be nervous?”

“Nah, you’re going to love this.”

Finally, they came to a clearing in the trees, and he pointed up. Leia tilted her head and saw a vast ocean of stars set against the inky black of space.

“Oh, wow,” she breathed, captivated. “It’s beautiful.”

“I thought you’d love it.”

About the Author

I began reading my mom’s Harlequin Presents in the fifth grade, and from the first story I knew I wanted to write romance novels. Love is the most powerful emtion we can experience, and I adore happy ever afters. I write about the very ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary circumstance, so my heroines will probably never be lawyers, doctors or corporate highrollers. I try to write characters who aren’t cookie cutters and push myself to write complicated situations that I have no idea how to resolve, forcing me to think outside the box. My characters are real, complex and full of flaws, heroes and heroines who find redemption through love.

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Release Blitz and Giveaway – The Ghost In Her by Anika Savoy.

3rd Jan 2023 / dianasbookjournal / Leave a comment

Paranormal Historical Romance

Date Published: 01.03.2023

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Narration Publisher: Voquent/Linda Quinn

Seeing ghosts is literally in her blood.

Life is hard enough without having to deal with ghosts following you around every day. Maggie O’Connor wishes that she did not have psychic gifts but coming from a long line of Irish female seers, she never had a choice.

Faced with having to care for her departed sister’s orphaned baby, Maggie struggles to pay the rent while working for pennies at a local Bowery sweatshop. Her life goes from bad to worse when a wicked neighbor steals the baby.

Things look up when the handsome son of Maggie’s employer falls for her. Gershom understands that having psychic gifts does not necessarily make a woman crazy. If only the local judge agreed. When Maggie ends up at the New York City Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island, she must find a way to escape and return to Gershom’s loving arms.

Will Maggie be stuck in a madhouse forever? Even if she escapes, can she and Gershom rescue the lost baby? The obstacles seem insurmountable, but anything is possible with the assistance of ghostly helpers and Andrew Carnegie, one of America’s richest men.

Fairy Tales can come true- but not without suffering.

Love the Gilded Age but want more magic? Grab a copy of THE GHOST IN HER, the first book in the new Ungilded series featuring magic among the Bowery Streets. THE GHOST IN HER is a perfect match for fans of Harper Lin’s Southern Sleuth Series or Christina Skye’s Draycott Abbey series.

“The first book of Anika Savoy’s Ungilded series, The Ghost in Her is a dark, immersive fairy tale, dusted with Gothic whimsy. It is a story for the romantic and the history buff, a rich page-turner that forces us to consider the ongoing social ills that, to this day, continue to haunt us.”—Bestselling author- Mike Robinson.

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Teaser Tuesday and Giveaway – Now and Always by C. J. Burright.

3rd Jan 2023 / dianasbookjournal / Leave a comment

Hearts and Haunts Book 1

Paranormal Romance

Date Published: 01-10-2023

Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing

Romance may not be all that awakens while two best friends renovate a mansion rumored to be haunted.

If you kiss your best friend…

You’ d better be sure…

It’ s meant to be forever.

Excerpt

Hours later, midnight darkness lured Karen from some dream she couldn’t remember. She sat up and scrubbed her fingers through her hair. Moonlight spilled through the windows and shimmered over walls, softening the boarded-up hole across the room. The draped furniture slouched in the corner like fallen curtains. She’d left her door ajar after learning it didn’t latch right, another project added to her learn-to-do list, and it remained open a wedge.

A silhouette darkened the doorway, and her pulse jumped. Leo eased past the door, shirtless in the shadows. He looked at her, and his burning gaze stole her breath.

“Leo?”

Without saying a word, he padded toward the bed, his bare feet silent on the rug, black boxers clinging to his muscular thighs.

With Leo, she never worried about appearances, but the silky tank top she’d worn to bed left zero to the imagination. Her face warmed. He’d have to be blind to miss how he affected her physically.

Something had to be wrong. He wouldn’t enter a woman’s bedroom without permission or knocking, not even if she happened to be his best friend. But the fire in his eyes erased all words from her brain, and when he crawled onto the bed on all fours, holding her gaze, she melted. Holy hell, he was a masterpiece, the powerful lines of his body hypnotic in the muted light.

As he approached with animal grace, she couldn’t react, lulled by the skewed sanity of the darkness and fantasy coming to life before her eyes. Straddling her legs over the blankets, he didn’t stop until he planted his palms on each side of her hips, caging her. Heat radiated from his bare skin, easing the chill of the air on her naked shoulders and arms. His breath brushed her lips.

“What are you doing, Leo?” The words hardly counted, more a rasp in her throat.

Leaning in, he bypassed her mouth and nuzzled her ear. “Tasting you.” He nibbled her lobe and tugged with his teeth, then licked the sting away. “Hmm. Luscious.”

A shiver trembled through her as the stubble on his cheek scraped her jaw and he pressed his lips to the sensitive spot beneath her ear. She fisted the sheet to keep from touching him. She should stop him, push him away, tell him to leave. But he trailed his lips to her shoulder, and the thought spun away, beyond her power. Her eyes closed of their own accord.

Denying the touch she’d dreamed of for so long was impossible. The fact that Leo was her best friend slithered out of reach. He rested his hot hand on her hip, and the magic of his mouth killed everything except desire.

“I’ve waited too long for you, Ren.” He sat back on his heels, his knees spread on either side of her thighs, and cupped her face. “Far too long.”

About the Author

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Teaser Tuesday and Giveaway – Manticore by Kate Hill.

20th Dec 2022 / dianasbookjournal / Leave a comment

Confessions 3

Paranormal Romance

Date Published: 12-23-2022

Publisher: Changeling Press

Martin: I was an outcast. Humiliated and abused, I ran away to carve out a life apart from the Specter family business. Convinced the family magic would never work for me, I was taken by surprise when I met him.

Manticore: Shunned by other manifestations, I lived alone and nameless. Then I found Martin. He gave me a name and his body. Now, we exist as one. We never expected to find a woman who’ll love us, but Daisy Fay is full of surprises. We’ve walked through demonic fire to protect her, and we will have her as our mate.

Daisy Fay: Martin is the sweetest guy I know. Manticore is an enticing beast. I never dreamed they shared a body. It’s a good thing I love them both. We’re in constant danger, though, because their father wants to kill them. They want to keep me safe, but sitting in the sidelines isn’t my style, and they’d better get used to it.

About the Author

Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies. When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, watching horror movies, and researching vampires and Viking history. She runs the Compelling Beasts Blog that is dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes, and paranormal creatures. Kate also writes as Saloni Quinby.

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Release Week – Between Earth and Sea by Sharon Brubaker.

16th Dec 2022 / dianasbookjournal / Leave a comment

Paranormal Romance (Spicy)

Date Published: 12-10-2022

Publisher: Tivshe Publishing

Kelsi Muir is a selkie. She lives between earth and sea, shedding her seal skin to dance along the deserted beaches that line the sea she calls home. In an attempt to escape the mating call of the male seals around her, she spends a fateful night with Ian Dunaway. Unable to free her mind from the handsome two-legger, she leaves her life and family behind only to discover that the human world has its own challenges.

Ian, mesmerized with the alluring Kelsi, must help her adapt to her new surroundings as he navigates his family and an unexpected past brought to light with her sudden appearance.

About the Author

For Sharon, writing is like breathing. It’s in her hard-wiring. She writes warm, contemporary romance, spicy romance, and romantic suspense with the majority of her books set in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Sharon is a nationally award winning Librarian and the author of fiction and educational publications. She is also an avid gardener, jewelry artist and artist. See: http://www.sharon-brubaker.com

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