BLOG TOUR/REVIEW: Archibald Lox and the Slides of Bon Repell by Darren Shan

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the ARCHIBALD LOX VOLUME 2: ARCHIBALD LOX AND THE KIDNAPPED PRINCE by Darren Shan Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About the Books:

Title: ARCHIBALD LOX AND THE FORGOTTEN CRYPT (Archibald Lox #4)

Author: Darren Shan

Pub. Date: July 1, 2021

Publisher: Home of the Damned Ltd

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 144

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD

When a couple of assassins catch up with Archie, he's forced to flee to the Merge in search of friendship and safety.

As his skills develop, he opens a gateway to a long-forgotten crypt, where ancient secrets are revealed.

In a city of ice, the greatest gropsters of the six realms have assembled for a legendary Tourney, but a small group of plotters are more interested in kidnapping...

Book four of the Archibald Lox series by Darren Shan, the New York Times bestselling author of Cirque Du Freak and Lord Loss.

This is the first of three books in VOLUME TWO of the series.

 

Title:  ARCHIBALD LOX AND THE SLIDES OF BON REPELL (Archibald Lox #5)

Author: Darren Shan

Pub. Date: August 3, 2021

Publisher: Home of the Damned Ltd

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 197

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo

The Tourney has kicked off, and it's the biggest draw in the Merge.

Archie has a ticket to every match, and is soon caught up in the excitement.

But when a scheming king sets his sights on the young locksmith, all thoughts of grop are swiftly forgotten, and Archie might fight for his freedom and his sanity...

Book five of the Archibald Lox series by Darren Shan, the New York Times bestselling author of Cirque Du Freak and Lord Loss.

This is the second of three books in VOLUME TWO of the series.

 

Title:  ARCHIBALD LOX AND THE RUBICON DICTATE (Archibald Lox #6)

Author: Darren Shan

Pub. Date: September 1, 2021

Publisher: Home of the Damned Ltd

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 211

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo

The kidnapping of a prince shocks the Merge and turns the Tourney on its head.

In New York, a desperate Archie and Inez play a cunning game of chess with the fates.

But if they are to force a checkmate, they must travel to the heart of an enemy empire and face down the rulers of a merciless realm...

Book six of the Archibald Lox series by Darren Shan, the New York Times bestselling author of Cirque Du Freak and Lord Loss.

This is the third of three books in VOLUME TWO of the series.

 

Grab Volume 1 Now!

 

 

MY REVIEW of Archibald Lox and the Slides of Bon Repell:

The Tourney! I loved getting to learn more about grop in book 4 and continuing it in 5. Fantasy sports and games are so interesting to me, and many fantasy worlds are nearly defined by them. (See HP's Quidditch and Shan's own Trials.)
Right off the bat, Inez informs us all, including Archibald, that there's a chance the chef might poison an opposing player in order to give his preferred team an advantage. I admit I did a double-take and shouldn't have; I'm familiar with Shan's storytelling.
Speaking of familiarity...
As this story goes on, we see the author delving back into what his old-school fans know best: horror. It's not terrifying like The Demonata, but the plot becomes much darker as you read on, especially compared with the rest of the series so far.
While I love this whole series, so far this book is my favorite for its ingenuity and depravity. This is where I become mind-numbingly vague in order to avoid spoilers.
I will say that the twists and danger and anticipation as you read in prove one thing: Darren Shan is by far the best YA author out there. This book will grip adults and entertain teens, and is a great way for families to bond over the plot, the characters, and the question: what happens next?

*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Darren Shan:

Darren Shan is a globally bestselling author who broke onto the fantasy/horror scene with Cirque Du Freak in January 2000. He has published more than fifty books, for children and adults, including the 10-book Demonata series and 12-book Zom-B series. Cirque Du Freak was adapted into a major Hollywood movie and it was recently announced that the Electric Shadow Company and Fantastic Films have teamed up to adapt his Zom-B series for television. Shan’s books have sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, in 40 countries and 32 languages. He has topped the bestseller charts in the US, UK, Ireland, Japan, and elsewhere. He lives in a small village in Ireland, with his wife and children.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.

