I received a copy from Netgalley.

An enjoyable mystery with a paranormal twist. Takes place in a “then and now” form.  Sisters Loo and Bee live with their mom and dad and siblings in a rambling farm in the 1970s. Their parents are considered “outsiders” in their small communities. The kids are home schooled, the dad’s an artist. The mom wanted an easier life, and while it seems ideal on the front, it’s doesn’t sound as easy as it looked in the idea stage.

During one summer strange things start happening in the house and before long a slew of paranormal experts and professors, reporter and a medium are on the property interviewing the family, trying to get to the bottom of the mystery.

In the present day, the mom, Cathy, is now in a care home and Loo has been called home to come and see to Cathy’s care and needs. At the same time a modern day team of university students are conducting a paranormal research investigation Loo and Cathy’s former house which has been empty for many years now.

The chapters flip back and forth between what happened back then and what’s happening present day. It’s been a while since I read it so I can’t remember too much of the intricacies of the plot. Lots of characters, can’t remember anything that particularly stood out. It was a well written mystery that kept the pages turning.

Intriguing more in the past stages for me than the present. The present day sounded like a thousand other ghost hunter books/tv shows/movies but it was interesting in comparing the temperament of adult Loo to the child Loo in the past along with how she dealt with things back then and what she’s thinking/feeling now as the recent events unfold.

There were a few twists at various points which I had already guessed, however, that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the novel.  The twists were believable and the errors involved human and understandable, given the circumstances.  Some good family and relationship dynamics added into the mix.

All in all a very enjoyable read and definitely an author I would read again.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for approving my request to view the title.

I've discovered a new world one full of people with amazing gifts -Energetics - and right now Blaize needs to form a partnership with her new Maven Cuinn before its too late! Enjoy and don't forget to add BLAIZE AND HER MAVEN - the first book in The Energetics series by Ellen Bard to your shelves!

Blaize is a powerful but inexperienced energetic. Having only just passed her first Chakra Trial, Manipura, fire, she is sent to Canada to an expert Maven to be trained in her second energy: Ajna, or the mind.

Her Maven is the mysterious and reluctant Cuinn, who has problems of his own - disturbing dreams that appear to show him standing against the destruction of the energetics race. When he discovers that Blaize is part of the prophecy, he knows her training needs accelerating - but he’s not prepared for the heat she brings to his normally calm and ordered world.

But both Cuinn and Blaize have secrets of their own, secrets that could destroy their partnership before it’s begun - a partnership that has a far greater importance than they realize.

Will they trust each other before it's too late?

The first in a captivating new series of romance and magic, family and loyalty, love and power.

She’s a powerful but inexperienced energetic and she’s just passed her first Chakra Trial, Manipura, fire. She’s looking forward to some taking some time from her energetic studies but instead, Blaize is being sent to train in her second energy – Anja, or the mind. Quinn would rather be devoting his time to unlocking the prophecy that his disturbing dreams of the destruction of the energetic dreams are showing him that take on a trainee. But when it becomes obvious that need to work together, they both have secrets that could destroy their partnership and have a far greater importance than they realize.

This series debut story is a thrilling read in a fascinating new world where the characters are able to manipulate various types of energy through their bodies. The characters are strong, compelling and easily capture the readers’ attentions and their relationship is full of sizzling chemistry, flying sparks, steamy passion and emotional turbulence, all of which combine to make the story interesting and enjoyable, especially since the relationship starts off on the wrong foot and remains a bit rocky throughout.

The plot is steady to fast paced and full of thrilling suspense that draws the readers in, igniting the curiosity and adrenaline pumping excitement that keeps readers biting their nails in anticipation of what will happen. While Blaize is a bit predictable in some her actions, she also has plenty of surprises for the readers as well and the story has enough twists and turns to keep readers on their toes and the readers should be prepared for some new vocabulary (there is a very helpful glossary at the end of the story) and fascinatingly unique elements in this exhilarating read.

Author's Book Page

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BLAIZE AND THE MAVEN is the 1st book in THE ENERGETICS series.

The Energetics are a magically gifted race who were the original inhabitants of Atlantis – till they caused its fall.

Their magics stem from the energies of the seven Chakras that lie inside each living being. Dormant for humans, energetics have access to the magic and power of two of those energies.

The Energetics have lived quietly alongside humans for thousands of years, but now one energetic has seen a great danger – as great as the one that caused the fall of Atlantis 10000 years ago. Can a small group of gifted male and female energetics stop their race from repeating their ancestors’ mistakes?

Author   *   Goodreads   *   Amazon

1 Blaize and the Maven * 2 Tierra and the Warrior * 3 Nixie and the Healer

AVAILABLE in print or ebook

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I’m a fiction author who writes paranormal romance, full of enchantment, intrigue, action and romance. My writing blends my background in psychology and my experiences travelling the world with a love of magic, fantasy and a happy ending.

I’m a Chartered Occupational Psychologist, and continue to work as an international management consultant. Over the last 15 years I’ve worked in countries across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including China, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

I also write non-fiction, and recently, with UK publisher Watkins, launched ‘This is for you: A Creative Toolkit for Better Self-Care’, under the name Ellen M. Bard.

My passion for other lands and cultures helps inform my writing, as does my desire to try new things – from art classes to Krav Maga, the self-defence system.

I’m a passionate and dedicated reader myself, working through between 80-100 fiction and non-fiction books a year – read my reviews on goodreads here.

