Five YA Series to Keep You Company in Quarantine

Am I the only one who has lost count of days during shelter-at-home? If you're like me, you have a zillion books in your TBR (to be read) pile, but there's something extra fun about picking up your favorite books and rereading them. Below, you'll find five of my favorite young adult series.

1. Beautiful Creatures series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl



If there was ever a series that captured my heart, it was this one. These two lovely writers tell the story of a magical girl and her nonmagical love. There are so many things for them to overcome and experience in their small southern town. If there was ever a movie that spoiled a book, it was by far this one, but for fun, you can always watch it after you've read your way through this series.


2. Princesses of the Midnight Ball series by Jessica Day George



I'm a huge fan of Jessica Day George. I love her writing style and the stories she chooses to tell. This series is perfect for those of us who love retelling and princesses. She manages to tell the stories we've all heard before in such a fun, new way. Who knew yarn was so useful? This series is perfect for just about everyone.


3. The Lost Heroes series by Rick Riordan



You've heard of Percy Jackson, but did you know that his story continues in The Lost Hero? I loved this series! There are so many new friends to meet, and new problems to solve (thanks a lot, Hera). If you like Greek Mythology-based stories or hilarious prose, this series is a must-read.


4. Wings series by Aprilynn Pike



If you like relatively nice fairies, this series is for you. It's your classic fairy baby gets raised by human parents, and now has to go back to learn the ways of the Fae. Aprilynn does a fabulous job of keeping things whimsical and interesting without making the protagonist so Fae-like that you feel disconnected from the story. This series is a lovely way to spend your safer-at-home time.


5. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas


The main character in this series is an assassin. She's clever, determined, and lethal. This series can be pretty intense at times, so it might not be the best read for younger readers. That being said, if you like powerful women protagonists, this will be right down your alley. This is one of those series that's hard to put down, so prepare for some late nights reading.


Have you read any of these series before? What did you think? Did I name a favorite of yours? Or do you have a series to recommend to us? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Either way, I hope you're all fairing well at home (or work if you're an essential employee). Until next time, happy reading!

It was so exciting I decided to do it again!

Remember last month I told you about the release of the third book in my Prophecy series? Well, on July 24th I released another book. Or, re-released it, that is. My one and only PNR romance was part of Amazon's Kindle Worlds and therefore available only through Amazon US.

That's it. Not even international Amazon users could buy it. It was a sad time for many of my readers.

But then, glory be! Amazon decided to close Kindle Worlds and give authors the rights to their books back!

What does that mean? It means Made for Her, my vampire romance set in S.E. Smith's Magic, New Mexico, isn't just for Amazon US anymore. If you use B&N, iTunes, Kobo, or Amazon International, you can finally buy a copy of this book.

And, bonus, the print copy will be be available in time for the holidays (or sooner, if I can swing it.)

But wait! There's more! Many other Magic, NM series books also re-released and are available wide. Yay! <tosses confetti>

Here's da info, my peeps:

Amazon Universal * B&N * iTunes * Kobo

Vampires and faeries and snake-shifters. Oh, my!

Donnie McAllister’s dream job turns into a nightmare when she discovers her boss isn’t as human as he seems. Racing against time to return a legendary dagger to the land of the Fae, she must rely on a dangerously sexy vampire to navigate a world she never knew existed. Because if she doesn’t deliver, it’ll cost Donnie her life and leave the ancient weapon of untold power in the hands of her corrupt, venomous boss.

Four hundred years ago one man destroyed everyone vampire Mikhail Cherneski held dear. Now his nemesis is after Donnie, the human woman whose blood calls to Mikhail like no other. For she means more to him than a simple snack to satisfy his despicable eternal thirst. When Mikhail comes face-to-face with his enemy, he must risk his immortal life or watch Donnie suffer the same fate as his family.

Another bewitching story from Magic, New Mexico.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author Lea Kirk loves to transport her readers to other worlds with her science fiction romance Prophecy series. She's an avid Trekkie, Gryffindor, and wannabe space explorer. She's made one foray into paranormal romance with her Magic, NM vampire novella, Made of Her, and hopes to write more stories in this world. 

When she's not busy writing, she's hanging out with her wonderful hubby of twenty-eight years, their five kids (aka, the nerd herd), and a spoiled Dobie-mix pup.

Social Media Links for Lea Kirk:

FACEBOOK * TWITTER * BOOKBUB * WEBSITE * NEWSLETTER

Finder's Keepers with Guest Tracey Clark

Hey, y’all… The weather is warming up, and new books are flying our way. I don’t know about you guys, but March is my favorite reading month. It always seems to be the best month for new reads. 