3 winners will receive ebooks of ARCHIBALD LOX VOLUME 2, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

8/2/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
8/2/2021	Jaimerockstarbooktours	Instagram Post
8/3/2021	The Momma Spot	Guest Post
8/3/2021	The Momma Spot	Instagram Post
8/4/2021	BookHounds YA	Guest Post
8/4/2021	BookHounds	Instagram Post
8/5/2021	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
8/5/2021	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Instagram Post
8/6/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
8/6/2021	Kelly Smith Reviews	Review

Week Two:

8/9/2021	@pagesofyellow	Review
8/9/2021	More Books Please blog	Review
8/10/2021	Mocha Girls Read	Guest Post
8/10/2021	Mocha Girls Read	Instagram Post
8/11/2021	Addicted to Media	Review/Excerpt
8/11/2021	Reveal + Review	Review
8/12/2021	TLC Book Nook	Excerpt
8/12/2021	Jaime's World	Excerpt
8/13/2021	popthebutterfly	Review
8/13/2021	popthebutterfly	Instagram Post

BOOK REVIEW: Archibald Lox and the Forgotten Crypt

Buy at Amazon: http://mybook.to/archie4ebook

or Apple, B&N, Kobo, etc: https://books2read.com/u/mKRAxL

or Google Play: Archibald Lox and the Forgotten Crypt: Archibald Lox series, Book 4 by Darren Shan - Books on Google Play

When a couple of assassins catch up with Archie, he's forced to flee to the Merge in search of friendship and safety.

As his skills develop in that parallel universe, he opens a gateway to a long-forgotten crypt, where ancient secrets are revealed.

In a city of ice, the greatest players of the six realms have assembled for a legendary Grop Tourney, but a small group of plotters are more interested in kidnapping...

Book four of the Archibald Lox series by Darren Shan, the New York Times bestselling author of Cirque Du Freak and Lord Loss.

This is the first of three books in VOLUME TWO of the series.

MY REVIEW:

Everyone who has known me since age 12 knows what a big Darren Shan fan I am. Even as an adult, he's one of the authors whose YA books still captivate and intrigue me.

The same goes for Archibald Lox. The first three books were unlike anything I'd read before, Merging (pun intended) our world with a fantastical world of magic and mystique.

I was eager to start book 4, which has Archibald struggling with a specific lock on the brink of our world and the Merge.

During just the first few chapters, we learn a shocking tale about Archibald's mentor Winston. Right away, you're immersed in the veiled darkness Shan writes so well, making you think and wonder about what ifs and whys.

You also learn more about the kingdoms within the Merge and that world's politics.

I wanted to touch on that in my review because oftentimes, when a fantasy author spends a lot of time on in-world politics, it can become dull or, even worse, an infodump.

Shan artfully avoids that by weaving the history across a chapter, almost as if it's its own tale within the novel.

I am afraid if I go any further, I will accidentally give spoilers, so I am going to stop here.

I do however want to add that Shan once again brings us into a first person, present tense POV without seeming to have lost anything that can sometimes be left behind in this tense: such as scenery and impartiality.

You are IN Archibald's head, living the story through him, and book 4 truly proves that Shan is a master storyteller.

*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Find me at: http://smarturl.it/lilyluchesiamazon

RELEASE BLITZ: "Soul Syndicate" by Lily Luchesi and Faith Marlow

AVAILABLE NOW, FREE VIA KINDLE UNLIMITED!

A soul is a heavy burden to bear.

There’s a gala celebrating the city and many notable celebrities are attending, including a rock star, a socialite, a baseball player, and an entertainment reporter. Each of them is notable in their own right, and each one holding a secret.

When they all get stuck in an elevator together after the gala is over, they think that that is the worst thing that could happen to them...until the doors finally open.

It’s a battle for the ultimate prize: their souls and the souls of everyone else on Earth. Can they save the world, or will these disparate individuals kill each other first?

The world as they knew it has gone, now they have poppies attached to their chests and are facing down soulless friends, family, and strangers, including a crotchety old woman and a former drag queen.

Excerpt:

Jake and Xander came up behind the women, and Jake then saw what the others were seeing. Or rather, what the others didn’t see. It was the middle of the day on Saturday, just a week from Thanksgiving in downtown Chicago. And yet the street was empty of people.

“Guys? Why do I feel like I’m about to be in an episode of The Twilight Zone?” he asked, gazing around at the empty street and shops. It didn't seem like any of them had even opened that morning, closed signs hung in every window.

“Is there a holiday we forgot about?” Xander asked.

Rachael scoffed. “Places stay open on Christmas these days. Trust me; there’s no holiday. But should we check the news? Perhaps something's going on that we missed in the elevator.” She looked at Lianne. “I’m going to guess you don’t have any news apps on your phone, do you?”

Without waiting for an answer, she rummaged in her purse for her smartphone, clicking on the local news’ app. Jake looked over her shoulder as she flicked down, refreshing it. Nothing changed. It stayed with the same report from eleven the previous night, about the gala.

“Maybe it’s broken,” Jake said. “Check Twitter.”

