#author Neve Wilder

[melaniem54]

Review: Bet You (Franklin U Book 4) by Neve Wilder

Review: Bet You (Franklin U Book 4) by Neve Wilder

Rating: 3🌈 Bet You is among 8 novels written by different authors in the Franklin U series and each is a standalone featuring a different couple. Bet You by Neve Wilder has a number of well known themes running through it. There’s opposites attract, the rich easygoing frat boy versus the stressed, overworked middle class student with money flow issues, and a somewhat jock / science nerd aspect…

[echosofbooks]

Teaser Reveal - HEAD GAMES by Onley James

Check out HEAD GAMES, the third standalone romance in Onley James and Neve Wilder’s Wages of Sin series! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today! Title: Head Games Author: Onley James Genre: Dark MM Romance About Head Games: “You’re a vigilante in an argyle sweater.”   Straight-laced psychologist Tobias is an expert in the deviant behavior of others but a novice when it comes to his…

[ladyangelsea]

❄️𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗕𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗗 & 𝗣𝗢𝗘𝗠❄️ I thought I'd do my prompt a little differently today and write a poem instead of a snippet. I haven't shared a poem in a while. This poem is about Neve from my upcoming fantasy romance Snow White and the Guardians of the Sword. The theme in this poem is loneliness and how Neve embraces loneliness and uses it as a strength that leads her to her found family. 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 She let silence take over filling her heart with clover. Acres at play, standing still, the wilderness of her will. She's a lover of silence, shining down in defiance. Release ships into the night. Last of us to seek the light. ❄️❄️❄️ #writersofinstagram #poetsofinstagram #poetrycommunity #writers #bookstagram #poetsofig #writingcommunity #spilledink #bookish #instapoet #poetryisnotdead #creativewriting #author #fantasybook #loverofsilence #authorsofinstagram #fantasybookseries #nowipwritersway #bealoverofsilenceday #silenceisgolden #writerscommunity #instapoetry #igpoets #instapoem #poetryofinstagram #wordsmith #poemsofinstagram #darkacademia #darkacademiaaesthetic #darkacademiastyle (at Naperville, Illinois) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cme4jBtPqy4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[i-dont-read]

my September 2022 book ratings

# of books read: 3

Illicit Desires (Deepest Desires #3) by Ashley James ★★★☆☆

Franklin U series by various authors

Bet You (Franklin U #4) by Neve Wilder  ★★★☆☆

The Glow Up (Franklin U #5) by A.M. Johnson  ★★★☆☆

[tidbitswithtoby]

Quick Reviews - April 2022

All 5/5 reviews are definitely recommendations. Most of this list was made before I started my review page so most don't have written reviews, but if you're curious and would like me to write one, feel free to message or comment. The bottom half are all linked with their written reviews.

All books marked with a * are unreleased books.

Rhythm of love - Neve Wilder

Dedicated - 5/5

Resonance - Did not read

Necessary Evils - Onley James - 10 out of 5

Unhinged - 4/5

Psycho - 4/5

Moonstruck - 5/5

Headcase - 5/5

Mad Man - 5/5

Lunatic* - TBD

Sons of the Fallen - Jaclyn Osborn - 3/5

Galen - 3/5

Castor - 4/5

Daman - 5/5

Gray - 3/5

Bellamy* - April 30th

Raiden* - October 27th

Alastair* - unavailable

For him - A.M. Johnson 5/5

Love always, Wilder - 5/5

Not so sincerely, yours - 5/5

Dear Mr. Brody - 4/5

To Whom it may concern - 4/5

Forever, Con Amor - 5/5

Flesh and Bone - Joel Abernathy (trans author) - 4/5

Exhale - 4/5

Bleed - 4/5

Shift - 5/5

Monstrous - Lily Mayne - 10 out of 5 perfection

Soul Eater - 5/5

Edin - 4/5

The Rycke - 5/5

Wyn - 5/5 - ultimate favorite

Gloam - 3.5/5

Moth - 5/5

Seraph* - TBD - Fall 2022?

Temptation - Ella Frank - 4/5

Try 4/5

Take - 4/5

Trust - 5/5

Tease - 5/5

Tate - 5/5

True - 5/5

Folk Trilogy - Lily Mayne - 5/5

Mortal Skin - 5/5

Forgotten Vows* - June 10th

Tbd* - Tbd

Vampire Kings - Loki Renard - 1/5

Predators - 1/5

Royal Pains

Pack Master* - August 5th

Moonshadow Den - Claire Cullen - 3/5

Run to him - 3/5

Run for home - Have not read

Overall Favorite: Monstrous series - everything Lily Mayne. Necessary Evils was the top contender until I found Lily Mayne. For Him series was sweet, the best 'normal people' series. I also really enjoyed a lot of Onley James and Neve Wilder's books.

