Your Weekend Read: IMMORTALS BEHAVING BADLY Free March 7 and 8

 

Immortals + Boredom = Catastrophe

Something old and dangerous is awake and influencing the immortals to act in ways they’d only imagined.

First, small things like Odin, Anubis and Mab going on separate vacations and leaving their seats of power open for the taking. Then, Yue Lao, Cupid, Bast, Apollo and a Kitsune messing with the lives and memories of mortals. It grows to pandemonium when Pan and Poseidon upend the world, creating the Warp – and a free-for-all where it comes to the immortals’ wildest fantasies. Especially the twisted fantasies of Baba Yaga and her Nightmares, Morrígan and her love of War, and Isis who has no qualms unleashing hell on Earth to get Osiris back, plunging mortals even deeper into danger.

Thankfully, some immortals are older and wiser than others, catching on that everything isn’t as it seems… But damage control, trying to avoid the Apocalypse of all realms, and discovering who the ancient evil is, takes more magic, wit, and sacrifice than they could’ve dreamt possible. Can the unlikely grouping of Hel, Aphrodite, Set, Thor, Loki, Apollo, Freyja, Ra and Ammit save the realms?

Scroll up to buy now and enjoy the hilarity, disaster and more that ensues when bored immortals let loose.

Universal Book Link

https://books2read.com/u/mYk6AG

 

Excerpt

Shadows stretched across her garden. From the darkest shadows, two forms appeared. Lion feet emerged, followed by the body of a lion merging into the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. The head of a crocodile somehow stayed concealed in the shadows. But Baba Yaga knew it was there. Ammit had come to visit. The black form next to her could only be Anubis.

‘Ammit the Devourer, as I live and breathe!’ She set down her book, stood up and walked towards them. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?’

Anubis stepped from the shadows. Wisps of darkness clinging to him. Ammit joined him, her yellow eyes glowing unnaturally in the sunlit garden.

‘You cannot do this, Baba Yaga,’ Ammit said in her hoarse voice. ‘Think of the death toll.’

Baba Yaga burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. The earnest plea of someone who caused a second death for those who failed to prove their worth against the feather of Ma’at for her not to kill anyone was laughable.

‘Please, Baba Yaga.’

She stopped laughing. She’d never heard Anubis plead with anyone, ever.

‘What’s going on?’

‘After what those blethering idiots did, what the humans call the Warp, we’ve been swamped with the casualties. Charon would have come, but he and Hermes have even more to do than Ammit and I.’

‘Ah, yes, the theatrics.’

Anubis scowled. Ammit, though, giggled.

‘What does it have to do with me?’

‘You and your sisters are known to devour naughty children. Do you know how much paperwork that will cause us?’

Baba Yaga rolled her eyes. ‘Since when have you bothered with paperwork, Ammit?’

The goddess glared at her.

‘The truth, if you will. Otherwise, I’m off to join my sisters.’

Ammit and Anubis shared a look that she didn’t like.

‘The humans cannot take another bombardment of magic. Set and Thor are in agreement,’ Anubis finally said.

‘It must be dire if those two are agreeing on something.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘What did you do?’

‘Me? Nothing!’

Ammit snorted. ‘He took time off and everything nearly ended. That’s the short of it.’

‘So you finally lived down to human expectations.’

‘Nope. I just had some fun on a beach. But that’s not the point!’

‘No. You’re telling me that immortals have been using magic on humans to alleviate their boredom, played out some stupid apocalyptic fantasy, and now there are more human spirits in need of being ferried to the afterlife than any of you supposed death deities have capacity for. In short: everything can blow up in the faces of all immortals because of the stupidity of a few.’

‘Yes, the usual,’ Ammit said.

Baba Yaga sat down and a chair appeared from nowhere so she wouldn’t land on the ground. Her servants truly anticipated her every need. One handed her an iced coffee. As she sipped the delicious brew, the problems presented to her mulled over in her thoughts.

‘I made a bargain to do my job again – and I won’t go back on my word. Besides, Anubis,’ she stopped him when he opened his mouth. ‘A bit of cannibalism is good for the soul. To fix your problem, I have a simple solution: send the excess souls to join the Host until you can work through your backlog.’

‘This goes for all pantheons?’ Ammit asked.

‘Of course.’

A song about girls running the world started to play. At Anubis’s glare, the music stopped.

‘What was that?’ Baba Yaga asked, intrigued.

‘Beyoncé’s “Who Run the World”,’ Anubis said with a scowl to the invisible servants who had played the music.

‘I like it,’ Ammit said, swaying.

‘You would.’

 

Author bio

Award-winning Dark Fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren writes about kick-ass heroines, the duality of being human and loves to use folklore to underscore her point.

She’s a Rottweiler pack leader, chicken wrangler and horse servant.

All of her books are available for purchase from major online retailers.

Find Ronel online: https://linktr.ee/miladyronel

 

 

There are a lot of main characters in this series, so I chose to focus on Hel as she’s the weirdest.

She drinks pickle juice to re-hydrate after using a lot of magic. (Yes, the juice left over in a bottle of gherkins…)

Her favorite dessert is vanilla cupcakes with pink strawberry frosting.

She enjoys giblets and other such dishes as she sees it as a delicacy (and believes that if you’re going to eat an animal, you should eat the whole beast).

 

Tagline for this series: 

They’ve been alive forever. They’ve been bored for some time. And now they’re showing it.

