TOP 5 (5 STAR'd) Reads of 2015+Giveaway

Hello peeps! 2015 is coming to an end and 2016 is about to begin. I have compiled a list of my Top 5 books that I have read this year. In no particular order, here are my Top 5 Favorite 5 Stars Reads of 2015. All of these books are personal recommendations to read in 2016; if you haven't already. Also, be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of my post. 

1) Golden Son by Pierce Brown

With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation.

Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within.

A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a little bit bias when it comes to Pierce Brown, but I'm not the only one. Golden Son, the sequel to Red Rising, was chosen by the masses as the best sci-fi book for 2015. Red Rising was a strong debut novel on its own and Golden Son was even better. No sophomore slump for Pierce Brown! :D I am not usually a huge reader of sci-fi, but Red Rising and Golden Son went beyond my expectations. Definitely, a must-read trilogy. The last and final book of the trilogy, Morning Star, is set to release in February 2016.
2) An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Laia is a slave.

Elias is a soldier.

Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Definitely one of my favorite debut reads of this year. It was epic!!!!! With 5 exclamation marks! I haven't posted a review yet, but I am definitely going to pimp the hell out of this book. I read this book early this year and I'm still geeking out about it. The imagery, world building, characters, story line are amazing! This book is pretty thick, but once you get going, it's impossible to stop. I am sooo glad that there is going to be a sequel. 
3) Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

On the Fives court, everyone is equal.

And everyone is dangerous.

Jessamy’s life is a balance between acting like an upper-class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But away from her family, she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for the Fives, an intricate, multilevel athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom’s best competitors.

Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an improbable friendship between the two Fives competitors—one of mixed race and the other a Patron boy—causes heads to turn. When Kal’s powerful, scheming uncle tears Jes’s family apart, she’ll have to test her new friend’s loyalty and risk the vengeance of a royal clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott’s first young adult novel weaves an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.

If you've been following my tweets, I listened to this book on Overdrive and was blown away. Set in the land of Efea, a young girl's family is destroyed by ambition and her secure lifestyle becomes nonexistent. Jessamy has been waiting for her moment to shine as an adversary in the Fives. Despite her best intentions, she captures the eye of a very powerful lord. Jes is ordered to train and do her best in the next Fives to secure her family's future. This book tugs at your heartstrings with a cruel grip and doesn't let up for a second. I loved this book so much! I already pre-ordered the sequel and it doesn't even come out until August 2016. 
4) Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Leigh Bardugo is another author that I'm bias against. I loved her Grisha Trilogy and wasn't ready for it to end. I was so ecstatic when she announced a kinda-sorta spin-off series. This book most definitely has a bit of Ocean's Eleven feel to it. I love everything about this book. It takes place several years after the Ruin & Rising and features a brand new cast, but there are mentions of the previous cast members. The sequel, Crooked Kingdom, is set to publish in September 2016. Check out my review!

Last, but not least.

5) Amber to Ashes by Gail McHugh 

(WARNING: Sexually Explicit, not for young minds)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Collide and Pulse comes a gritty new novel about a shattered young woman who unexpectedly falls for two best friends as she struggles to overcome the trauma of her tormented childhood.

They were a storm I never saw coming, an unforeseen heartbreak on the edge of a dangerous cliff. 

Amber Moretti's life changes in the span of minutes. An orphaned outsider, she is desperate to start fresh the moment she walks onto campus. In the time it takes to cross the university’s dining hall, she meets two men who bring color, air, and light to her darkened world. 

They became my addiction, each a needle to my next hit, my high. 

Brock Cunningham’s appeal is dizzying, a potent force Amber can’t deny. A green-eyed smooth talker, he instantly attracts Amber. It doesn’t take long for him to consume her every thought, her every breath. 

Ryder Ashcroft, a blue-eyed, tattooed, and pierced bad boy, turns Amber off immediately—that is, until he kisses her, stealing a piece of her heart, her soul. 

They were as opposite as fire and ice, yet I ached for them equally.

Never knowing she could be broken down in so many unexpectedly beautiful yet petrifying ways, Amber finds herself falling for both men. 

Immoral? Maybe. I say undeniable. Uncontained. 

But one event changes everything, shattering each of their lives…and Amber isn’t sure she can come back from it.