Born in the UK, I currently live in an apartment in Thailand with my Fox where I (almost) never have to feel the cold! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and if you’d like to connect with me, contact me here.

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I am visiting the Crescent City today and taking a ghost tour of the city and I am so very excited that a trip to the Museum of the Macabre on the agenda as well! Enjoy and don't forget to add LOVE & OMENS the 2nd book in the Crescent City Ghost Tours series by Carrie Pulkinen to your shelves!

She sees the future.

He reads the past.

The present could kill them both.

Knowing how things will end before they even begin is a curse New Orleans tour guide Sydney Park has endured since she was a child. Her premonitions make surprises few and far between, and dating…

What's the point?

Reading the past in objects has caused more trouble for Blake Beaumont than he cares to admit. Opening the Museum of the Macabre is his last attempt at using his ability and his college degree to make a living.

But the artifacts he's acquired have haunting attachments that could put everyone's lives in danger.

When Blake joins forces with Sydney's tour company, he jumps at the chance to rekindle his relationship with her. She can’t help but fall for him all over again, until an ominous vision of a closed-casket funeral stops her cold.

Someone she loves is going to die.

If Sydney and Blake can't unravel the mystery, their haunted pasts will eclipse any chance of a future.

If you like strong heroines and haunting mystery, you'll love this spellbinding tale of romance in the Big Easy.

Sydney Park has endured her curse of knowing how things will end before they even begin since she was a child which wreaks havoc with her dating life. Blake Beaumont’s ability of reading the past in objects has caused more trouble than he cares to admit. While opening the Museum of the Macabre, he joins forces with Sydney’s tour company and he can’t help but jump at the chance to rekindle their relationship. When Sydney has a vision of a closed casket funeral, she knows someone she loves is going to die. And if they can’t unravel the mystery, their haunted pasts will eclipse any chance of a future.

Be prepared for some chills, heart pounding suspense and a haunting mystery during this exhilarating romance. The characters are strong and demand attention from the readers as they race against time to stop Sydney’s vision from coming true. The chemistry between Sydney and Blake is enough to light up Bourbon Street but this relationship has a past and it didn’t end on a great note, so the story is full of emotional turmoil from the relationship and from their respective gifts that cause their lives quite a bit of trouble. 

The plot of this story is fast paced and readers can’t help but become carried away with all the knuckle biting suspense that constantly builds throughout this thrilling story. It just keeps building and building and building…(oops wrong rabbit!!!). Mardi Gras is a perfect setting for this story which adds spice and the Ghost Tours in New Orleans makes a fabulous connection to haunting mystery. The story is full of twists and turns and readers can’t take their eyes from the pages because there is no way to know who the bad guy is or if there even is one.

Author's Book Page

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LOVE & OMENS is the 2nd book in the CRESCENT CITY GHOST TOURS series. 

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1 Love & Ghosts     *     2 Love & Omens 

Crescent City Ghost Tours Takes place in the same world as CRESCENT CITY WOLF PACK

Crescent City Wolf Pack # 5 - A SONG TO REMEMBER - November 26, 2019

AVAILABLE in print, ebook & KU

Amazon

I've always been fascinated with the paranormal. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with my love of a good happily-ever-after, and becoming a paranormal author seems like the logical choice! I love ghosts, psychics, werewolves, vampires, demons, and even the occasional guardian angel. If it's paranormal, I've probably written about it...or at least considered writing about it.

In my past life, I was a high school journalism teacher. But after ten years of teaching other people how to write, I decided to stay home with my kids and write my own stories in my free time. When I'm not writing or reading books about writing, you'll find me reading paranormal romances, thrillers, romantic suspense, YA, and middle grade fantasy (I have a teen and a tween who love to read. It's fun to discuss books with them!).

I love red wine and chocolate, and I can make a mean mojito. I like movies, I'm passionate about traveling, and I might have a mild Dave and Buster's addiction. I'm married to a tall sexy Dutch guy with piercing blue eyes and a swoon-worthy accent. He also shares my enthusiasm for D&B! In addition to my two human children, I also have two fur babies who swear they're chihuahuas (but at 12 & 18 pounds respectively, I'm not so sure).

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Sydney Park has endured her curse of knowing how things will end before they even begin since she was a child which wreaks havoc with her dating life. Blake Beaumont’s ability of reading the past in objects has caused more trouble than he cares to admit. While opening the Museum of the Macabre, he joins forces with Sydney’s tour company and he can’t help but jump at the chance to rekindle their relationship. When Sydney has a vision of a closed casket funeral, she knows someone she loves is going to die. And if they can’t unravel the mystery, their haunted pasts will eclipse any chance of a future.

Be prepared for some chills, heart pounding suspense and a haunting mystery during this exhilarating romance. The characters are strong and demand attention from the readers as they race against time to stop Sydney’s vision from coming true. The chemistry between Sydney and Blake is enough to light up Bourbon Street but this relationship has a past and it didn’t end on a great note, so the story is full of emotional turmoil from the relationship and from their respective gifts that cause their lives quite a bit of trouble.

The plot of this story is fast paced and readers can’t help but become carried away with all the knuckle biting suspense that constantly builds throughout this thrilling story. It just keeps building and building and building…(oops wrong rabbit!!!). Mardi Gras is a perfect setting for this story which adds spice and the Ghost Tours in New Orleans makes a fabulous connection to haunting mystery. The story is full of twists and turns and readers can’t take their eyes from the pages because there is no way to know who the bad guy is or if there even is one.