Witch Avenue Blog Tour Stop: Lonely Souls Review

Lonely Souls

(Witch Avenue Series Book 1)

By Karice Bolton

With a haunting feeling that her mother may still be alive, she begins to hear a call to the wilderness ... 

It's two weeks before Triss turns 18, and her world is about to change into the most magical one imaginable as she readies herself to enter The Witch Avenue Order... that is until her mother's disappearance. Instead of celebrating her transformation, she finds herself spreading rose petals into her mother's empty grave.

When Logan, her best friend from junior high, moves back to town for college, he vows to help her find the answers she so desperately seeks surrounding her mother's disappearance. As they begin uncovering clues, it becomes apparent that the life of white magic they both grew up loving is not what the majority practices, and their lives are in danger.

Triss realizes that in order to find the answers she needs, she must learn the ways of her ancestors and become the hunter, not the hunted before it's too late, and she becomes part of the lonely souls.

** My Review **

I have been itching to read Karice's Witch Avenue series for so long! Everything from the covers to the story line had me intrigued  So, I jumped at the chance to be part of the tour. I love stories about witches, and from what I had read about Karice's books, this series was a must read. And it definitely is! 
I have to admit I was assuming I would find more than a few witchy cliches in these pages. I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of such cliches. Karice has done a wonderful job making Lonely Souls a fresh and original start to a series. You can tell how well the author knows the subject matter she writes about. I enjoyed her take on witchcraft and her passion really shows through in this story. 
Triss was a great main character, strong and full of life. And Logan, super yum. His relationship with Triss was awesome. One of my favorite parts of this story. (I'm a sucker for paranormal romance, eek!) Definitely not instant love, which is always a nice change of pace. It kept me wanting more.
This story isn't all about the romance though! There is lots of suspense and a few well placed twists. I didn't put it down once I started reading. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series ASAP! Can't wait to see where the series is headed!
I highly recommend Lonely Souls for anyone who has a soft spot for the paranormal. (Preferably some witchy goodness ^^) 

** All About the Author **

Karice married the love of her life who she met in high school, and she still can't get over how cute and funny he is. They have two English Bulldogs that are the sweetest bullies in the world, and they use their cuteness to get what they want. Karice loves the snow and gravitates towards the stuff as often as possible! She enjoys skiing and tries really hard to snowboard, but often makes a nice little area to sit while everyone zips by on their board. She enjoys writing, and she also loves to read just about anything with print.

Karice Bolton | Twitter | Facebook

This tour is brought to you by:

Her Story Excerpt in honor of Women's History Month

HerStory: Fiction Honoring Women’s History Month 

(An anthology that honors women from all walks of life, cultures, and moments in history.)
Published by Pagan Writers Press

In ancient times, women were regarded as sacred. They were thought to hold the mystical power of creation—responsible for the continuation of our species. With the rise of science and religion, these myths were dispelled and their plight began.

HerStory: Fiction Honoring Women’s History Month is a collection of flash fiction and short stories from today’s top authors featuring female characters that exemplify strength of mind, body, and character. Some of these tales are based on real people while others are purely fictional. However, all are standing up for themselves and what they believe in.

Grab yourself a glass of wine or favorite hot beverage and get comfortable as you read about the lives of women who will light the fire in your soul.

Below is an excerpt from A Pit Story by Shelli Rosewarne. Within the pages of HerStory, you will find 27 different voices, 32 different heroine. This is Shelli’s voice, and Maud is her heroine.

“Who has authorization on-site at the moment then?” 

One of the foremen shifted uncomfortably. 

“We have two first-aiders underground, but we don’t know if they might be injured too.” 

Maud shook her head. “If they’re badly injured, they can go into shock when they get moved. They need a shot first.” 

He glanced away. “There’s no one who can do it,” he said simply. 

Before she realized what she was saying, Maud replied, “There’s me.” 

The yard almost turned as one to stare at her. 

The foreman coughed. “Er, ma’am, you know that’s not possible. Women aren’t allowed underground.” 

She glared. “Are you prepared to let people die because of that? Robbie Stanham, I knew your mother and God bless her soul, she would be ashamed.” 

He flushed under the layer of coal dust and looked away. 

“It ain’t safe, ma’am,” he muttered, but she knew he was only saying it for show. 

She paused—was she really going to do this? Not only was it dangerous, but even if she made it out again safely, she would be in world of trouble … maybe even lose her job. Harry might be down there … or Danny. Even if they’re not, it’s someone’s husband, someone’s son … you owe it to them. 