“Thank you, peanut gallery,” Rachael said, clicking on the other app. Jake saw that she followed about eight thousand people. Yet there were no updates from anyone since eleven the previous night, central time. “Is it my connection?” She typed out a quick tweet, “Hello, is this thing on?” and it posted immediately. And why was Wifi working but not landlines or text messages?

She showed the phone’s screen to the other three who just stared.

“What could this mean?” Xander asked. “An empty street, no one online except for us, apparently...it doesn’t make sense.”

Lianne shook her head. “I don’t get it. Let me call someone. See if anyone’s got an answer.” She took out her phone and pressed a few buttons, holding it to her ear. After a few minutes, she hung up. “It went to voicemail. But it’s my mom; she doesn’t always answer.”

Jake then recalled that he was supposed to be back home last night. His wife must have been worried sick about him. Taking out his phone, he was dismayed to see that there wasn’t a single text or missed call from her. Wasn’t she worried? Or even upset that he pulled an all-nighter while she was home alone with their son? And what about his band? Didn’t they wonder why he hadn’t shown up for rehearsal?

“Anybody hear from anyone?” he asked. “I mean, we’ve all got to have at least one person who would have text messaged us.”

Rachael nodded. “My editor. I was supposed to turn in my report by noon, which means he would have been hounding me by nine. But nothing.”

“Do you know how many notifications I get in an hour?” Lianne asked, preening a bit. “There’s not a single one on here.”

Xander grinned ruefully as he said, “In the off-season, she’s the only one who nags me.”

“Why you little—”

“Cool it with the antagonization,” Rachael said. “Something’s wrong here. Seriously wrong. And we need to figure out what.”

Lianne scoffed. “We’re not the police. Let them figure it out. I mean, isn’t that what we pay taxes for?”

Jake watched as Rachael cocked her head, a lock of dark hair falling across her forehead. “Huh. And here I never would have expected you to know what your taxes went for or how to pay them.”

Lianne’s mouth dropped and she was about to retort when Jake gasped. A sudden pain hit him in the center of his chest, like there was a little knife inside stabbing its way out. Everyone turned toward him, but he couldn’t be bothered with their quizzical glances.

He unbuttoned his shirt partway, the pain making his hands shake. He gasped as the stabbing sensation increased. Looking down, he saw that there was a spot on his chest, over his heart, that was bulging out, the skin stretched taut around something. Fear mingled with the pain, and he felt his heart begin to beat erratically.

“What the Hell is that?” Xander asked.

Something green poked through the skin on Jake’s chest and he screamed as the pain became nearly unbearable. Blood trickled down off of the green stem, staining his skin. But the pain was receding as he watched as the green stem began to...blossom? Like a nature film on fast-forward, a red flower began to grow, budding and blooming until it was a small red poppy, the color matching that of the blood that had been spilled.

Lily Luchesi is the USA Today bestselling author of The Paranormal Detectives Series, #1 bestselling Coven Series, and other paranormal tales. You can reach her via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and her newsletter.

Faith Marlow is the USA Today bestselling author of the Being Mrs. Dracula series and other horror stories. You can reach her via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and her newsletter.

Both authors are part of Vamptasy Publishing, an imprint of CHBB Publishing.

RELEASE BLITZ: "The Coven Heir" by Lily Luchesi

AVAILABLE NOW, FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

The Dark never dies.

One year after The Company of Clan Munro was defeated, things in the UK Coven are settling down, and also beginning to be shaken up.

The Princess, Harley Sinclair, is building her potion business and planning a wedding to James Quigley, while still taking lessons from her father, the Coven King.

Her younger half-brother, Nick Smith, is moving to London with three friends ... including Roger Ainsley, the son of the former leader of the Dark.

When a mysterious stranger appears back from the dead, his words of warning of another Dark Clan rising might change Nick and Harley's lives forever.

There's a deathwitch in the Coven, and she has her sights set on the Princess.

EXCERPT:

“Come. Mahon gave me the location of the grave I need to take samples from. Thank God it wasn't the one you just regurgitated your beer all over.”

They began to walk through the darkened cemetery, and he noticed how perfectly in place Harley looked with her long black cloak with batwing sleeves. She was the perfect picture of a storybook witch.

“Can you feel it?” she asked him, voice hushed. “The Darkness is getting stronger.”

Nick nodded. “The necromancer is getting stronger.”

They found the grave. It was across the lot from the four who had been risen before. There was a Wiccan pentagram at the top, with the inscription:

Caelum Serpens Lynx

22nd March - 31st October

Fortune favours the brave.

Harley was gaping at the headstone. “You have got to be joking!”