This year, my Finder’s Keepers series will be adding to the March Reading Madness, as Book Three – Twin Findings (A Finder’s Keepers Novel) comes out between mid-late March. Woo Who…

For now, how about some excerpts for Book One – Shocking Finds, and Book Two – Southern Discoveries… and let’s take a look at the cover for Twin Findings.

Let’s jump things off with Shocking Finds… the story of Marin Yarthine, and her entrance into the Fae Community. Marin works at Finder’s Keepers, using all five of her enhanced senses to locate the lost and missing. From priceless artifacts to abducted kids, she can Find anything.

Shocking Finds – Blurb & Buy Links

An act of rebellion, Marin doesn’t think that running into the new store in town will hurt anything. Her aunt will never know… right? One car wreck later, her aunt is hospitalized, Marin is forced to spend her twenty-first birthday fighting for her life, and magic – the very thing her aunt has always sworn to be for fools – is real. And so is the irresistible Fae dedicated to Marin’s protection.

Kyland has searched Earth-side and all the other realms, looking for a missing Fae child. A child his Queen prophesied would be able to one day save the Fae people from the Danshue, as the evil Fae threat tries to overwhelm the entire Supernatural Community. A child that would know nothing of her blocked gifts, or her Fae heritage waiting to be claimed. A child that has grown into a curvy, delicious morsel he would love to taste

Together Marin and Kyland will fight Fae assassins, overcome betrayals, and if they’re lucky … they will find the Danshue responsible for their plight. That’s if Marin doesn’t shock him to death with her erratic new gift, and her out of control emotions.

Buy Shocking Finds for 99 cents

•Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Shocking-Finds-Finders-Keepers-Novel-ebook/dp/B014UA6XV0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1441469249&sr=8-2&keywords=shocking+finds

•Barns and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shocking-finds-tracey-clark/1122614922?ean=2940152332964&st=AFF&SID=BNB_DRS_Evergreen_20150928&2sid=Skimlinks_3662453_NA&sourceId=AFFSkimlinksM000006

•Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/shocking-finds-a-finder-s-keepers-novel?utm_source=linkshare_us&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=linkshare_us&siteID=TnL5HPStwNw-66dNQS5_ylxG6avq_LJMgg

•Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/574301

•indigo - https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/shocking-finds-a-finders-keepers/9781310309090-item.html?ikwid=shocking+finds&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0&s_campaign=aff-001-2617611-Skimlinks-Ongoing_Site_Indigo+Redirect_Text-10437934-3662453

Shocking Finds – Excerpt

“Oww,” Marin whispered, wincing at the sound of her voice. Remaining mute sounded like a very good idea, at the moment.

Opening her eyes, she received both good news and bad. The cheap motel décor and her beaten and bruised flesh said that she still lived. Making matters worse, Marin realized that one of those scratchy motel comforters, and nothing more, covered her aching body.

The window's air conditioning unit loudly worked to keep the room nice and cool. The overwhelming sound made Marin rethink her stance on heat stroke. Did she really care if she slept in a puddle of sweat? Did she really care if she needed to wring out her hair every few minutes? She could learn to keep the dripping out of her eyes if someone would just stop the incessant noise. She already had enough going on in her head, thank you very much.

-Moving on to Southern Discoveries, we see Marin deal with catty co-workers, exploding powers, and an ever increasing Fae family. And let’s not forget, Kyland – her hotter than heck soul-mate.

Southern Discoveries – Blurb & Buy Links

As far as Marin knew, Makayla thought of her as a waste of space, so why the invite to lunch? Curiosity killed the cat… Marin just hopes that this time curiosity doesn’t kill the Finder. Could Makayla be a Fae assassin hiding in bitchy-southern-bell clothing?

Makayla can’t believe that her life has been reduced to this… asking the flighty office girl for help. Could Marin really be capable of working the decades old Find that has plagued Makayla for most of her life? With her goal within reach, she will take a chance on Marin, avoiding all distractions. Especially the overwhelmingly delicious stranger begging for her attention.

Quaidin Lari wants to get in, finish his mission, and get out. Anything to get back to Out-realm and as far from Earth-side Kentucky as possible. His band of mercenaries – the Fianna – have one goal… to locate Marin, the highly sought after Fae Princess, and see to her protection. As the Incubus on the squad, he needs to focus on persuasion and manipulation.