This book is a trip. I read it in one sitting; forgo sleep to finish this book. This book centers around Amber, a college student who wants a fresh start from her shitty beginning. She meets Ryder and Brock and falls head first into the rabbit hole. The pair of hotties couldn't be more different, but both equally draw Amber's attention . One is light and the other is dark (in aura/spirit/personality). I loved this book despite the predictable best friend love triangle. Ends in a bit of a cliffy and a sequel has not been announced. Check out my review!

Giveaway

1 person will win an ebook version of any book on my Top 5 List (winner's choice of which book and type).
For residents of USA only. Starts January 1st 2016 and ends on January 7th 2016 PST.
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Promo Post: Rise of a Queen by Chanta Rand

A dead husband. An unconsummated marriage. She needs an heir. Any man will do.

1061 AD. A sprawling empire rich in gold, resources, and military might dominates West Africa. It’s The Kingdom of Ghana, and it’s at the height of its power.

Twenty-year old Nabeela is grappling with her own power struggle. In order to save her younger sister from their step-brother’s clutches, Nabeela agrees to marry a repulsive African prince and bear him an heir. However, her plans are waylaid when tragedy strikes on her wedding night—her new husband dies—without consummating their marriage.

She must find a replacement to impregnate her immediately. Any man will do—including a drunken soldier her servants find naked taking a bath in a neighboring village. Nabeela holds him captive and coerces him into having sex with her—stealing the one thing he can never get back—his seed.

What she doesn’t know is the soldier is Rafan, Commander of a warring tribe’s royal army, and one of her family’s arch enemies. Eager for revenge, Rafan tracks her down once he’s released. But when these two reunite, they realize their lust for each other is far greater than their disdain.

Enamored by Nabeela’s beauty and bravery, Rafan makes her an offer of marriage, and the promise to help her become queen. He convinces her that they are stronger allies than enemies. Even though they share a commitment to unite, there are others who are determined to destroy them and their plans, including the one person Nabeela would have never suspected. In the end, she’s is forced to choose between her passion and her ambition.

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Author Info

Chanta Jefferson Rand is an Emma Award winning Debut Author of the Year, a multi-published, best-selling author of sizzling-hot romance, and the former host of The Chanta Rand Show. An avid reader of all genres, she stepped onto the scene in 2010 with her first published historical romance, Pharaoh's Desire. 

Chanta is a history junkie, a Walking Dead fan, and a recovering shoe addict. She never met a stiletto she didn't like! If you still want more, check her out at www.ChantaRand.com or email her at Chanta@chantarand.com.
Remember: You can't expect any sizzle...if you don't turn up the heat!

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Blog Tour Promo Post: All I Want For Christmas is a Duke by Valerie Bowman, Vivienne Lorret, Tiffany Clare & Ashlyn Macnamara

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A DUKE

Historical Romance Holiday Collection

Vivienne Lorret, Valerie Bowman, 

Ashlyn Macnamara & Tiffany Clare

Released Dec 1st (Digital), Dec 22nd (Print)

Avon Impulse

Four popular romance novelists come together to bring readers delightful tales of Christmas Magic and the dukes that make us swoon… The holidays are a time for dining, dancing, and of course—dukes! Celebrate the Christmas season with this enchanting collection of historical romances featuring the most eligible bachelors of the ton…

The Duke and Duchess Trap by Valerie Bowman
A childish prank may have reunited the Duke of Hollingsworth with his estranged wife, but only the magic of Christmas will show this couple ‘tis the season of second chances…

Sophie and the Duke by Tiffany Clare
Sophie Kinsley planned to remain a wallflower at the Duke of Helmsworth’s ball. Yet when a dance with him leads to a stolen kiss, will the duke be willing to let her go? Or will Sophie’s Christmas wish be granted at last?

The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret
To the Duke of Vale, science solves everything—even marriage. When the impulsive Ivy Sutherland makes him question all of his data, he realizes that he’s overlooked a vital component in his search for the perfect match: love.

One Magic Season by Ashlyn Macnamara
Patience Markham never forgot the fateful dance she had with the future Duke of Kingsbury. But when a twist of fate brings them together for Christmas Eve, will the stars finally align in their favor?

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Excerpt from THE DUKE AND THE DUCHESS TRAP by Valerie Bowman

PROLOGUE

London, September, 1810

“Lady Evangeline Hollister?” The headmistress’s voice rang out across the huge banquet hall.