She squared her shoulders. “Someone get me a helmet.” 

By the time she was decked-out in overalls three sizes too big for her with an overlarge helmet weighing down her head, she doubted her sanity. This was crazy—she’d never been underground before. While she supposed she might have been a little curious, both the rules and a well-placed sense of self-preservation had kept it at just curiosity. 

She carefully checked her pack—that was the main thing, getting the first-aid supplies down to those who couldn’t be moved safely without them. Focus, Maud. Lives are at stake here … this is what your job is about, remember? She stepped gingerly toward the entrance, where half a dozen waited to go with her. She was grateful, knowing they could be risking discipline as well simply by helping her. 

Lord, it looks dark. She peered into the gaping hole in the earth. As though he read her thoughts, one of the men stepped forward and gently flicked on the light on top of her helmet. She smiled a little sheepishly at him and muttered her thanks. The small bulb gave a pale watery glow, only seeming to deepen the shadows. You volunteered for this. No backing out now. She shook herself and stepped into the blackness. 

It was like stepping into another world. The darkness was so thick she could barely see a few steps in front of her. The lights from their helmets and the lantern one of the men carried reflected off the gray walls. As they moved away from the entrance, the passages became narrower, the roof lower. Maud could almost feel the dirt and stone pressing in on her. The light of the day didn’t penetrate here and she could feel the cold and damp seeping through the heavy overalls. She tried to take deep breaths, but that just seemed to fill her lungs with dust and she found herself coughing. 

The man ahead of her turned back. “Are you okay?” 

She forced herself to nod and he smiled briefly at her. 

“Always bad your first time down. Turn your collar up and take shallow breaths.” 

She did as he suggested and although it helped a little with the dust, she felt the cold settling into her bones. She tried to concentrate on the broad back of the man in front of her. 

Lord, she couldn’t imagine doing this every day! 

She focused on the monotony, the stepping forward, the lamps set at intervals down the passageway, the stamping of their footsteps and the constant grayness around them. She didn’t even notice the man in front of her had stopped until she nearly ran into the back of him. He turned to her and gestured to a slumped form on the ground. Maud carefully stepped round him, gesturing for the man with the lamp to come forward, as she crouched down beside the fallen miner. The warm glow of the lamp glinted on his blood-stained form and the white shine of bone poking through his shin. She gently touched his shoulder and he turned pain-filled eyes her way. 

“Am I dead?” he whispered. She tried to smile reassuringly. “No, pet. The angels are a great deal prettier than me.”

"Thank you for joining us today and allowing the authors of HerStory to share this with you. Remember to honor women in history not just in the month of March, but throughout the entire year."

--Tara Chevrestt, Editor of HerStory

Buy on Amazon in print or Kindle format

Barnes & Noble print or Nook format

Smashwords, all digital formats

The Fall of Sky City COVER REVEAL

Fall of Sky City

By S.M. Blooding

Book 1 in the 

Devices of War Trilogy

Previously titled, The Hands of Tarot, this exciting NA steampunk fantasy, is being re-released with a brand new title and cover! 

Cover design by Ravven

Gorgeous right?! Leave a comment and tell us what you think!

Below is the synopsis and a special excerpt, just for you!

Don't forget to keep scrolling for a very awesome GIVEAWAY :D

In a world governed by the opposing forces of the mystical House of Tarot and the tribal Great Families, Synn is caught in the crossfire.  He witnesses the slaughter of innocent people, and the devastating murder of his father. This act awakens his Mark of power, a Mark greater than any the world has seen in a very long time.

Queen Nix thought she won a great prize when she destroyed Synn’s father, the leader of the strongest Great Families. She had no idea she’d be doubly blessed by capturing his son. However, before Synn can become her treasured weapon, before she can use him to bring the rest of the world to its knees, she must break him and bind his soul to hers.

She does her job with brutal brilliance. Synn’s mind is broken and his soul is seared to hers in an unbreakable bond.

That doesn’t stop him from wanting to be free. She may have broken his mind and claimed his soul, but he will find a way to destroy her.

Experience a world of ships that sail the clouds and cites buried beneath the ocean, and survive the fiery battle brought forth by those who control the forces of nature!

** SUPER JUICY EXCERPT BELOW **

I woke freezing, my teeth chattering.

I tried to sit up, but my head was pounding so hard, it made me nauseous.

“Lay back,” a soft voice murmured, gentle hands pressing down on my bare shoulders. “Be at ease. You are safe now, Synn Primus.”