[hello-robin-goodfellow]

ARIANO SUASSUNA

Ariano Vilar Suassuna (June 16, 1927 – July 23, 2014) was a Brazilian playwright and author. He is in the "Movimento Armorial" (Armorial Movement). He founded the Student Theater at Federal University of Pernambuco. Four of his plays have been filmed, and he was considered one of Brazil's greatest living playwrights of his time. He was also an important regional writer, doing various novels set in the Northeast of Brazil. He received an honorary doctorate at a ceremony performed at a circus. He was the author of, among other works, the "Auto da Compadecida" (The Rogue’s Trial or A Dog’s Will) and "A Pedra do Reino" (The Stone of the Kingdom). He was a staunch defender of the culture of the Northeast, and his works dealt with the popular culture of the Northeast.

BIOGRAPHY

Ariano Vilar Suassuna was born in the northeastern city of Nossa Senhora das Neves (Our Lady of Neves, now João Pessoa capital of the state of Paraíba), on June 16, 1927, son of João Suassuna and Cassia Villar Suassuna. The following year, his father left the government of Paraíba and the family went to live in the wilderness, in Acauhan Farm ("Fazenda Acauã").

During the Revolution of 30, his father was murdered for political reasons in Rio de Janeiro and the family moved to Taperoá, Paraíba, where he lived from 1933 to 1937. In this city, Ariano began his first studies and also watched for the first time mamulengos (kind of theatric plays played by hand puppets that were typical to the region) and a Viola Challenge, whose character of "improvisation" was one of the hallmarks of his theatrical production.

From 1942 he lived in Recife, where he finished in 1945, his secondary education at the Gymnasium in Pernambuco and Osvaldo Cruz High School. The following year he began Law School, where he met Hermilo Borba Filho. And along with him, he founded the Student Theater of Pernambuco. In 1947 he wrote his first play, Uma Mulher Vestida de Sol. In 1948, his play, Cantam as Harpas de Sião (ou O Desertor de Princesa) was performed by the Student Theater of Pernambuco. Os Homens de Barro was presented the following year.

In 1950, he graduated from the Faculty of Law and was awarded the Martin Pena Award by Auto de João da Cruz. He was forced to move back to Taperoá, to be cured of lung disease. There he wrote the play and set up Torturas de um Coração in 1951. In 1952 he returned to live in Recife. Until 1956, he devoted himself to law, however, without abandoning the theater industry. During this time O Castigo da Soberba (1953), O Rico Avarento (1954) and O Auto da Compadecida (1955), were performed around the country and would be considered in 1962 by Sabato Magaldi "the text of the most popular modern Brazilian theater. "

In 1956, he abandoned law to become professor of Aesthetics at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). The following year he staged his play O Casamento Suspeitoso in São Paulo, Cia Sérgio Cardoso, and O Santo e a Porca, in 1958, was staged his play O Homem da Vaca e o Poder da Fortuna, in 1959, A Pena e a Lei, awarded ten years after the Festival Latinoamericano de Teatro.

In 1959, along with Hermilo Borba Filho, he founded the Teatro Popular do Nordeste, which then set up A Farsa da Boa Preguiça (1960) and A Caseira e a Catarina (1962). In the early '60s, he interrupted his successful career as a playwright to devote to the classes in Aesthetics at UFPE. There, in 1976, defends the thesis Habilitation A Onça Castanha e a Ilha Brasil: Uma Reflexão sobre a Cultura Brasileira, Retires as professor in 1994.

Founding member of the Federal Council of Culture (1967), appointed by the Rector Murilo Guimarães, director of the Department of Cultural Extension of UFPE (1969). Directly linked to culture, began in 1970 in Recife, the "Armorial Movement", interested in the development and understanding of traditional forms of popular expression. Called names expressive music classical music to seek a northeast to come join the movement, launched in Recife, October 18, 1970, with the concert "Three Centuries of Northeastern Music – the Armorial of the Baroque" and an exhibition of printmaking, painting and sculpture. Secretary of Culture of the State of Pernambuco, Miguel Arraes Government (1994–1998).

Between 1958–79, also dedicated himself to prose fiction, publishing the Romance d'A Pedra do Reino e o Príncipe do Sangue do Vai-e-Volta(1971) and História d'O Rei Degolado nas Caatingas do Sertão / Ao Sol da Onça Caetana (1976), classified by him as "armorial-popular Brazilian novel."

Ariano Suassuna built in São José do Belmonte (PE), where the ride is inspired by the Romance d'A Pedra do Reino, an outdoor sanctuary, consisting of 16 sculptures of stone, with height 3.50 m each, arranged in circle, representing the sacred and the profane. The first three are images of Jesus Christ, Our Lady and St. Joseph, the patron saint of the city.

Paraíba State Academy of Arts and Doctor Honoris Causa from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (2000).

