Blood Currency

Tags

Indie Author, Jeffe Kennedy, Paranormal, Self Published Book, Vampires

Title & Author: Blood Currency (Feeding the Vampire & Hunting the Siren)

Genre & Publication Date: Paranormal/Erotic, December 19, 2016

Book Description: “Feeding the Vampire

Through good luck and healthy cowardice, Misty has survived the earthquakes that have torn the world apart, but has no skills to speak of. Or so she thinks. She does have blood, and someone must feed the vampire who has offered his protection and strength in exchange for sustenance. Feeding Ivan is a priority, and Misty finally serves a purpose. But when she awakens tied to his bed, an unwilling gift to Ivan from the townspeople, she discovers he has hungers other than blood. Hungers he expects her to satisfy in the most carnal manner. Under his seductive persuasion Misty discovers she has the power to sustain Ivan in all ways, while experiencing unspeakable pleasure herself.

Hunting the Siren

A vampire queen grown powerful with age, Imogen has protected her band of nightriders through the centuries. When refugee vampires from earthquake-shattered Europe seek shelter and sustenance, she’s honor-bound to feed them, by any means necessary. When her lieutenants dump the vengeful human man Kasar at her feet, Imogen succumbs to his masculine vitality and her overwhelming hunger for his blood—and his body. Kasar has survived the breaking of the world, only to discover the vampire queen has slaughtered his sister and her unborn child. With the last of his bloodline dead, only his desire for vengeance keeps Kasar alive. He imagines he can pretend to succumb to Imogen’s seduction—not that he has much of a choice, chained as he is to the foot of her bed—and bide his time until he has an opportunity to kill her. The passion he finds in her arms is unexpected, and impossible to resist. But this haven of desire and satiation could easily destroy them both.”

First Line: “I’ll do it,” I said.

My Take: This book was provided to me by the author for review.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world this book gives us a pair of yummy vampire short stories. With a natural disaster that left the earth shattered and civilization fallen, I could definitely buy into the idea that if there were vampires around, there’d be little need for them to hide anymore. This sets the stage for a couple of interesting scenarios the author brings to life.

Unlike other duology packs I’ve read in the past, these two stories are completely different from one another even though they share the same setting (albeit different continents). The first one was in first-person, the second in third-person. The voices were distinct from one another and the central focus of each conflict unique. And let’s not forget the sizzle. Wow, can Kennedy heat up a scene! I burned my fingers tapping through the pages. *fans self*

I wanted to add as well that everything remains consensual in this area because the synopsis might scare some off. This is a vampire book. It’s all about the seduction, folks. Characters resisting temptation because they think they should, not because they want to. As always, Kennedy strikes that perfect balance between conquest and affection. Trust me, you’re safe in her hands.

The Magical: Ahhhh, the vampires were SO well done! These were not angsty, human-like versions of this mythical being. These were creatures of the night, ancient, otherworldly and frightening, yet utterly magnetic.

The Mundane: Both stories ended where they should and without tying everything together into a bow (the world is still in ruins after all), but I wanted mooooooore! *undignified whine*

Summary of Thoughts: Currently this book is $2.99 on Amazon, or free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription. I really enjoyed it. It delivers exactly what it promises with a pair of stories that will totally consume you. A reminder that this one has scorching romantic scenes in it. Five alarm chili, if you take my meaning, but oh, you will love the burn.

Many thanks to author Jeffe Kennedy for providing a copy of the book to review!

Want to know more about this author and her work? Explore her website here

Author Interview: Jeffe Kennedy

Tags

Author Interview, Fantasy Romance, Jeffe Kennedy, New Releases

I had the great pleasure of interviewing award winning author (one of my favorite writers, squee!) Jeffe Kennedy. Having recently read and reviewed the first three books of her awesome new Fantasy series Sorcerous Moons (for the review click here), I was super excited to discuss writing, publishing, and the themes of her work. Below are the questions from the interview and Jeffe’s complete, unaltered answers.

Can you tell us a little about yourself (how you started your writing career, what you love to do in your free time, etc.)?

That would be a lot to answer! The succinct version is that I started out in science and was getting my PhD in neurophysiology when I figured out that I really wanted to be a writer. I got a series of jobs to support that effort – ending up working in environmental consulting for 18 years – up until last year when I finally was able to go to writing full time. I’ve always been a reader, so I make sure to spend time on reading books and stories. I also love to garden. My husband and I are fond of hiking and I’ve recently taken up stand-up paddle boarding.

Do you write in other genres aside from Fantasy?

Yes, I write contemporary and erotic romance, too. I also started out as an essayist, so I continue with nonfiction, writing articles and blogposts on all sorts of topics.

Some of your books are traditionally published but you also have a self-publishing imprint, Brightlynx Publishing. What has your experience been as a “hybrid” author?

I’m loving being a hybrid author! Much more than I believed I would. I’m blessed to have successful self-publishing friends who have advised me. I’m really very lucky to be able to take advantage of the good aspects of both paths – and to be able to compensate for the flaws in each with the strengths of the other.

In your newest series, Sorcerous Moon, there’s a fascinating division between the women sorcerers who supply magic and the men sorcerers who wield it, with women who are able to do both considered abominations subject to execution. I thought this was a really interesting gender division with regards to power. Can you speak to the inspiration behind it?

You’re the first to ask about that, and there is kind of a story there. I studied kung fu for about 15 years with a school that focused on the Taoist principles that underlay the martial practice. In that view, male energy is yang, which is powerful and active, while female energy is yin, nurturing and receiving. Our (male) teacher extended this to how he thought his students should be. I began to feel oppressed by this attitude. The Taoists see everything as a balance of yin and yang, so I didn’t see why I had to be limited to only yin. The Báran society’s divisions, and Oria’s journey, grew out of that.

I just loved Lonen, the hero in your this series from the Destrye lands. What I enjoyed most is how you confounded the usual “Barbarian” trope. He’s tough but along with the muscle he’s got a clever mind and doesn’t fall into the simplistic Alpha male generic that drives me to madness. Can you talk a little about the qualities you tend to include in the men of your stories? What makes a hero a ‘hero’ for you?

It’s funny, I never thought my heroes had consistent traits until I saw a review referring to “the Kennedy hero.” Basically my heroes always have integrity, a strong moral compass that guides them. They’re confident enough that they don’t need to put their women in inferior roles to puff themselves up. They’re intelligent and compassionate. To me these are all the best heroic qualities.

Full disclosure: I’ve read pretty much everything you’ve written. The heroines of your books are so real. They’re strong but have vulnerabilities as well, including your warriors—something which I love since I’ve found women warriors are often depicted as curvy versions of men. A theme I’ve noticed in their character arcs is this yearning to find their place in the world and in the process of doing this they learn they must discover who they are before that can happen. Am I anywhere near the mark on this? And if I am, does this theme have a personal meaning to you?

Heh. That’s awesome to hear! And yes, a big theme with me is transformation. I’m very interested in the paths we all take to become better people – whether that’s religiously driven, physically, emotionally, what-have-you. I’m a big believer in honest self-scrutiny as a part of that. Because how can we repair our flaws and become better unless we’re willing to face who we truly are? So, yes – you’re spot on target there. J

Who are some of your favorite authors? Any indies?

SO many favorite authors! Since you’re particularly interested in indies, some I love who are self-publishing or going hybrid are Grace Draven, Thea Harrison, Ilona Andrews, Megan Hart, and Molly O’Keeffe, among many others.

If you could go back to when you first started out as an author and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Be patient. You’re following the path as you should. Things will happen when they’re meant to.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am finishing revisions on a book that’s been difficult to write for some reason. It’s about a damaged former child-star pop princess who has an affair with her driver. Once I’ve put it to bed, I’ll be drafting the fourth Sorcerous Moons book, The Forests of Dru. Then I’m turning to writing a book I’ve called The Body Gift, which is a more epic fantasy about a young warrior woman in a ruthless matriarchal society.

Are there any events coming up where we can meet you?

I go to a fair number of cons. I’ll be at TusCon in Tuscon, AZ, the weekend of November 11-12. I’ll also for sure be at SFWA’s Nebula weekend in Pittsburgh, May 18-21. I may go to others, but haven’t committed. If people would like me to visit a local con or come speak at some other event, just ask!

Thanks so much for taking the time to be interviewed on Amid the Imaginary, Jeffe!

Thank you!

Book One in the adult fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons. The novel, Lonen’s War, is a paranormal kindle book of magic and sorcery – and a war culminating in a marriage of convenience between enemy kingdoms.

An Unquiet Heart

Alone in her tower, Princess Oria has spent too long studying her people’s barbarian enemies, the Destrye—and neglected the search for calm that will control her magic and release her to society. Her restlessness makes meditation hopeless and her fragility renders human companionship unbearable. Oria is near giving up. Then the Destrye attack, and her people’s lives depend on her handling of their prince…

A Fight Without Hope

When the cornered Destrye decided to strike back, Lonen never thought he’d live through the battle, let alone demand justice as a conqueror. And yet he must keep up his guard against the sorceress who speaks for the city. Oria’s people are devious, her claims of ignorance absurd. The frank honesty her eyes promise could be just one more layer of deception.

A Savage Bargain

Fighting for time and trust, Oria and Lonen have one final sacrifice to choose… before an even greater threat consumes them all.

Get your copy of Amazon today!