Evie swallowed. Oh, she didn’t like this. Not one bit. She bit her lip. Being shy was such a curse. Why did she have to be the first to be called upon on the first day at her new school? Apparently, new students were first to be inspected and provided with a class schedule. She stared up at the monstrous carved chandeliers that hung like gargoyles from the wood-beamed roof of the hall. Attending the most exclusive school in London was her birthright. Mother had said she must be brave. She’d promised Mother. Never mind that the idea of leaving Mother, her home, her dog, her beloved horses, not to mention the servants, made Evie want to cast up her accounts.

She blinked away the tears that stung her eyes. Tears would not do. Mother said the daughter of a duke did not cry. Even at the tender age of twelve. Evie smoothed her blue skirts and glanced down at her perfectly clean and orderly white stockings which peeped out at the ankles. She pressed her palm against the thick wooden table, preparing to stand. She tucked her book under her arm. The book had been another recommendation from Mother. “One cannot be homesick when one is reading a compelling book,” she’d said. “When you’re reading, it doesn’t matter where you are.”

Mother was right, and Evie had been clutching her copy of The Canterbury Tales ever since she’d arrived at Miss Hathaway’s School for Young Ladies. But she somehow doubted that Headmistress Hathaway would take kindly to her reading during roll call.

“Lady Evangeline,” the headmistress called again. Evie pushed herself to her feet. The short heels of her leather slippers clicked against the polished wood floor, and the eyes of all the other girls swiveled to watch her. She gulped and stepped forward, forcing herself to take another step and another, shuddering at each smack of her heels. She pressed her hand to her book, clutching it so tightly her fingers drained of color.

“Present,” she managed to force from her dry throat.

The headmistress’s head snapped up, and she eyed Evie’s approach over the rim of her golden spectacles. It seemed as if hours passed before Evie arrived, trembling, at Miss Hathaway’s table that was perched on a dais at the front of the cavernous hall. The middle-aged lady lowered her spectacles and glared at Evie through narrowed dark eyes. She spoke in a pinched, unhappy voice. “I’m not amused, Lady Genevieve. I said Lady Evangeline Hollister.”

Evie gulped. “I beg your pardon, madam.” Her voice trembled. “I am Lady Evangeline Hollister.”

Miss Hathaway pursed her lips. It was an unfortunate look for her. She contemplated Evie with a suspicious glare while the giggles of the other girls grew louder. Evie swallowed and clutched the book to her chest, crossing her arms over it, desperately wishing she could disappear. There couldn’t possibly have been a mix-up, could there? Mother would have seen to all the details. Mother was kind, and beautiful, and full of laughter. And Mother never made mistakes. It was absolutely inconceivable.

The headmistress’s eyes narrowed further, if that were possible. “What have you done to your hair?”

Evie pushed her free hand up to her red locks. “My . . . my hair, madam?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean, Lady Genevieve. You’re forgetting that I was present when you decided to run off into the park without your bonnet, resulting in that unfortunate incident with the pine sap which led to Miss Lancaster having to cut your hair—and seriously displeasing your father, I might add.”

“My . . . my father?” Evie cocked her head to the side and stared at the headmistress as if she were speaking a foreign language. Evie hadn’t seen her father since she was a babe. Or so Mother had told her. Evie certainly didn’t remember him or their last meeting. What in heaven’s name did Miss Hathaway mean? And why did she continue to refer to her as Genevieve?

“I beg your pardon, Madam,” Evie managed, “but to my knowledge, I’ve never had the misfortune to get pine sap in my hair, and I have yet to make the acquaintance of a Miss Lancaster.”

There was more tittering from the other girls. Evie’s cheeks heated. She clutched her book even tighter in her slick palms, wishing she could disappear into the volume. She had the distinct impression she was about to be dismissed from the most exclusive school in London before she’d even begun. What would she tell Mother?

The headmistress tapped the end of her quill against the wide mahogany table in front of her. “Lady Genevieve, as usual, I do not find your behavior amusing in the least. Now, I shall ask you for your full name one final time. I warn you, your father will hear about this if you give me anything short of the truth.”

Evie swallowed and nodded.

Miss Hathaway’s nostrils flared. She raised her chin and pressed her spectacles farther up her beaklike nose. “Your name, if you please.”

Evie didn’t blink. “Evangeline Marie Sandford Hollister.” Her voice was low and weak as usual, and she silently cursed herself for it.