In 2002, Ariano Suassuna story was the subject of the carnival, in 2008, was again the subject of plot, this time the samba school Carnival Mancha Verde in São Paulo. In 2004, with the support of the ABL, the Kind Films produced a documentary entitled The Hinterland: World of Ariano Suassuna, directed by Douglas Machado and was exhibited at the Sala José de Alencar. In 2006, he was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Federal University of Ceara, but only received it on June 10, 2010 on the eve of his 83rd birthday. "It might even seem like I didn't want to receive the honor, but there were scheduling problems," Ariano said, referring to the time between the award and his receipt of the title.

On July 21, 2014, he suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke; he was hospitalized in coma and died from cardiac arrest on July 23.

CONVERSION TO ROMAN CATHOLICISM

Ariano Suassuna was born in a Calvinist Protestant family, became agnostic and converted to Roman Catholicism in 1958.

PLAYS

O Auto da Compadecida (1955)

O Castigo da Soberba (1960)

O Casamento Suspeitoso (1961)

A Caseira e a Catarina (1962)

Uma Mulher Vestida de Sol (1964)

O Rico Avarento (1964)

O Santo e a Porca (1964)

Pena e a Lei (1974)

A Farsa da Boa Preguiça (1982)

NOVELS

A Pedra do Reino e o Príncipe do Sangue do Vai-e-Volta, (1971).

História d'O Rei Degolado nas caatingas do sertão: ao sol da Onça Caetana, (1977).

CRITICAL STUDY

Ariano Suassuna : um perfil biográfico, Adriana Victor, Juliana Lins. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, c2007.

Source: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariano_Suassuna

@princesssarisa @ardenrosegarden @mademoiselle-princesse @lioness--hart @gravedangerahead @deforestkelleys @giuliettaluce @superkingofpriderock @amalthea9 

[hannaedits]

Review: Extracurricular Activities Series by Neve Wilder

Review: Extracurricular Activities Series by Neve Wilder

Want Me (Book 1) Going into this book, I knew that it was initially published as a series of novellas for the author’s newsletter. With that premise, I expected a fairly light, if incredibly sexy, read about two characters who hook up until they end up in a real relationship. Taken as a whole, it is definitely about two characters who hook up until they end up in a real relationship. It is also…

[myromancebooksworld]

I read 28 books last month!  I read like each month a little bit of every genre but I read more thrillers this month.

The books I gave 3 on 5 stars:

- “Breaking Beth” by Jennifer Bene - maybe if I read the whole story it’d be better ... - “Havoc” by Kindle Alexander - “The Initiation” by Nikki Sloane - “Your Last Lie” by Gretta Mulrooney

I put 4 stars on 20 books of these 28 even though some feels a more of a 3.5:

- “Impossible” by Julia Sykes - “One Night Stand” by Lisa Renee Jones (between 3.5 and 4 stars) - “Show Me The Way” by A.L. Jackson (kind of 4.5 - the author put, for me, too much sugar when the protagonist confess their love … but other that I really enjoy the book!) - “#Poser” by Cambria Hebert - “Void” by Raven Kennedy & Coralee June : 3.5 on 5 stars.  Reverse harem is not for me apparently ... - “Outdoor” by Amheliie (the beginning was little bit too slow and cold …) - “Chasing Butterflies” by Terri E. Laine (I still have some difficulties with the author in the beginning of the book but at the end I really love the story!  I’)m pretty sure I’ll give it more a 4.5 on 5 stars!) - “Bad Boy Blues” by Saffron A. Kent - “Balance” by Lucia Franco: I gave it 4 stars but there are some points that was a little bit too much for me but still I read the book and I have the 2 others on my tablet.  There is taboo and taboo!  The age of the heroine was too young for me and then I had problems with the reactions of the trainer at the end … he seemed like a teenage boy in the body of a man … it’s difficult to explain without saying too much but his reaction was more like a jealous teenager than a man ... - “Want Me” by Neve Wilder (I read this kind of book too many times and I thought that this one was a little bit too long and that there were too much sex scenes.) - “I’ll never tell” by Catherine McKenzie (I liked it but there was too much personal and family drama over and over again!  Each chapter the character tell you over and over again that he/she is unhappy … but he/she doesn’t seem to want to change or at least do something … the decision that one sister took at the end was a little bit unrealistic at least for me … - “The Dark Bones” by Loreth Anne White - “Her Last Word” by Mary Burton (I gave it 4 stars but I wanted to give 4.5.  I really liked it.) - “Don’t Even Breath” by Keith Houghton - “An Affair In Paris” by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine (I LOVE Ella but this novella was a very fast pacing.  There was for me nothing really interesting, just a steamy sex scene between 2 men and a woman … I gave it 4 stars but it was more like 3.5) - “Summer Lovin’“ by F.V. Estyer - “Bennett Mafia” by Tijan - “The Lovers” by Fiona Cole - “Untouchable” by Sam Marino (I gave it 4 stars but I so wanted to give it 3.5.  How unrealistic was the behavior of Zoey towards Carter after what she went trough (just like even her number 1 bully Jake said).  And the need to speak (especially from her) all the time … I push myself to read the book to the end because it was too boring at times … and her mother (it’s not ok if her daughter might end up pregnant by Carter but she litteraly push her in Carter’s arms because he came from a rich family … what?) - “Still Waters” by Viveca Sten

