Today I'm so pleased to turn the blog over to author Shayne Leighton, whose latest New Adult Paranormal Romance Of Light and Darkness just hit shelves yesterday. I thought a fun way to introduce this world and its heroine, Charlotte, to readers would be to take a closer look at her bookshelves, so below you'll find a few of the titles that she highly recommends!
CHARLOTTE RECOMMENDS...
Greetings to those reading this. Charlotte Ruzikova here–writing this during the daylight hours. I should be sleeping, but I wanted greatly to prepare you all for your impending journey into the Occult City and I didn't want Valek to find out what I was doing. (You'll know more about him later.)
Naturally, before venturing over the borders and into our town, forbidden to all human kind, there are some things you should know...for your safety. Perhaps, there are even a few things you should read up on before you begin your journey. I have a few recommendations.
Firstly, heed my warning about Lycanthropes guarding the city borders. They have a no-tolerance policy for mortals trying to pass through the woods into our town. It's wise to carry objects that might distract them. A dead rabbit might do the trick. Maybe, even, a goat leg!
In all Occult Cities, many things are possible. There are Witches, obviously Vampires, Elves, Shifters, dragons, and such other terrifying beasts...Fae being the worst.
J.K. Rowling does a decent job of naming a few possibilities in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. That's my first recommended piece of reading, and perhaps the most important.
Sarah, my best friend and Francis' indentured house Witch, might want you to read up on a few spells and incantations to prepare yourself for the sorcery sort. For this, I'd recommend reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It won't teach a mortal any magic tricks, but it is a good example of the fact that, in my world, things are not always what they seem!
Also, Prague is a city of vast secrets and steeped in mystery. Locals say the streets of Prague seem to change, as if by magic, every day. It would be wise to arm yourself with a guide that appreciates such magic...for I don't think any normal map would help you. For this, I recommend City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte.
Of course, if you're still a bit hesitant about your trek, Autumn: An Introduction by Shayne Leighton is a good way to test the waters. It will give you a taste of what's to come. I'll even get you started by offering you the copy from my library: http://www.instafreebie.com/book/5531
Most inhabitants are nice. Remember to keep to the shadows and not to trust just anyone...
I look forward to your visit to the Southernmost Bohemian Occult City.
Cheers,
Charlotte
Thanks so much Charlotte and Shayne!
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OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS
Shayne Leighton's stunning NA debut is a fiercely imaginative, multilayered contemporary fantasy where Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus meets Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles in a story about a girl caught between two societies . . . two sides . . . and two loves.
Raised by a Vampire in a secret society of Witches, Shifters, and Elves, Charlotte finds that she is the freak in her world of magic and wonder. When she stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of survival in this coming-of-age modern fairy tale is slim, resulting in a war between light and darkness.
Charlotte knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches draw spells of enchantment, Shifters throw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin.
As genocide and war threatens her life and her home, Charlotte will not allow her one true love to be destroyed. Fighting for her adopted coven of rogue monsters, she will do whatever it takes to save them...and she'll do it before the sun comes up and light takes over forever!
Find Shayne + Of Light and Darkness: