Xpresso Tours Presents: Witchbreed by R.L. Martinez

In the Blood
R.L. Martinez
(The Witchbreed Series #1)
Published by: Lakewater Press
Publication date: March 21st 2016
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

A snake. A lion. A return.
In a time when magic is feared, Lady Oriabel Dominax has no choice but to conceal her healing powers while she cares for her father’s struggling estate. One touch of the Witch’s Tree shows her visions of witches hung and burned at the very hands of the people for whom she cares, the people who love her. But with the arrival of a new lord, a man hiding secrets of his own, falling in love might be one wrong move too many.
Incarcerated for an unspeakable crime, fearless warrior Lady Ottilde Dominax is plagued by mysterious dreams of her sister’s death. When a hooded figure offers her the chance of escape, although untrusting, she does not hesitate. Racing across nations to reach Oriabel, her journey is cut short by an encounter with a wedowyn, a formidable beast which she has no chance to overpower alone. Though it is not death that greets her, but something far worse.
Blackmail, betrayal, and murder are only the beginning as a darker magic is awakened. And someone has plans for the Dominax twins, plans more terrifying than anything they could ever imagine.

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Beneath the Skin
R.L. Martinez
(The Witchbreed Series #2)
Published by: Lakewater Press
Publication date: July 21st 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Abandoned, betrayed, and wanted for murder, Lady Oriabel Dominax is a witch on the run. The deadly magic now awakened inside her is hungry, and it is all Oriabel can do to control it. With no choice but to trust strangers as her guardians, she quickly discovers not everyone is who they say they are and the very magic she fears might be her only weapon to protect those she loves.
Since rescuing her sister from certain death, Lady Ottilde Dominax’s only goal is to keep Oriabel safe and alive. Not an easy task when both the enemy and their so-called allies are hunting them. Placing all her trust in the very man who held her prisoner, Ottilde must open her heart and mind to a future she could never have predicted, a future guided only by love and survival.
Life, death, and tragedy lie ahead as the Dominax twins set out on a perilous journey to safety. But knowing they are mere pawns in someone else’s game means fighting for family is all they have left.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:
Being a stay-at-home mom is probably the hardest job Robin’s ever had (and that’s after working at places like Goodwill, MCL Cafeteria, and Captain D’s). Her house is never clean! No matter how many dishes she does or toys she picks up, her two little ones come right behind her and make a whole new mess. Anyway, this is the first time she hasn’t had some sort of job outside the home since she was fifteen. Kinda scary!
Now that her kids have both started all-day school, she can fling herself into the stories that constantly swirl inside her head. One of the main reasons she writes is to read books that she wishes other people were writing. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, two small sons, two naughty canines, and a mouse-killing cat.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Movie Review: Cure for Wellness

The Cure for Wellness is a horror/sci-fi flick that takes place at a sanitarium in the Swiss Alps.  A young stockbroker is somewhat blackmailed into getting his colleague Pembrooke back from Switzerland and to New York City in order to sign off on a lucrative deal.  The young man is given the run-around from the moment he gets to the Swiss hospital.  

The young stock broker leaves the hospital and then returns after getting into a car crash. His leg is broken and he is forced to stay at the sanitarium for a few days.  He also needs to take Pembroke back with him.  There is (of course) no usage of cell phones and the Internet.  The hospital looks like a spa for rich, eccentric people.  The stockbroker soon learns there is much more going on.  The patients are being used as some kind of an experiment that involves water.  The hospital has an urban haunted legend that goes with it-a baron who marries his sister.  Soon the stockbroker figures out that he is more of a prisoner than a patient.
My Review: This movie wasn't exactly scary.  It was more of a slow-drip kind of uncomfortable creepy.  I loved the dental procedure the stock broker had to go through.  The music was haunting.  The acting by the entire cast made my skin crawl.  But the real star of the movie was the plot.  Great story telling through the script and the camera shots.  I loved everything, especially the eels.  It worked on every level.  I paid 6.99 for on-demand, but would have gladly been content if I had to pay the full 10.00 ticket price at the theaters.  This is a real treat for horror-lite/sci-fi fans.  5/5 Stars

Book Review: Brad Meltzer's House of Secrets

I bought this book because I like Brad Meltzer's TV show and thought I would like his novels.  House of Secrets is about Jack Nash who hosts a TV show much like Brad's-a documentary style investigation about conspiracy theories and historical mysteries. Jack recruits his seven year old son, Skip, to co-star on the show after the ratings start to tank.  
As the years roll on, Skip and his sister, Hazel, lose their father in a deadly car accident.  They begin to suspect foul play.  A mystery involving Benedict Arnold and his Bible comes into play.  Hazel, who was in the car with her father, cannot remember anything due to a mild form of amnesia.  Clue by clue she unlocks her old memories as well as her dad's secret past.