Except of the two 4.5 I mentionned before there were 4 books I gave 5 stars:

- “Enamor” by Veronica Larsen - “A Merciful Death” by Kendra Elliot - “Don’t Look Back” by Jennifer L. Armentrout (of course) - “The Rose Garden” by Thomas Fincham (even though we thought we’ll see the link between Rose inquiries and the détectives …)

[wordsmith-storyweaver]

Crave: A CS Fic

So... this one got a bit longer than anticipated. Which means that I am once again doing more parts than expected, and torturing you all for a bit longer. Available on AO3.

Blessedly, the Order of the Dragon’s contacts within the American Armed Forces ensure that Killian has access to a safe house where he can properly care for his newly turned child. Unfortunately, said safe house is at a government installation hidden deep in the wilderness of Mount Hood National Forest. It also can only be marginally deemed safe, as he has essentially been placed on house arrest.

Killian sits in a comfortable chair next to the bed, watching over his begrimed Sleeping Beauty. Order Commander Fontaine had graciously lent them her private quarters, which are thankfully nothing at all in appearance like the army barracks he had initially feared; given Neve’s upbringing in a Catholic orphanage—a place where she was repeatedly victimized—he had recoiled at the idea of her waking up in surroundings that might further traumatize her. A holding cell or medical detention room would also have smacked far too much of an abusive institution, so all things considered, he does feel grateful to their current jailor.

Over the years of his long life, he has been accused of many things, but Killian will be damned before he allows any harm to befall his newly turned child… if he can at all prevent it. Sadly, there will be some imminent pains from which he will be unable to shield her. For even though she may have information stored in her blood which can be of use to the Order, the fact remains that Killian spared her life when he was supposed to kill her. Furthermore, he complicated their situation when he turned her.

Because while many of their traditions as a species are changing or dying out, his own sire remains rigid in his adherence to the “old ways”. Vlad Tepesh, due to his age and the supposedly exalted nature of his bloodline, requires all of his Blood to ask permission before siring children of their own; his personal power and his status as a former member of the Council mean that the Order will not interfere in his right to judge the case… or to discipline his son. Even when presented with the evidence, the Impaler will quite probably view Killian’s actions as rebellious flouting of “The Rules” at best, and a challenge to his authority as head of their line at worst; the consequences of these transgressions ranging from torture to mortal combat to summary execution.

Indeed, as soon as Commander Fontaine arrived with reinforcements—to escort him and Neve to the safe house and to clean up all the evidence of her den—she demanded a vial of blood from Killian, and informed him that he and his child would be subject to interrogation at the Council’s leisure. By asking for both, Vlad revealed that he clearly intends to cover all bases in attempting to confirm, in his own mind at least, the depths of Killian’s guilt. He secretly scoffs at the thought of the old vampire’s misplaced paranoia, his undiminished megalomania.

If it were only his own life and conscience at stake, he would be far less concerned. However, he has his child to think about now, and several promises made to her which his personal honor demands that he must fulfill. And in order to keep his word and redeem those pledges, he must live. Far too many people, far too many men have failed his Neve in her life—have broken faith, broken trust, and even broken sacred vows rather than protected and cherished her as they ought to have done.

Carefully, Killian removes a long jewelry box from the pocket of his jacket and opens it on his lap. He stares at the simple Rosary of Connemara marble, the beads roughly cut and polished more by repeated use than craft. The dark green stones, once paler and visibly veined, now almost blackened by time; once cheaply made but dearly cherished, its value lies not in costly materials used to create it but in the rope’s near 400 years in age. His hand hovers over the stone cross and beads, wondering why he suddenly feels the urge to have their reassuring weight in between his fingers.

Because he remembers all too well the last time he held them, the last time he felt the comfort of telling his Rosary with actual faith and hope in his heart…

Slane, Ireland 1601

The Friary of Slane, like many small establishments of its kind, was not a cold, isolated mausoleum, but a socially active part of its community. The devoted men of religion did not shut themselves away from the world, but rather strove to serve the people. Poor men and women were given food, shelter, and opportunities to work; those who didn’t lack for physical comforts were given spiritual nourishment and guidance in good works; travelers were given lodgings for the night; and the sick were lovingly tended with medicines created by the herbs of the infirmary’s garden.

Neither was the sanctuary a grandly gilded cathedral, nor any of the buildings crafted with more the simple wood and humble stone. More money had been spent on the stained-glass windows, visually depicting stories from the Scriptures for the illiterate masses to understand and contemplate, than on the clerical vestments or altar pieces. The friars worked, each according to his own talents, on keeping body and soul together for themselves and for the people to whom they gladly ministered.