The mission was a walk in the park… until her. Quaidin never saw Makayla coming. A woman with enough sexual allure to bring him to his knees…

Buy Southern Discoveries for $3.99

•Apple Ibooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/southern-discoveries-finders/id1119604956?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

•Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Tracey_Clark_Southern_Discoveries_Finder_s_Keepers?id=a1VFDAAAQBAJ

•Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/southern-discoveries-tracey-clark/1123873388?ean=9781508040507&st=AFF&2sid=Skimlinks_3662453_NA&sourceId=AFFSkimlinksM000006

•Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/southern-discoveries-finder-s-keepers-book-2?utm_source=linkshare_us&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=linkshare_us&siteID=TnL5HPStwNw-Pamn8eqK.ldFMWedtZ61Jw

•Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Discoveries-Finders-Keepers-Book-ebook/dp/B01GUCD88C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1465637806&sr=8-4&keywords=southern+discoveries

Southern Discoveries Excerpt

Slapping at his hands, Marin shrieked, "Stop. Son of a... please stop."

Kyland ceased his attack, holding her in a tight embrace.

"What was that for?" Dang. Her entire body was still twitching, her heart still racing.

"Oh, that? That was a playful cub attack. Maybe I did it wrong... let us try again."

As Kyland loosened his arms, moving his hands slowly up her sides, Marin jerked back and out of his embrace, screeching as she made a run for it. "Oh no you don't!"

Both Kyland and Diego followed her into her bedroom, Diego nearly doubled over in laughter at the spectacle.

Twin Findings Cover – coming out mid-late March

-Alright, that’s all we have time for. But feel free to drop by one of my Author links for more book fun, and a bit of my every day insanity. Happy wordage, Tracey Clark

Author Links & Newsletter signup form

Author Site – https://traceylclark.com/

Book Site – https://finderskeepersseries.com/

Facebook Site – https://www.facebook.com/traceyclark.finderskeepers/

Newsletter Signup – http://traceylclark.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=d786e01deac2822bcece102aa&id=e9dc928365

Why Fairy Tale Endings Weren't Always Happily Ever Afters

by Jeffe Kennedy

One of the things I love best about Halloween is getting my decorations out. They bring a different feel to the house, reminding me of the dark and dangerous time of the year. As you can see, both indoors and out, my taste is for scary and unsettling.

I don't do cute.

For me, it's the same with the fae I write about.In my mind, fairies aren't cute, goggle-eyed Disney sprites. No, they're much more frightening than that.

I knew that about myself, but hadn't thought about it in some time until I did an interview yesterday about my Covenant of Thorns series. The gal who interviewed me, A.J. Larrieu, who blogs at Paranormal Unbound, asked me a lot of very interesting questions about my world-building and what kind of reading went into it. Usually I respond with a fairly short answer about the fact that I've been reading fairy tales all my life. Something about A.J.'s phrasing, however, made me recall that I had made a concerted effort when drafting the first book to locate and read a particular kind of tale.

In short, I looked for the oldest stories I could find, the ones without happy endings.

See, the whole idea of the "fairy tale ending" is really a fairly recent development. Disneyesque to some extent, yes, but also before that. Before the stories were cleaned up for children, before the Catholic Church co-opted them to show the triumph of Christianity, these tales rarely ended well for the humans. The fae much more resemble demonic creatures than the short-skirted and sweet pixies of our modern era.

Now, to me, these traits aren't necessarily evil, but they are inhuman. That's the key. The fae operate on a totally different ethical system. My heroine, who is a scientist, records her observations about them. She keeps her notes in a book she ironically refers to as her "Big Book of Fairyland." In Rogue's Possession, each chapter begins with a quote from her notes. Here's one about fae morals.

Faerie operates on a sliding scale of moral ambiguity. The Golden Rule is turned inside out to become “When others do unto you, weigh the cost to yourself and charge accordingly.”

~Big Book of Fairyland, “Rules of Bargaining”

I think that sums up quite a bit, right there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author with a writing career that spans decades. Her works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.  

Her most recent works include three fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant ofThorns, the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and the post-apocalyptic vampire erotica of the Blood Currency.  A contemporary e-Serial, Master of the Opera, will be released in January. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, will hit the shelves in 2014. A spin-off story from this series, Negotiation, appears in the recently-released Thunder on the Battlefield anthology. Her newest book, Five Golden Rings, comes out as part of the erotic holiday anthology, Season of Seduction, in late November.

She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, a border collie, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg of Foreword Literary.