The headmistress’s hand cracked against the surface of the table, making Evie jump. She jumped a second time when the door to the hall slammed open and an urchin with short red hair, sagging stockings, and an askew bonnet came running across the wide expanse of wood flooring. She passed the banquet tables filled with girls and skidded to a halt in front of the headmistress, her hair flipped across her brow, obscuring her face. She smelled like sherbet lemons, reminding Evie of home. Mother’s favorites.

The girl was breathing heavily and seemed to be balancing precariously on one foot. Evie also noted with no small bit of wonder that the urchin was missing a button from the back of her gown, and one of her gloves appeared to be stained. Blood? Good heavens! Or was it chocolate? She wasn’t sure which was more alarming. Mother wouldn’t approve of Evie missing a button from her gown, let alone being in possession of a stained glove. What sort of mother did this urchin have? And how in heaven’s name had the creature managed to matriculate at Miss Hathaway’s School for Young Ladies?

“I was told you were looking for me, Miss Hathaway,” the urchin stated in a loud, clear voice. “I am sorry, ma’am, but I was in the science hall feeding the lizards and quite lost track of the time.”

The urchin turned to look at Evie. She swiped the unfashionably short crop of red hair from her forehead and her face came into full view.

Evie gasped.

Miss Hathaway gasped.

The urchin’s eyes (which were the exact same shade of blue as Evie’s) grew wide. “Oh, my. How wonderful. You must be my twin sister, Evangeline. I cannot tell you how lovely it is to finally meet you.”

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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A DUKE

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VALERIE BOWMAN grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her rascally dog, Roo. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.

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Deciding that life had far more to offer than a nine to five job, bickering children and housework of any kind (unless she’s on a deadline when everything is magically spotless),TIFFANY CLARE opened up her laptop to write stories she could get lost in. Tiffany writes sexy historical romances set in the Victorian era. She lives in Toronto with her husband, two kids and two dogs.

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USA Today bestselling author VIVIENNE LORRET loves romance novels, her pink laptop, her husband, and her two sons (not necessarily in that order ... but there are days). Transforming copious amounts of tea into words, she is proud to be an Avon Impulse author of works including: Tempting Mr. Weatherstone, The Wallflower Wedding Series, and the Rakes of Fallow Hall series.

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USA Today bestselling author ASHLYN MACNAMARA writes Regency romance with a dash of wit and a hint of wicked. She considers writing her mid-life crisis but reckons it’s safer than hang-gliding or rock-climbing. She lives in the wilds of suburbia outside Montreal with her husband, two teenage daughters, and one loudmouth cat. Although she writes about the past, you can find her in such newfangled places as her website Facebook, and Twitter.

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Cover Reveal+Giveaway: Reid's Deliverance by Nina Crespo

Can their bond withstand the test of time?

 Add it to your TBR today!

Lauren isn't looking for love when she spends a scintillating night with Reid, the sexy keyboardist of Thane's Redemption. While their passion may be off the charts, her trust issues--and Reid's secret life as a time-traveling covert agent--makes any chance for a relationship impossible. 
When operatives involved in a mysterious project begin dying, Reid defies orders and travels alone into the future to find the cause. But when things go dangerously awry, it takes all of his strength to get himself back to safety--and directly onto Lauren's doorstep. While neither of them remembers their night of passion, their intense connection leads Lauren to help him. But as Reid's memories reignite, will he be forced to sacrifice everything to finish his mission--including the woman he loves?

 Excerpt

Laughter came from the stage.

The members of the band were breaking down their equipment and talking with fans. A group of women surrounded the keyboardist. One of them wore a tiara and a “Finally 21!” sash over a form-fitting, pink minidress. He draped an arm around her and posed for pictures. The redhead practically swooned. Who could blame her? Six years ago, at that age, she would have done the same. His wide shoulders were made for holding onto, and the way he filled out those jeans screamed hot body. Not to mention that orgasm-inducing grin. He turned up the wattage on said grin and chatted with his admirers. At least a ten-year age difference existed between him and the birthday girl. The way he flirted with her and her friends, maybe he preferred to date younger.

His eyes locked on Lauren. Even from a distance, she could see his gaze roaming over her from head to toe and back up again. He smiled and her short, white dress grew as warm as a parka. Caught staring, could she look more pathetic?

Steps from the exit, a drunken guy staggered into her path. An abrupt halt left her teetering in her stilettos. A strong, masculine arm wrapped around her waist. Lauren’s heart jumped.

“Careful.” His breath ruffled the hair near her cheek. “I’ve got you.”