And for a young man who had no one in the world upon whom to depend or to depend upon him, Slane had been salvation. Once Brother Declan intoned the final blessing over the congregation, he descended the steps from the altar and toward the confessional at the rear of the chapel. Just ahead, he spotted another friar, Brother Gerald, standing in front of the wooden cupboards and fussing with his stole. He raised an eyebrow quizzically at the slightly older man.

“Greetings, Brother Declan! Abbot Marlowe has sent me to take confession in your place, and he asks that you see him in his office directly.”

Declan nodded his understanding, surprised at the unusual summons from the head of their community. While not an aloof or unapproachable man by any means, it was nevertheless uncommon for the average friar to be singled out for private meetings. As he quickly made his way to his simple chamber to hang up his choir vestments and assume his humbler robes, he wondered if there had been some ill report of him or complaint lodged by one of his brothers. Thinking also that perhaps there was some sin of omission or commission that escaped his diligence, he fingered the beads of his beloved Rosary and spoke the time-honored words of prayer under his breath.

Calmed by the familiar routine, he was steady and composed by the time he knocked on the wooden door and heard the bright “enter” from the office’s occupant. “You asked to see me, Father Marlowe.”

The abbot was not a small man by any stretch of the imagination. Not only did he possess the broad chest and round belly of someone who routinely ate well, but his personality and presence filled any chamber he entered. Sometimes to the point of making others almost uncomfortably aware of him, or feeling overwhelmed and sort of crushed. And yet at others, he could be so quiet and attentive to others around him that one could almost forget altogether that he was there.

“Ah! Brother, come! Come, sit down if you please!” The jolly invitation was directed at him from behind the desk as the middle-aged man scratched his quill furiously across a bit of paper, waving his free hand toward a grouping of three chairs set before the peat fire on the hearth. As their leader and highest ranking cleric at Slane, Brother Marlowe’s office could have been far more luxuriously appointed than it was; for a man of Declan’s calling, however, the warmth from the comfort of the chair furthest from the fire was greater than he would feel even in the coldest days of winter with a brazier in his cell.

After finishing his writing, Marlowe stood and stretched slightly as if his back pained him, before walking over to the small cauldron suspended near the fire. The older man grabbed one of the pewter goblets from a sideboard and gestured toward Declan. “Some wine to warm you on this bitterly cold night, Brother?”

“No thank you, Father. I have taken a personal vow against the imbibing of spirits.”

Marlowe shrugged and set about preparing his own bit of the warmed, spiced drink. “No doubt my thin, English blood telling, but I always need a "wee dram" at night to help fire the blood or I’m all out of humor. However, I did not call you here to talk about my problems, eh? Tell me, Brother Declan, what do you know of me?”

The Abbot settled back into the chair closest to the fire and sipped from his goblet, looking over the rim at Declan expectantly.

“I—I don’t believe I understand the question.” Declan fingered the beads of his Rosary nervously as he searched his mind for a likely answer. Marlowe laughed and leaned slightly forward, as if settling in to gossip with an old friend.

“Oh, come, come lad! I’m not deaf, dumb, and blind, boy! I know that there are rumors swirling about -- how I came to be here, how I managed to secure this position. Tell me what you’ve heard.”

What could he, a young friar, possibly tell the abbot which he had not already heard? If there had been whispers about his appointment, had they not been breathed long ago? Still nervous and uncertain, Declan cleared his throat. “I know that you’ve been a brother here at Slane for eight years and our abbot for nearly as long. It’s been said that you pleased the queen somehow, and that she managed to gain you your election as abbot.”

Marlowe startled him by smacking his hand on the arm of his chair and bellowing out an amused laugh. “Facts and the nicest of the rumors! I’ve half a mind to change my recommendation and send you off to become a courtier, my boy! You’ve a deft hand at polite turns of phrase!”

He paused his telling of the Rosary at that, even more curious than before. “Recommendation, Father?”

Marlowe placed his goblet on the small table at his side, leaning closer to the younger man and folding his hands together. “Indeed, my son... But in order to ensure that you fully understand, might I ask you a few personal questions, Brother Declan?”

Confused at the seeming change in topic yet trusting that the abbot would come to his point eventually, Declan cautiously nodded. He felt decidedly uncomfortable at the idea of sharing anything considered personal, not necessarily born of any fear but rather from an innate shyness.

“I know that you began your service as a novice a little later in life than most. Those who commit to a monastic life tend to do so either as the very young, or as grown adults; and yet you came to us as neither. Why was that?” Marlowe’s gaze fixed him in place, pinned him to his seat with its intensity as if the older man sought to pluck the thoughts and memories from his mind directly. Declan valiantly fought the urge to squirm like a guilty schoolboy.

“My whole family died during a recurrence of the sweat, save me. I was possibly the last to catch it, since neighbor found me among the bodies of the dead—ill with fever, yet still alive, and with little memory of what had occurred. Our local priest gave me food and clothing, but the man who found me couldn’t afford to keep me. He and his wife brought me here, and promised me that I could do much good in the world if I dedicated my life to God.”

