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Today on my blog I have the Moonflower blog tour. On my stop there is a spotlight, review, guest post, and giveaway.
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Natasha remembers little from her Russian childhood, other
than the lingering nightmares of her mother’s tragic death. So when someone
close to her hands her a one-way ticket to Russia, along with the deed to her
family farm, and then is brutally murdered, she has little confidence about
what awaits her in that distant land.
With doubt and uncertainty, Natasha has no choice but to
leave her life in America for an unknown future. Once overseas, the terrifying
facts as to why she was really summoned home come to light.
Fact
one: Monsters do exist.
Fact two: The only thing keeping those monsters out of the world is an ancient
mural hidden below her family’s farm.
Fact three: The mural that keeps the evil out of the world is falling apart.
The final fact: It’s up to Natasha to restore it and save the world from a
horror unlike anything seen before.
Luckily, Natasha isn’t alone in her mission. Three Russian
Knights are tasked with protecting her from the demons as she restores the
mural. And leading the Knights is the handsome and strong Anatoly, who seems to
be everything Natasha could hope for in a man. Unfortunately, there is one huge
problem. Her Knights are forbidden from having relationships with the artists
they protect, and Anatoly is a hardcore rule follower. But rules cannot stop the
way she feels.
When
a horrifying demon breaches the barrier and pulls Anatoly inside the mural,
Natasha can’t help but charge, once again, into the unknown—this time to save
the man she secretly loves. Now on the demons’ turf, she risks her own life to
free the very one who is supposed to be protecting her. Little does she realize
that if she should fail, it could mean the destruction of the very last barrier
shielding mankind. Will Anatoly refuse Natasha’s help? Or will he
finally realize, when love is at stake, the rules will be broken.
Excerpt:
Seattle, Washington
The shadows came for me at night, in my sleep, evoking
demons as they crept over me, pressing down, tangling around my arms, my legs,
my neck. I struggled to open my eyes. To move. To breathe. Panic swelled.
Twisting and thrashing, I battled to break free. The shadows turned to vapor,
and it was my mother who held me now, clutching me to her bloody body as we
huddled together. Her ragged, uneven breath feathered across the back of my
neck.
She whispered one last Russian lullaby.
My father appeared in the doorway, his heavy boots
dripping snow on the oak floor. His eyes were cold, vacant, a rifle tight in
his hands. He advanced, yelling Siberian curses that fell from his lips like
hissing snakes. He snarled and aimed the weapon at my mother’s chest. Her eyes
stretched wide in horror, her lips twisted in a final scream as she pushed me
to safety. A bullet exploded through her torso, shattering my
existence in a mixture of steel, blood and bone, colliding at the speed of
light. My father lowered the gun, grabbed my mother’s wrist and checked for a
pulse. A satisfied smile crept across his lips as he dropped her lifeless arm.
A whimper escaped my throat. He spotted me cowering in
the corner, his eyes blazing with scalding fury. He raised the weapon, aimed it
at my forehead, and the shadows came for me again…
Review:
This is nothing like any book I have ever read in the
paranormal genre. It has a creative and unique spin on how to fight demons and
I was captivated from the synopsis but the story and characters are so much
more.
Natasha has been plagued with nightmares of her father
killing her mother when she was just a child in Russia. Never understanding the
reason behind it she has never gotten close to anyone and being is foster care
doesn’t help. But all that changes when Chuck comes into her life. He makes her
feel loved but her foster mom Bambi is jealous of the relationship and murders
him. But Chuck is able to help Natasha before he dies by giving her the deed to
her family’s farm in Russia and a plan ticket to go back so she can finally get
the answers she has always wanted.
Once there Natasha finds out that demons are real and that
there is ancient painting under her family’s farmhouse. She must restore it
before any of them escape. But it’s not easy when the demons can mess with her
mind as she tries to repair the cracks but lucky for her she has three Russian
Knights who are tasked with protecting her while she does this. Anatoly who is
the head of the Knights is everything that Natasha wants in a man but there is
rules against being with her protectors. But when the head demon pulls Anatoly
into the painting all rules go out the window when Natasha goes into the
painting to pull out the man she loves. But can she get to him in time before
he is killed and get them both back to safety?
I enjoyed getting to know all the characters in this story
even when their actions made it hard to like them. Bambi is one of those
characters. She is uncaring and selfish and treated Natasha as nothing more
than a check. But when she reveals things about her past to Natasha I
understood her better, I still didn’t like her but at least I didn’t hate her.
Watching Natasha getting to learn about her past and find
her strength was an amazing part of the story for me. I’m not sure if I could have
handled everything she went through at seventeen. The way she went into the
painting to save Anatoly had me on the edge of my seat. I was so scared for the
both of them. I kept hoping she would get to him in time and that they would be
able to get free. But I won’t tell you if she did you will have to read the
book to find out if they did and if they break the rules for their love.
4/5
Bloody Fangs
Book Links:
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Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky
Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories
told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places.
Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research
historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally
led her to a full time career in historical research and writing. A writer in
local community circulations, Angela is also a published genealogical
and historical resource writer who has taught numerous research seminars.
Currently, Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her
fiddle, and Irish dancing.
Angela’s
first novel, Amarok, was published through Spencer Hill Press in 2012. She later
went on to sign with Clean Teen Publishing in 2013 and currently has two novels
published through them: Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings and
River of Bones. Her third novel, Moonflower is scheduled for release in March
2014.
Angela
resides on a ranch, in rural Northwestern Montana, with her two children Levi
and Grant.
Guest Post:
People say you should write about what you know. Do you have any
personal experiences that helped you while writing your book?
I have an extensive
background in historical research and cultural anthropology. Researching
Moonflower was a really fun project for me. I loved the study of Russian
culture and history. Russia has an extremely interesting history and such a
mysterious past. There was so much I didn’t know about the culture, traditions,
superstitions and religious beliefs. I enjoyed the literature of the county and
I also enjoyed learning about Russia’s magical fairy tales and legends. I can
see why such great tales were created. There are parts of Russia where the
forests are so green and lush its truly spectacular—and the perfect playground
for fairies and other magical creatures. My imagination really came to life
when I studied the architecture--ancient buidlings that had been standing for
centuries and are still in use today. I think as an American I was taught in
school that Russia was like an ice box. That everyone walked around in fur
coats and hats. What I discovered was truly the opposite. There is so much more
to the country than its chilly winter climate. Russia has some of the most
creative mythology as well. Unlike many other countries and
societies there didn’t seem to be any first-hand record for the study of Slavic
mythology. Stories were handed down
orally over centuries. I found many stories contained in artwork in
breathtaking churches and museums.
Stalker Links:
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Stalker Links:
Thank you for stopping by my blog today. I would also like to say Thank You to Angela for letting me review your book and say Thank You to Jaidis for letting me participate in this blog tour. Don't forget to enter the giveaway below.
~Sabrina
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