People squeezed by to get to the door. She didn’t budge. The keyboardist’s clean, woodsy scent surrounded her as she leaned against hard chest muscle.

“Time to move. We’re about to get trampled.” He rested his hand on her back. Confidence and his long stride sliced through the crowd. They walked out and moved to the side of the door.

Too much space allowed cool night air to steal his warmth. Exhaust fumes from departing cars snatched away his appealing scent.

More people piled out of the club.

He turned his back to the door. Lights near the awning illuminated the clean-shaven lines of his face. “I’m Reid, by the way.”

Intense hazel eyes robbed her of speech. Her, lost for words? That never happened. “I’m Lauren.”

“Nice to meet you, Lauren. So, are you coming to the after-party?”

Across the parking lot, Ari begged and stamped her feet. Inches shorter than Celine, she resembled a child throwing a tantrum.

“My friend Celine is tired. She wants to go home.”

Reid stepped into her space. Close enough for warmth and deliciousness to return and kick up her heart rate. “What do you want?”

To stay out of trouble.

After three failed relationships in five months, she was taking a break from men, dating, the whole shebang. “It isn’t about what I want.”

“It should be.”

“When we’re out together, if one of us doesn’t want to do something, we all take a pass.”

He flattened her hand to his chest. “You’re breaking my heart. I can’t believe fate brought you to me tonight just to take you away.”

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Check out the first book in the The Song series by Nina Crespo, THANE’S REDEMPTION!

The one night she'll want to remember, she'll be forced to forget.

It's been almost a year since Celine's fiancé's death and she's still struggling to move on. But when she meets Thane, the super hot lead singer of Thane’s Redemption, she finds her desire reawakening, and her heart opening. Soon one kiss leads them straight into a night of heated passion…

Thane’s unexpected connection with Celine only leaves him wanting more of her—but his life makes it impossible. For Thane's Redemption is just a cover for a deeper secret: A former Army Ranger presumed dead, Thane is really a time-traveling, covert operative charged with saving the world from disaster. Each jump through time forces those around him to forget he ever existed—and Celine would be no exception. But can time work in their favor to give them a second chance at love? Or will a choice Thane makes in the future put Celine in mortal danger...?

Author Bio

Nina Crespo lives in Florida where she indulges in her favorite passions—the beach, kickboxing, a good glass of wine, and dancing. Her lifelong addiction to romance began in her teens while on a “borrowing spree” in her older sister’s bedroom where she discovered her first romance novel. Curiosity about people and places, including what’s beyond the stars, fuels her writer’s imagination. Indulge in her sensual contemporary stories and steamy paranormal tales to feed your own addiction for love, romance, and happily ever after.

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Giveaway

Don’t forget to enter to win prizes!

Grand Prize: 1 Winner will Receive a 7” 8 GB Kindle Fire (US ONLY)

1^st Runner-Up: 1 Winner will Receive The Song Charms (US ONLY)

2^nd Runner-Ups: 3 Winners will Receive Download Codes for Thane’s Redemption

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Release Day Blitz: Smoldering Hunger by Donna Grant

Smoldering Hunger 

(Dark Kings Series, #8)

by Donna Grant

His kisses were soul stirring, leaving her gasping and hungry for more. They pulled her from the wasteland of her life viciously and ruthlessly. With just one kiss she was clinging to him, silently begging him to show her all that one brush of his lips had promised.

TEMPTING FATE

Darius is back. Edinburgh thought it had seen the last of this seductive Dragon King, but that was before Darius found something worthwhile. He just can’t stay away from the impossibly beautiful Dr. Sophie Martin—even though he knows that a passion this strong could prove detrimental…for them both.

CRAVING DESIRE

Sophie tried to forget her encounter with smoking-hot Darius to no avail. He’s in her dreams, tempting her. But her association with Darius catches the attention of another, putting her in mortal danger. . .and Darius, who has vowed to protect her, is her only hope. But can she trust the notorious dragon shapeshifter? The only thing she knows for sure is that she cannot resist him…

Available for purchase at 

             

        

Excerpt

Alone. It was such an insignificant word. Or it had been for centuries. He’d sought out the solitude, had slept away centuries in his cave without hesitation.

And now? Now he hated the quiet.

He detested being alone.

It wasn’t that he missed the other Dragon Kings. He could communicate with them via their mental link at any time. It was something much deeper, much stronger that twisted his gut.