“And that mattered to you? Helping others and making the world around you a better place?” Marlowe’s words were considered. Clearly, he wanted to understand if Declan had a true vocation or if the choice had been made for him. But, having received the kindness and compassion of his fellow man after having been seemingly miraculously spared by the Lord, Declan knew that a life of service to others was the noblest way to honor those gifts.

It was with simple, earnest faith that he answered. “More than anything!”

Rather than cheer him or appear to convince him, Declan’s words seemed to inspire yet more seriousness and gravity in his abbot. Marlowe looked over Declan’s shoulder, stared off into the distance as if carefully considering his next question. “That is good to hear… The life is not for everyone, but a sincere devotion to your higher calling is necessary. Since you have taken your vows, I presume that you believe in the supernatural—in the spiritual realms and in events and occurrences which appear to have no human explanation?”

His casually delivered words shocked Declan to his core, raked cold nails of distress down his spine. The miracles performed by Christ while on earth, the miracle he continued to perform through His Church… What were these if not spiritual in nature and in defiance of the so-called natural order?!

He affirmed, incredulously, “Of—of course! With God all things are possible!”

Marlowe waved a hand before settling back in his chair and taking his goblet back up for a long, fortifying drink. “There are some days, Declan, where I envy the simplicity of your assurance, your unshakable faith in things that you cannot see.” He took a moment and stared into his wine before continuing their discussion.

“I’m going to reveal something to you, brother, and then I will ask two things of you: the one request will challenge your discretion, and the other will demand more trust and faith than anything else in this life. As you believe in things which defy human logic and understanding, tell me what you know of the Vampyr.”

Declan immediately scoffed, convinced now that the abbot was having a bit of a joke at his expense. The English believed that the native Irish were ignorant, pagan savages at worst, and ignorant, fanatic Papists at best; clearly, while he and Father Marlowe shared the same religious beliefs, the older man was keen to tout his intellectual and hereditary superiority this evening. However, the continued sober expression on the abbot’s face gave him pause, and he answered with gravity and caution. “The Vampyr? You mean the legends of demons who take on human form and feast on blood? The souls of suicides buried at crossroads, doomed to walk the night until the Day of Judgment?”

Marlowe winced at the description, yet appeared unsurprised by it; no one question posed to him seemed to connect to the other, and Declan felt even more at sea in the conversation than ever. “What if I told you, Brother Declan, that not only were these creatures very much real—although not quite as you described them—and that you know several of them? What if I further told you that they have souls, just as you or any other human being? That they walk among us, many without ever causing harm to another living creature? That they are counted among the warriors of God—warriors for enlightenment and freedom?”

For once, he was so shocked as to forget himself. “You are mad, Father!”

Declan did not rise, but rather sunk further into the chair, embarrassed by his outburst and yet unable to recall his words. Legends and tall tales told by Grannies as bedtime stories were just that: stories. What Marlowe appeared to believe, what he suggested was possible could not be any more real than those... Could it? But instead of rebuking him for casting aspersions on his sanity, the older man sighed tiredly, resignedly.

“Declan, I must first ask that you never repeat to another human being the things that I will tell you this night. It is not just for your safety alone that I ask this, but for the safety of untold thousands. Do I have your word that you will not repeat what I have said?” The grave intensity on the abbot’s face could not be mistaken, so, filled with equal parts curiosity and doubt, Declan nodded his agreement.

“More than eight years ago, I did in fact work for her majesty, Queen Elizabeth. I was a spy, and I did my work well. However, it became necessary that I disappear, so my death was staged and bruited about, and I was spirited away here to continue working for the good of England, for the good of the whole world.

“For, you see, I am myself one of those beneficent beings I spoke of—a vampyr, a member of a secret society bound in all honor and duty to advance the cause of the intellectual liberation of the human race. My fellow brothers of the Order of the Dragon and I look toward a future when our races, and all other races of Were and Witch and human and Fae, may all live together in enlightened peace and prosperity. Although the greatest number of Vampyr are born, just as a human child is born, there are some like myself who have been translated to the race of Vampyr from humanity.

“We are selected for our gifts and talents, singled out to live a longer, different life than the rest of humanity; we are chosen to serve, chosen to protect those who are weaker than us. And this, Brother Declan, is my second request. You have been carefully observed for the last few years, your mind and spiritual ideals cultivated, your body buffeted by deprivations and suffering; you have been tested and not found wanting.

“Even now, the head of my Order has examined your thoughts and confirmed that you are more than fit to be granted this transformation, to take your place as one of our noble protectors. Your body and soul will become changed to survive greater challenges, will become empowered to perform greater deeds. Your vows to chastity and to poverty will no longer bind you, but your new vows will commit you to nobler acts of sacrifice that will bring more good into this world than you could possibly imagine.”