“That name sounds familiar,” Nick said, looking at the grave. The years listed said this guy was born the same year as his parents and had died during the battle that had killed them both as well.

Harley bent down and removed ampoules from her pocket. Nick had no idea where she kept those things while wearing such a tight dress and blazer under her cloak. She used a broken branch she found to scrape up some of the dirt and put it in one ampoule. She stepped back, held out her hand, and Nick saw green energy forming in the centre of her palm. Her father’s bloodline, Clan Munro, were energy manipulators which meant that she could attack people with her life force alone.

“Praemium,” she cast, and the energy shot out of her palm and blasted the headstone into pieces. Methodically she sifted through the rubble and put a piece inside the second ampoule. She stood up and said, “All right, let’s go. You probably won’t vomit the second time around.”

Nick didn't respond, as he turned towards the nearby bushes and saw those eerie yellow eyes … staring right at him.

* * *

Harley couldn’t believe that Caelum Lynx was alive again. Who the Hell would want to raise him from the dead? He was rotten, but not in a supervillain way. He was a bully, cruel and malicious.

Let’s figure out what’s going on and get him right back in his grave where he belongs, she thought as she gathered the materials.

When she stood up and spoke to her brother, he didn't respond. He was staring straight ahead, eyes frozen in fear. She turned and saw why.

Deep in the bushes, glowing eyes stared at them both. The bushes moved, and out popped a sleek, large cat with black markings and tufts of black hair on its ears. Harley didn't know what it was, but she sensed magic.

The cat bounded closer, suddenly just a few yards away instead of metres and her nerves were singing. It wasn’t something that should’ve been loose in London. Perhaps it escaped the zoo? Still, she’d never dealt with anything like this. They should run, but it could easily overtake them and kill them. Best to stand still and see if it went away. If not, she’d try some spells on it.

However, her brother was in no rational position whatsoever. Fear had taken him prisoner.

“For crying out loud, Nick, get behind me!” she snapped, yanking him behind her. He was smaller than she was, so she shielded him fairly completely. She wasn’t a self-sacrificing person, but she had a natural instinct to protect someone currently incapable of protecting themselves. It was a bit of a problem, actually.

The large cat bounded even closer, hissing but not slobbering or foaming at the mouth. Harley was pretty sure it wasn’t rabid, but it was angry … and hungry. Its thick, golden fur was matted, torn away in some places, and it looked far too skinny.

“If it comes at us, run and get a head start,” she told Nick, who nodded weakly. Slowly, she removed her right hand from the pocket of her cloak. Holding her fist firmly at her side, she maintained eye contact with the beast. It was so close she could smell it: the thing needed to be bathed badly.

It looked almost as if it hated her. She knew that was madness, but it was true nonetheless as she looked in its glowing eyes.

Suddenly, it yowled and ran around them in a semicircle, going for Nick. For some unknown reason, it wanted him. Harley tossed her brother behind her again, holding her hand out.

“Stupefaciunt!” she cast, but the beast dodged it, now heading for her. In the moment, staring into its snarling mouth and hate-filled eyes, she couldn’t recall the shielding spell to keep it off of her.

The cat knocked into her, almost as tall as she was when it was on its hind legs, and she struggled with it, keeping its fangs away from her neck.

Claws dug deeply into her left arm and she screamed in pain, somehow tossing the thing from her. Adrenaline rushed through her system as self-preservation kicked in.

It began to bound away, and she cast spells after it. One edge of her energy caught it on the tail, and she took pleasure in its pained yowls, as she tried to control her own pain. She was breathing hard, and her heart was beating out of control.

Read book one today, FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

COVER REVEAL: "The Coven Heir" by Lily Luchesi

Coming October 5th from USA TODAY Bestselling author Lily Luchesi and Vamptasy Publishing!

The Dark never dies.

One year after The Company of Clan Munro was defeated, things in the UK Coven are settling down, and also beginning to be shaken up.

The Princess, Harley Sinclair, is building her potion business and planning a wedding to James Quigley, while still taking lessons from her father, the Coven King.

Her younger half-brother, Nick Smith, is moving to London with three friends ... including Roger Ainsley, the son of the former leader of the Dark.

When a mysterious stranger appears back from the dead, his words of warning of another Dark Clan rising might change Nick and Harley's lives forever.

There's a deathwitch in the Coven, and she has her sights set on the Princess.

Join the FB release party for games, prizes, and books!

Add the book on Goodreads!

Read the #1 bestselling novel The Coven Princess TODAY for free on Kindle Unlimited or only $2.99!