My Review: Meltzer has a page-turning style that sucked me in right away.  I really liked the history about Benedict Arnold.  I also liked his tongue and cheek style about the main character's TV show.  The irony is not lost.  
For the most part, the story meshed.  There were a few moments that confused me, but then I tend to read at night and then fall asleep.  I recommend this book to all history and mystery lovers.  I will definitely be buying another Meltzer book.  4/5 Stars

Goddess Fish Presents: The Reluctant Debutante by Wendy May Andrews

The Reluctant Debutante

by Wendy May Andrews

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GENRE: Historical Romance (Regency)

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BLURB:

The Duke of Wychwood seeks retribution from the Earl of Pickering. When he finds out the earl has a beautiful young niece, the duke thinks to involve her in his feud, but is shocked to discover he is attracted to her.

The orphaned niece of the earl, Lady Victoria, serves as governess to four of his children and is made to feel like an interloper in her own home. A chance encounter with the duke affords her the opportunity to enter Society, but to take it means risking what little security she has.

Revenge and love don't sit well together, to have a future can they learn to give up the past?

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Excerpt One:

Opening page – first time hero sees heroine

“Who is that ravishing creature entering the devil’s lair?” Bryghton Alcott, the fifth Duke of Wychwood, asked his friend, his gaze arrested by the slender figure climbing the stairs to a midsize townhouse as they rode past.

Turning in his saddle to gape at the young woman, Lord Lynster grinned, thrilled to know something his powerful friend did not. He turned back to face the duke. “You don’t know who that is?”

“Would I be asking you if I knew?” Bryghton said, with a wry twist to his lips.

His left eyebrow tilted at a somewhat haughty angle, the young baron finally answered with a touch of dramatic flair, “That, my good fellow, is the devil’s niece, Lady Victoria Bartley.”

“Really?” the duke asked, incredulity now echoed in his voice. “How did I not know that the devil had a niece? Surely this information could be used to my advantage.”

“I have no idea how you could have researched your enemy so thoroughly and yet not know that he is living in his niece’s house. I never thought to mention it since it seemed to be a matter of common knowledge. Of course, the lady was a child when the devil inherited her father’s title, so I suppose you took no note of her existence.”

Alcott’s face held a far-away expression for a few moments before his gaze sharpened on his friend’s face. “You said the devil is living in her house. What do you mean?”

“The earl only inherited what was entailed. The previous earl doted on his only child and left everything that was unentailed to his daughter, including the London townhouse we just rode past. The new earl, the young lady’s uncle, is her guardian until she gains control of her own fortune. As such, he and his family live with Lady Victoria when they are in Town. She lives with them in her former home when they are in the country.” Alfred, Lord Lynster, “Fred” to his friends, looked at Bryghton with a touch of anxiety, unsure of how his friend would use this information to his advantage. “The young woman faced much tragedy at a tender age, losing both her parents in that terrible carriage accident that made the devil the earl.”

“Yes, and no doubt she could use a friend, being stuck in the same house with Bartley and his family as she is,” concurred the duke, his handsome face darkened by a sinister cast.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Best-selling author, Wendy May Andrews, has been in love with the written word since she learned to read at the age of five. She has been writing for almost as long but it took her some time before she was willing to share her stories with anyone other than her mother.

Wendy can be found with her nose in a book in a cozy corner of downtown Toronto. She is happily married to her own real-life hero, who is also her best friend and favourite travel companion. Being a firm believer that every life experience contributes to the writing process, Wendy is off planning her next trip.

She loves to hear from her readers and can be found at her website (wendymayandrews.com), on twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Website & Blog:  http://wendymayandrews.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/WendyMayAndrews

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WendyMayAndrews

Instagram:  Https://www.instagram.com/WendyMayAndrews

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Debutante-Sweet-Regency-Romance-ebook/dp/B073582R58/ref=sr_1_3 

Giveaway: 

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