Expectant silence held court between them. Not once had Father Marlowe’s earnest sincerity wavered as he spoke. Declan had alternatively wanted to howl with laughter at the sheer impossibility of it all, or to run and summon the physician to administer a tonic. Just as he opened his mouth to suggest just that, a dark figure appeared out of thin air standing behind the third chair.

Declan cried out and nearly rose from his own seat in a bid to flee from the glowering apparition, whose form seemed to be wreathed with billowing shadows and black wisps of fog. Long black hair floated around a swarthy face, whose look of grim determination and glowing silver-black eyes speared him. Declan crossed himself in terror—he felt at once repulsed by and drawn to the man now before him, and instantly knew himself to be impossibly vulnerable to things which he had never imagined before.

And then, the stranger spoke. “Your Jesus once said, ‘blessed are those who have not seen and yet still believe.’ Open your eyes, boy! It was no plague that sucked the life-blood from your family; it was no sickness that left them empty husks for you to find after you had wandered back in from the moors. Your mind was not left blank by the creature who butchered them like kine! You raved for nigh a month about the horrors you had witnessed, and it took a very powerful vampire to erase those memories. The neighbor couple who brought you here did so because you had been marked by the very evil which took your family from you; only here would you have been safe from the monster who stole your kin, and so you have.”

In a blur of motion too fast for Declan’s mind to process, the man—the Vampyr—suddenly stood menacingly over him, jaw opened wide and revealing four snakelike fangs fully extended. “This is the face of your salvation and your damnation. I could have killed you at any time from the second you entered here tonight; Brother Marlowe could have slaughtered you and all the brothers at any moment over the past eight years, and yet he has contented himself on the blood of the sheep, the pigs, the goats that have graced your table. Why? Because we believe that coexistence and harmony are possible—not today, and not while our enemies promote discord.”

As he spoke, the vampyr’s fangs retracted from view. Rather than continue to frightening Declan, he bent slowly, sinuously until he was kneeling at the young man’s trembling feet. “If you agree, you will become stronger, faster—you will become more than human.”

Declan looked over at Marlowe, whose expression looked earnest and hopeful. “Vlad speaks the truth, just as I have. As soon as you were found among the drained corpses of your family, the Order of the Dragon was notified and brought in to hunt the perpetrator of the deed. Sadly, the one responsible was never found. Since that day, you have been destined for this path, and for one as old and resected as Vlad Tepesh to offer to turn you is a great honor indeed.”

Vlad placed his hands on Declan’s knees, drawing his attention back to the kneeling vampyr and his intense, almost possessive gaze. Looking directly at the living, breathing evidence that man may become more than, he wondered what such a transformation would do to him. He did not seek honor or glory, but… “What say you, brother Declan? Will you honor your dead by seeking justice for their deaths? Will you grant mercy to those who would otherwise become the prey of the wicked? Will you join us and aid us in saving those who need our protection most? Will you give your mortal life as a sacrifice, so that you may become a better servant to mankind?”

Declan touched the Rosary beads, suddenly desperate to do more than just pray for the lives of his parishioners to be better. He could ensure that they lived safe and secure, in peace and prosperity, by dying to self. And wasn’t that what Christ practiced through His own death? His resolve firmed in that moment. He would live his life as a living sacrifice. “I will join, and I will serve.”

For the first time, with slow deliberation as he gazed at the young friar, the vampyr smiled. Gently, fondly, he reached out and placed a hand atop Declan’s head, as if to bless him. Though not tonsured, since he had never taken Holy orders, he kept his raven hair cut short. “Dark as night, but with a soul of Light… Henceforth, you are my son, the child of my blood but not my body. Since you are so devoted to the Church, you may carry the surname Jones in its honor, as well as Tepesh. But in honor of your race and your hair, I name thee Ciaran of Irlandia, son of my blood.”

Vlad placed his hands on either side of Declan’s face, thumbs gently brushing his cheeks before leaning closer and kissing his forehead. Pulling back slightly, the newly named Ciaran stared into the eyes of the vampyr who would sire him and shuddered a little, feeling a frisson of anxious anticipation at his expression.

Never once did Vlad take his eyes off of his new child. “Is all prepared as I asked, Marlowe?”

“Indeed, Lord Tepesh.”

“Then it is time to begin his trials.” With sinuous grace, he stood and offered his hand to Ciaran Jones.