RELEASE BLITZ: "Bloodspell" (18+) by Lily Luchesi

AVAILABLE NOW FOR 99c! OR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

Bloodspell

By USA Today bestselling author Lily Luchesi

Published by Encompass Ink

Edited by EAL Editing Services

Cover by Rue Volley with stock from Bigstock

Bound by an ancient prophecy, freed by love.

Mages have lived by a prophecy that states that once there are two mage houses left, one must kill the other to maintain a magical balance. But the prophecy is disrupted when a new mage is revealed and begins killing everyone in his path.

Simon Moonspell and Tobias Bloodworth, the last two mages of the ancient houses, must put their animosity aside in order to stop this new mage and fulfill the prophecy. However, when their hatred slowly turns to love, can they remain impartial or will they be forced to battle to the death?

Join the release party and win prizes!

Add the book on Goodreads!

EXCERPT:

Tobias scoffed, but he was smirking. “Well, there is a first time for everything, isn’t there?”

“Git.”

“Yes, I am, and I own it.” He stood up and stretched his legs. His coat was discarded, and he wore only a pair of black trousers and a white shirt. Simon noticed his nails were polished matte black. It was a nice touch … as was that gorgeous body.

“Once we find the prophecy and see if there is a way to circumvent it, we need to figure out where Thornhill is hiding and eradicate the bastard from existence,” he said with more vehemence than Simon had ever heard from him. “We have spent hundreds of years fulfilling this prophecy, upholding the names of our houses and the standards at which mages have always been held and he — he — ” Tobias trailed off in a huff. “Damn it,” he muttered. “Control, control.”

Simon stood up and walked behind Tobias. He placed a hand on his bony shoulder and said, “Hey, it’s okay. We’re going to kill him; we’ll make him pay for his crimes. I promise.”

Tobias’ skin was warm beneath his shirt and Simon wanted to melt right into him, to hold him from behind and —

Stop it, he scolded himself. For once my brain makes more sense than my body!

Tobias stood straighter and turned, dislodging Simon’s hand from his shoulder and breaking the moment. “Forgive me. I am not often like this.”

“There’s nothing to forgive. This is a lot of pressure, mate,” Simon said. “We never really discussed it but … if there is no way to change the prophecy…”

“Then one of us must kill the other. Yes, I am familiar with it,” Tobias snapped.

“You don’t want to kill me?” Simon asked, confused. He always assumed that Tobias would relish the chance to kill him and make it hurt after how he’d treated him when they were children.

“No, despite my sour disposition, I am not a particular fan of murder,” he said. “And you? Were you relishing the idea of finally getting rid of the pesky little brat you used to knock over on the playground?”

Simon felt sick. Had he really hurt Tobias so much that those beautiful black eyes were filling with moisture? “No… I — I’m sorry,” he said, head hanging. “I was a stupid kid. I never wanted to hurt you, not really. And I don’t want to kill you.”

“Then let’s do what mages do best, shall we? Create a solution to a magical problem.”

Tobias acted as though he hadn’t just been on the verge of some sort of breakdown as he gave Simon a translator and they began looking for the prophecy again.

It wasn’t until late that night as Simon was starting to fall asleep that he heard Tobias exclaim, “I’ve got it!”

Simon nearly fell out of his chair from the shock. He had never heard the reserved man shout so loudly. “W-what?”

“The prophecy, you imbecile! I found it! And it’s already translated for us.”

“Well? What’s it say?” Simon asked, going to stand at his side. He could feel the heat from his skin, smell an earthy shampoo that was just so … Tobias. It was enough to send his libido into overdrive as if he was a teenager again.

“Here.” Tobias angled the book so that Simon could see.

“Here we stand with mages uncountable, in the age where magic is new. They will create and make the future, spells all shall use. But one by one the houses must fall; as magic expands, they must recede. Until one day only one house name shall remain of the mighty mages, lasting for eternity in history. On the day that two remain, one must make the deciding blow and concede their name. Only one name can remain. The balance of magic must be maintained, and so it has been said, so shall it be.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lily Luchesi is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of the Paranormal Detectives Series, published by Vamptasy Publishing. She also has short stories included in multiple bestselling anthologies, and a successful dark erotica retelling of Dracula. She is also the editor, curator and contributing author of Vamptasy Publishing's Damsels of Distress anthology, which celebrates strong female characters in horror and paranormal fiction. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and now resides in Los Angeles, California. Ever since she was a toddler her mother noticed her tendency for being interested in all things "dark". At two she became infatuated with vampires and ghosts, and that infatuation turned into a lifestyle. She is also an out member of the LGBT+ community. When she's not writing, she's going to rock concerts, getting tattooed, watching the CW, or reading manga. And drinking copious amounts of coffee.

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