 Link to trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AICr5qc6QOU&t=1s&authuser=0

 

IWSG Wednesday

 

The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

 

The awesome co-hosts for the May 4 posting of the IWSG are Kim Elliott, Melissa Maygrove, Chemist Ken, Lee Lowery, and Nancy Gideon!

May 4 question - It's the best of times; it's the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)?

 

Writing for me is a matter of emotional extremes. From the thin-aired heights of the top of the summit to the throw yourself off a cliff lows. Okay, I exaggerate but you get the idea. What causes these extremes: Besides when a story idea sparks in my brain, my highs are when I get good reviews and my books are selling. On the opposite end of the spectrum, when the story sparks flicker out, my books don’t sell and I get nasty reviews pretty much sums up my lows.

 

April/May reviews in no particular order.

 

EYE OF FIRE, second in the Dragon Soul Quartet by D. Wallace Peach

 

Another well-told tale in D. Wallace Peach’s lyrical fashion.

The story of the dragons and the folks that meld with them continues, this time flanking out in to include areas far from their homeland. There are several characters in this story that are challenged to lead people and right wrongs.  

After the dragons are freed from their chains in Taran Leigh, Earlin must lead the village in search of a new myth. Morgen, a sea captain, must face unpalatable truths and decide whether he will do something about it or continue to plead ignorance and ignore it. His sister Meriel must also decide whether to go home or take up the fight for the dragons.

Archer is a new character introduced at the end, who hunts those who hunt the dragons.  I expect to see this intriguing character more in the third book of the series.

A word of caution, the reader needs to stay on his/her toes, there are a lot of characters in this series. Luckily, the author has put a character index in the back so if you get confused you can always refer back to refresh yourself on a particular character and what their role is.

As always, D. Wallace Peach creates a world full of color, wonder and magic in a voice reminiscent of poets.

Available at Amazon.

 

And speaking of poets....

 

HUES OF HOPE, poetry by Balroop Singh

 

Weaves words into magic.

 

Ms. Singh has once again sprinkled fairy dust on her words, and with a deft touch, turned them into magic. Her poetry has color, texture, deep emotion and touches on feelings we’ve all experienced. Nature and family are lovely, recurring themes. This book relaxes and takes the reader to a more positive realm. Highly recommended.

Available at Amazon.

 

 

 

 

BETWEEN THE VINES (Keystone Couples) by Staci Stoilo

 

The is the second story in the Keystone Series I’ve read, third in the series, and I found it every bit as well written as the first. The stories sparkle with wit and humor. The heroines are feisty and the heroes strong.  For those that love a romance with a vineyard for the backdrop this is definitely your read.

Available at Amazon.

 

GRUMPY OLD TRICKSTER GODS: A GRUMPY OLD GODS ANTHOLOGY, including Ronel Janse van Vuuren

 

This fun anthology is about retired trickster gods that come out of retirement to have fun with one more trick or two. The gods range from the Goddess of Thieves to the God of Sleep. Ronel Janse van Vuuren zeroes in on the Goddess of Mischief in BLAZE OF GLORY. If you like political satire, you’ll probably appreciate BASTILLE DAY by Carlton Herzog. There’s something for everyone in this entertaining anthology.

Available at Amazon.

 

 

 

 

GHOSTLY INTERFERENCE by Jan Sikes

 

This story is about Jag Peters who is focused on his karma and Rena Jett who has grown up in foster care and known nothing but heartache. And then there’s Sam Jett, her brother, only he’s dead.

Both Jag and Rena have problems they are trying to work through that throw up roadblocks to a relationship. Rena’s includes trust issues.

Regardless of their differences in ideology and background they are drawn to each other. And a certain ghost is doing his best to insure they surmount the obstacles in their way and have a happy ever after.

The story has a fun, unexpected twist near the end. This a must read for Jan Sikes fans.

Available at Amazon.

 

.

TWILIGHT’S ENCORE, Wounded Hearts Book 3 by Jacquie Biggar

 

Ty Garrett and Katy Fowler were high school sweethearts. Too young to handle the intensity of their emotions when Katy moves away with her family their relationship blows up.

Now Katy is back and planning to marry someone else. Besides emotional upheaval for the former lovers someone is out to sabotage the Fowler’s historic theater that Ty is renovating and to harm Katy herself. Now, not only is love on the line, but Katy’s life.

Ms. Biggar has excelled not only at building the world of Tidal Falls but of bringing her characters’ emotions to life. In Ty’s case, his seethe like a boiling caldron that is always ready to spill over and scald whoever is crossing his path, in particular Katy.

TWILIGHT’S ENCORE is another winner for Ms. Biggar.

Available at Amazon

AND  

So far, the winners of the I 💙 Books Bracelets are:

Laura Walda

D. Wallace Peach

Alex Cavanaugh

 MATEO'S BLOOD BROTHER a sequel to MATEO'S LAW is now out.

They were friends, close as brothers. Then they weren’t.

Mateo and Jesse are cautiously working their way back to friendship when Jesse discovers the unthinkable. Delilah, the sultry shifter who’d had affairs with both men, is still alive. The tumble she took over a mountain ridge—a fall that nearly killed Mateo—should have finished her.

Now, there’s no choice but for the two men to work together to take down a she-devil straight from hell.  As the stakes escalate and the hunt becomes more intense, another wolf appears on the scene. Always where Jesse’s at. Always when he’s in trouble.  Jesse is divided between ending Delilah, a new love interest, discovering the identity of a certain brown wolf and staying alive.

 

Available at Amazon:

https://tinyurl.com/MateosBloodBrother

AND

I'm visiting with Alex today.