I shook my head, falling back onto the soft pillows. My back felt like fire where the pillows touched it. “Not—” It was so hard to speak. My tongue felt thick. “Not my name.”

“Yes it is, you goose.” Something was draped over me.

I let out a startled yell and threw it off. Everywhere it touched burned.

It was draped over me again. This time the hands pressed it down on my shoulders, keeping it in place. “You have been Marked by the House of Wands, so you now bear our name. You are a Primus, Synn. Welcome.”

My whole world stopped as my mind caught up.

I’d lost my father. He was—

I closed my eyes and fell back.

Dead.

I’d watched so many others burned to death, their children made to look on as those they loved were lost.

And now? I’d lost my life to the Hands?

No. I shook my head and rose. No. “No. This can’t be.”

She pushed me back. “How else do you explain it?” A warm thumb ran over my brow. “You survived the fire, Synn.” She pulled the blanket away, a cool finger running over where I burned. “And how do you explain this? This is your Mark, Synn, the thing you have been waiting for your entire life.”

I remained quiet, concentrating on breathing.

“What I witnessed was a Marking. Aren’t you the least bit excited?”

My father’s strong, rigid face swam before my eyes, so fierce and powerful as the fire rose to claim him, writhing with the pain of it. A sob seeped from my chest. “Not like this.”

I was gathered in her arms. She held me close as she rocked me. She crooned a song I’d never heard. I wasn’t paying attention. I was overwhelmed with what I had lost; my family, my home, my self.

The pounding in my head lessened as the woman held me close, easing my pain. Visuals started registering. The red silk of the cover. The black leather of her bodice. Her long, dark hair.

“Nix.” My voice was a bare croak.

She pulled away slightly, staring into my face. She’d removed the odd crown with the spinning birds.

I didn’t have the energy to fight her. My eyes fell closed in a long blink. I opened them, even though I didn’t want to, my gaze falling to the ruby spider resting on her chest.

“Do not fear, young Primus,” she said, her full lips curved in a careful smile. “I am your family now. You will want for nothing.”

I rocked where I sat, my legs sprawled. “Why?” I barely had the energy to whisper. “Why?”

“Why what, Primus?”

“Why did you attack us?”

“You attacked first.”

“I went for a sword to save—” I paused, breathing, blinking back the tears. “—innocent lives. You killed them for no reason.”

“They would not submit.”

I stared at her in exhausted incredulity. “Did you give them the chance?”

She cupped my face and peered at me sincerely. “I do not want empty devotion. I want only to be loved and cherished.”

“And so you scare children into fearing you.”

“Fear can turn to love.” Her smile was sweet. “You will see.”

“No.”

She flinched and pulled back. “Do you want to see?” She didn’t give me a chance to say no or yes. She pulled away the cover, her eyes dropping to my chest. “Your Mark, Primus.” She reached out with her diamond claw.

I stared in wonder. Rivers of fire coursed in a fine web of lines and runes under my skin. I twisted to see my back, but failed.

“It’s the same there. Have you ever seen so powerful a Mark as this?”

I shook my head. No. I hadn’t. I touched the lines with a ginger hand. They were sensitive and hot to the touch, leaving the rest of me chilled to the core.

Her fingertips joined mine, her long nails gleaming red in the soft yellow light. “But what can one expect from the house of El’Asim and Ino?”

I jerked, staring at her in surprise.

She threw her head back and laughed. “But of course. Why didn’t I see this before? The two most power Families allying themselves through marriage. Oh, yes.” Her eyes were filled with greed, her teeth bared in a smile that was more of a sneer.

She looked ready to eat me.

“Do you have brothers? Sisters? Any who are younger than you, unmarked?”

I stared at her in disgust and wonder. “No.”

Her pink tongue ran along her teeth as she dropped her chin and peered at me through her long, thick lashes. “It doesn’t matter. You are mine.”

I straightened my back and stared at her, gritting my teeth with all the will I had left. “Never.”

A smile slithered into place along her lips. “We shall see.” She pulled away and gestured, sashaying to a door I hadn’t noticed before.

Something heavy slammed against my head.

I fought to remain conscious.

But lost.

** About the Author **

SM Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, Ms. Bird, the Chicken and SistaPITA. It's quite the zoo. She’s taken a break from the piano, which Ms, Bird is quite happy about, and now knows more than one word in Arabic. Basically, she can say hello, good-bye, give it to me, and hurry up!

She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.

Find out more about her at:

Twitter / Facebook / Website/blog / Goodreads

She’s also an investigator with a local Paranormal Group:

Colorado Paranormal Rescue!