Want to know more about the author and her work? Explore her website at JeffeKennedy.com or connect with her on Twitter @JeffeKennedy

Sorcerous Moons Series

Tags

Book Reviews, Book Series, Fantasy Romance, Jeffe Kennedy, Self Published Book

 

Title & Author: Sorcerous Moons Series: Lonen’s War (#1), Oria’s Gambit (#2), The Tides of Bára (#3), Jeffe Kennedy

Genre & Publication Date: Fantasy Romance, Lonen’s War – July 16, 2016, Oria’s Gambit – August 18, 2016, The Tides of Bára – October 29, 2016

Book Description: (I’m including Book One: Lonen’s War only to avoid spoilers)

“Book One in the adult fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons. The novel, Lonen’s War, is a paranormal kindle book of magic and sorcery – and a war culminating in a marriage of convenience between enemy kingdoms.

An Unquiet Heart

Alone in her tower, Princess Oria has spent too long studying her people’s barbarian enemies, the Destrye—and neglected the search for calm that will control her magic and release her to society. Her restlessness makes meditation hopeless and her fragility renders human companionship unbearable. Oria is near giving up. Then the Destrye attack, and her people’s lives depend on her handling of their prince…

A Fight Without Hope

When the cornered Destrye decided to strike back, Lonen never thought he’d live through the battle, let alone demand justice as a conqueror. And yet he must keep up his guard against the sorceress who speaks for the city. Oria’s people are devious, her claims of ignorance absurd. The frank honesty her eyes promise could be just one more layer of deception.

A Savage Bargain

Fighting for time and trust, Oria and Lonen have one final sacrifice to choose… before an even greater threat consumes them all.”

First Line: (from Book One: Lonen’s War) Oria squinted from the heat shimmer rising in the distance beyond the high walls of the city.

My Take: Books were provided to me from the author for review.

I’m a big fan of Jeffe Kennedy’s work, particularly her Twelve Kingdoms books (trad published) so I was super excited to see new books under her self-publishing imprint, Brightlynx Publishing. This series is as spectacular as the others and my fangirl adoration continues to grow in leaps and bounds.

Something that is very difficult to execute well when it comes to romance, in my reader opinion, is the chemistry between the central protagonists. We’ve all seen bad romance movies, right? You know, where you think, “Jeez, these two make a terrible match on screen. They don’t compliment each other at all.” (Read: The Avengers’ Black Widow and the Hulk…What the what happened there??) Well, it’s the same struggle on the page, and this author has spectacular talent at making two seemingly incompatible people come together in a way that leaves all doubt behind.

But this is a fantasy novel too, so let me expound on this unique world of magic, war, and intrigue. The conflict between the two peoples is as complex as it can get, and both sides are guilty of some truly ugly acts (though I’ll admit to my own bias towards the Destrye’s plight). Drought is at the core of it all–and isn’t that easy to believe in a very non-fictional sense. From a story standpoint, all this delicious turmoil makes for a really interesting setting, particularly when the book begins with a huge, bloody battle…Yes, I realize it’s a tad ghoulish to delight quite so much in that, but such is the zest that is me.

The magic system is quite something as well. Oria’s people are the sorcerers, whereas Lonen’s people are not magical at all (hence the view of them as mind-dead barbarians). Interestingly, there’s a gender divide as far as how magic is performed. The women absorb magic, as a river does the rainwater, whereas the men wield it, drawing their power from the women like a well. It’s a sort of balance between the two. Naturally, I found myself wondering why women couldn’t wield magic. Why were they just the tool and never the smith? Ah, but there’s a central question to this series. I don’t want to give anything away, but that topic leads in fascinating directions.

Now the romance, I love it! At turns a friendship, at turns a rivalry, both tender and difficult, it unfolds beautifully in the books. Lonen doesn’t understand magic, how it works, or the systems in place around it but he can translate concepts beyond his ability into a more earthly logic so he can help and understand Oria better. His tenacious efforts/struggles/frustrations with magic he knows nothing about are in their own way some of the sweetest displays of affection I’ve seen in a romance. Gents, forget flowers and chocolate. Making the honest attempt to understand what a woman is facing is the surest way to her heart. And okay, we’ll take the flowers and chocolate too.

The Magical: The ribbon and scarf scene in Oria’s Gambit (Book 2), holy hell that was sensational! No, I’m not going to elaborate. You’ll just have to read it for yourself. Trust me, it’s worth it…Um, just don’t read it while on lunch at work. I came back to my desk with flaming cheeks and people assumed I was getting sick. I did not correct them.

The Mundane: As with any romance that is a slow burn, my NEED for them to get together begins to drive me a tad crazy. I have this under the ‘mundane’ but at the same time I embrace the pain of waiting.

Summary of Thoughts: The first two novels are $2.99 on Amazon with the third coming out on October 29th. The series is going beyond three books and I’m enthusiastically looking forward to the next installments. Seriously, if you enjoy a good romance set in a fantasy world, if you have been searching for a story so good you’ll end up with a book hangover, get started on this series ASAP!

Many thanks to author Jeffe Kennedy for providing copies of the books for review!

Curious what others thought? Check out Amazon’s reviews of Lonen’s War (Book One) here

Want to know more about the author and her work? Explore her website here