[melaniem54]

Review: Play Dirty (Wages of Sin #2) by Onley James and Neve Wilder

Review: Play Dirty (Wages of Sin #2) by Onley James and Neve Wilder

Rating: 4.5🌈 Play Dirty, the second book in the Wages of Sin series by Onley James and Neve Wilder, is the story I thought I was going to get when I initially dived into this series about a group of contract killers. In my first review I noted that two strong characters that stood out were Madigan and Sadie. It’s Madigan that’s featured here along with another assassin we previously met, the…

[echosofbooks]

Series Blitz - WAGES OF SIN by Onley James & Neve Wilder 

We are so excited to share the Wages of Sin series from Onley James and Neve Wilder! We’re going to be highlighting each of the three titles this month–check out the series today and be sure to grab it today! Series Title: Wages of Sin Author: Neve Wilder & Onley James Genre: Dark MM Romance All the emo, sex, and sarcasm you’d probably expect from an Onley James/Neve Wilder…

[valerieullmerromanceauthor]

Blog Tour - Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5

Blog Tour – Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5

Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5 Out Now With Stories By AM Arthur, Daryl Banner, Tal Bauer, SE Harmon, Riley Hart, Kate Hawthorne, Lucy Lennox, EM Lindsey, Louisa Masters, Mia Monroe, Jodi Payne, Spencer Spears, K Webster, Neve Wilder, Alice Winters Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… what would happen if Heart2Heart, the dating and community app responsible for bringing together…

[twochicksobsessed]

Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5: Blog Tour Stop with Exclusive Excerpt

Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5: Blog Tour Stop with #Exclusive #BookExcerpt #lgbtq #mmromance #gayromance #charity #loveislove

Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5 Out Now With Stories By AM Arthur,  Daryl Banner, Tal Bauer, SE Harmon, Riley Hart, Kate Hawthorne, Lucy Lennox, EM Lindsey, Louisa Masters, Mia Monroe, Jodi Payne, Spencer Spears, K Webster, Neve Wilder, Alice Winters Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… what would happen if Heart2Heart, the dating and community app responsible for bringing together…

[cajunscabinet]

Blog Tour for Heart2Heart volume 5. 

Heart2HeartAnthology #H2HV5 #Heart2HeartAnthologyV5 #Heart2HeartVolume5 #NeverHaveIEver #LimitedTimeOnly #MultiAuthorAnthology #LimitedTimeOnly #GRRTours #GayRomanceReviews #IGReads #CharityAnthology #RomanceAddicts #MMromance #GayRomance #LGBTQIA #BestBo

Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5 Out Now With Stories By AM Arthur,  Daryl Banner, Tal Bauer, SE Harmon, Riley Hart, Kate Hawthorne, Lucy Lennox, EM Lindsey, Louisa Masters, Mia Monroe, Jodi Payne, Spencer Spears, K Webster, Neve Wilder, Alice Winters Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… what would happen if Heart2Heart, the dating and community app responsible for bringing together…

[thequille]

HEART TO HEART VOL. 5 RELEASE BLITZ!!

HEART TO HEART VOL. 5 RELEASE BLITZ!!

Heart2Heart Anthology: Volume 5 Out Now With Stories By AM Arthur,  Daryl Banner, Tal Bauer, SE Harmon, Riley Hart, Kate Hawthorne, Lucy Lennox, EM Lindsey, Louisa Masters, Mia Monroe, Jodi Payne, Spencer Spears, K Webster, Neve Wilder, Alice Winters Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… what would happen if Heart2Heart, the dating and community app responsible for bringing together…

[amypca]

PHOT301: Frans Lanting.

“Frans Lanting (born July 13, 1951) is a National Geographic photographer, author and speaker. Lanting was born in Rotterdam in Netherlands . He studied economics at the Erasmus university in Rotterdam and later immigrated to the United States. He now lives in Santa Cruz, California and operates a studio and gallery, as well as a stock photography services. Lanting's wife Christine Eckstrom is a writer, editor, producer, and works on joint books of nature photography. “

“Lanting did pioneering work in Madagascar, where he documented wildlife and tribal traditions never photographed before. His celebrated coverage of the Okavango Delta in National Geographic has been credited with inspiring a surge of international interest in wildlife and conservation in Botswana. His photo essays about rainforest ecology in Borneo, emperor penguins in Antarctica, and the troubled fate of puffins in the North Atlantic, have been featured in publications around the world. Images from his yearlong odyssey to assess global biodiversity at the turn of the millennium filled an issue of National Geographic.”

“Lanting’s fine art prints are represented in many public and private collections, and he has had more than one hundred solo exhibitions at museums and galleries around the world. Three of his images were selected by his peers for a charity auction at Christie’s that featured the forty most important photographs of nature ever made. “

In August 2012 Lanting became an ambassador of the World Wide Fund for Nature in the Netherlands. On August 25, 2012 a special concert version of LIFE was held in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam celebrating 50 years of the World Wide Fund for Nature.

My Thoughts On Lanting’s work -

Visually his work is wonderfully enhanced by bring warm colours that highlights natural aspects of wilderness, it brings out not only the photographic side but also the artistic contrast of two dimensional colouring within photography. I find his photography to be an expression of the calming aura he includes into the work, a way of viewing a landscape that I might neve be able to see through his lens, his thoughts almost. The colours are what emedietly drew me in to the work, I also love how the trees are portrayed as swaying parts of the earth, as if everything is alive!

LINKS-

http://lanting.com/frans-lanting/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frans_Lanting