He’d told the other Kings he wanted to end the war with the Dark Fae so he could return to his mountain and the dragon sleep. It had been the truth. For a bit. Now, he found himself searching for something he didn’t understand or know.

No matter how many times he walked the streets of the city, no matter how many times he killed the evil Dark Fae who sought to slaughter the innocent humans, Darius was never satisfied.

It was as if he were missing something. That only made him hunt longer and harder. He’d tracked the last remaining Dark Fae who hadn’t been smart enough to leave the city, running the bastards to ground.

Since the Dark fed off the souls of the humans, Darius took great pleasure in killing them. But not even that helped to ease the tension within him.

But it did help him remember that he was a lethal warrior. He did what he did not just for himself, but for his brethren at Dreagan who hid amongst the humans distilling world-famous whisky. And he did it for the humans.

The realm might’ve been the dragons first and foremost, but the humans were part of that world as well. The Dragon Kings fought for themselves and the mortals who once tried to kill them.

Darius removed his shirt and folded it before neatly stacking it on the table on the other side of the warehouse. After removing his boots and setting them tidily together, he unfastened his jeans and stepped out of them. Folding them, he set the jeans beside his shirt and turned to face the dead Fae.

With just a thought, he shifted, his body transforming from that of a human into a dragon. He shook his great head and blinked his eyes as he fastened them onto the Dark.

The greed and extravagance of the Dark Fae had caused the city to erupt in chaos. Edinburgh hadn’t been the only place bombarded with the Dark, however. Every major city in Scotland and England had been attacked.

It caused the Dragon Kings to take drastic action against the Fae. In doing so, the Kings played right into the Dark’s hands’.

The Dark Fae filmed the Kings on Dreagan flying, fighting, and shifting. That video had been released onto the Internet, and a fury storm of questions fell upon Dreagan.

Their leader, Constantine, King of Kings, ordered that no Dragon King could shift out of human form. Darius was doing what his brethren hadn’t been able to do in weeks.

He wasted no time in breathing fire upon the Dark. There was nothing on any realm as hot as dragon fire, and it scorched the bodies into ash almost instantly.

Darius immediately returned to human form and dressed. He wouldn’t stay in his true appearance when the others couldn’t. It wasn’t fair. And it only made him hate the Dark Fae even more.

Once, long ago, there was a war on Earth between the Fae and the Kings. The Fae Wars had lasted for decades with hundreds dying.

The Kings eventually won. It was supposed to have been a war that would never be repeated. It would’ve remained that way if the Kings hadn’t had to hide their true selves. There was only one race to blame for that: the humans.

Darius dressed and left the warehouse. It was just after five in the morning. There was still time to do some hunting. Perhaps he’d get lucky and see who was killing the Dark.

He hadn’t gone more than five blocks when he found himself turning to the left. Darius walked another two before he realized he was on his way to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

His feet halted instantly.

Every time Sophie entered his thoughts, he hastily squished it. She was a distraction he didn’t need - and couldn’t afford. Yet, when he walked the streets, every time he saw a flash of red hair, he hoped it was her.

There was only one time in the two weeks since he’d made love to her on the street, shrouded by shadows with a hunger for her riding him hard, had he allowed himself to see her.

A day after their encounter he’d remained hidden atop a roof watching as she left the hospital. She hadn’t even looked in the direction where they’d had sex against the building.

Did she remember how her nails bit into his flesh? Did she recall how her body shuddered with the force of her climax? Did she forget how he had to swallow her screams of pleasure with a kiss?

He had no trouble recollecting all of that and more. So much more. For days after he had the taste of her on his tongue. Even now he recalled the feel of her soft, warm skin beneath his hands. He knew the weight of her breasts and how sensitive her nipples were.

If he allowed himself, he could get drunk off her kisses alone.

It was that reason alone that he hadn’t returned to the hospital or anywhere near Sophie’s home. She was much too alluring and entirely too much of a temptation to put himself in close proximity to her.

So why was he now heading toward the very place he shied away from? His thoughts had been on the Dark and eradicating them forever from this realm. He hadn’t even been thinking of Sophie.

Darius turned on his heel and retraced his steps. He had to get far from Sophie. Nothing good could come of him seeing her again.

The Dark Kings Series

About the Author

Donna Grant is the New York Timesand USA Today bestselling author of the sizzling Dark King series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.

She was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding.

Despite deadlines and voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two children, four cats, and one long haired Chihuahua.

You can find Donna at 

               

   

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