#htpbooks

[hollymbryan]

Blog Tour + #Review: KILT TRIP by Alexandra Kiley!

Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the HTP Books in-house blog tour for Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley! I've got all the details for you below, along with my review!

About the Book

title: Kilt Trip author: Alexandra Kiley publisher: Canary Street Press release date: 5 March 2024

For fans of Emily Henry and Sarah Morgenthaler comes a brand-new Scotland-set romantic comedy. In this enemies-to-lovers romance, one woman discovers more than the just the magic of the heartland's lochs and landscapes—but not before clashing with the proud Scotsman she's forced to work with. Addie Macrae has always followed her wanderlust. As a travel consultant, she turns struggling businesses into world-class tour groups. Her job comes with the perk of jetsetting around the globe, which means never being in one place for too long—just the way she likes it. Since her mom passed away ten years ago and her father never stopped grieving, no place has felt like home anyway. But when she’s sent on assignment to help a family-run tour group in Scotland—the one place she swore she’d never go—Addie has to shed her emotional baggage and turn on the professional charm. Logan Sutherland’s family business is operating just fine, thank you very much. The Heart of the Highlands was never meant to make the family rich, rather to teach sightseers to appreciate the beauty of Scotland’s hidden gems, which are more captivating than any tourist trap. The last thing Logan wants is some American "expert" pushing Outlander-themed tours and perpetuating myths about the Loch Ness Monster. And for a travel consultant, Addie oddly doesn’t seem interested in learning about the land Logan loves. Equally put off by each other, the new colleagues clash on every company decision. Then Logan discovers Addie does have a personal connection to Scotland—it was her late mother’s favorite place, one that now lives on in a handful of faded Polaroids Addie kept from her parents’ Honeymoon. She wants to seek out the places in the pictures, but is worried that she's too late to capture the wonder of following in her mother's footsteps. Logan is convinced he can help Addie get some closure, and the two realize, when they agree, they actually work pretty well together.  But Addie’s contract with The Heart is almost up, and the business is still losing money. They can’t afford distractions, but there’s no denying the intense chemistry between Addie and Logan. Besides, how can Addie do her job properly if she hasn’t explored all Scotland has to offer?

Add to Goodreads: Kilt Trip Purchase the Book: Bookshop | B&N | BAM | Amazon

About the Author

Alexandra Kiley writes big-hearted romances full of banter, found-family, and deep love. When she’s not writing, you can find her drinking tea, hiking, or gazing adoringly at the mountains of Colorado where she lives with her husband and two kids. Her novels are inspired by her semester in Scotland where she fell in love with not only the lush and magical land, but also the people who invited her into their homes and made her feel like family.

Connect with Alexandra: Website | Twitter | Instagram

My 5-Star Review

I desperately want to visit Scotland and have since I was younger. Outlander is one of my faves - I read the books as they came out (yes I'm old lol) and I adore the show - and I watched so many Hallmark Christmas movies set in Scotland 🙈 So when I heard about Kilt Trip and the chance to be part of the street team for Alexandra Kiley, I jumped at the chance! American travel company consultant travels to Scotland and meets hot tour guide in a kilt?? Sign me the eff up! 😂

I'm so happy to have been able to read an early copy of this delightful romance. I laughed, I swooned, I cried - literally every emotion ran through my body reading this book! There are some open door scenes, but they are relatively mild, what we used to call "tasteful" (even though it's not my favorite way to describe it). Logan was gaaaahhhhh just gorgeous and swoon worthy!! 😍 I absolutely loved him from jump. Addie is a strong woman, my word she is stubborn, but she's carrying so much grief with her and she's been so hurt that she has walls up for days. Logan may just be the one who can finally do that! Plus there's an amazing family, snooty sheep, adorable hairy coos, and so. Many. Kilts.

Any fan of romance needs to read this one, it's an absolute delight (even when I was crying - thanks Alexandra) and I want everyone to read it and then gush with me about it! Thanks again, Alexandra, for having me on the team!

Rating: 5 Stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for purposes of this blog tour.

#kilt trip #alexandra kiley #canary street press #htpbooks #contemporary romance #bookreview #book review #new release #newrelease #blog tour #new releases

[doodlesink]

It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison--Book Review

Happy Wednesday!  It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison is now out.  Stop by to read to read an excerpt & my forthright review of this book.  Happy Reading!

https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2023/02/its-one-of-us-by-jt-ellison.html

#itsoneofus #jtellison #harlequin #theavidreader #book review #the avid reader #htpbooks

[tessatalksbooksblog]

Happy Wednesday! Yesterday, I was so exited to receive The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker - a YA fantasy . It’s the conclusion to The Keeper of Night, which is a story about Reapers from many different cultures. There are Japanese gods and mythical creatures that are so interesting to explore. I just loved the first book, so I can’t wait to read the conclusion. (QOTD) The question today is a predictive. Just type the beginning of the sentence and let your device dictate the rest with its suggestions: My favorite mythical creature is ____. Here’s mine: My favorite mythical creature is a wonderful one. . . . . #allthebooksaug22 #theempressoftime #thekeeperofnight #kylieleebaker #htpbooks #inkyardpress #yafantasy #yafantasybooks #yafantasyseries #ya #yawritersofinstagram #yareader #yabooks #fantasyreaders #fantasyreader #fantasy #reading #readersofinstagram #reapers #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #books #booklover #bibliophile #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookaddict #booknerd #bookblogger #bookcommunity (at Lake Davidson) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChpJPp3rx8S/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#allthebooksaug22 #theempressoftime #thekeeperofnight #kylieleebaker #htpbooks #inkyardpress #yafantasy #yafantasybooks #yafantasyseries #ya #yawritersofinstagram #yareader #yabooks #fantasyreaders #fantasyreader #fantasy #reading #readersofinstagram #reapers #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #books #booklover #bibliophile #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookaddict #booknerd #bookblogger #bookcommunity

[sistahscifi]

[NEWSFLASH] Black Candle Women to be adapted for television! Carla Banks Waddles (of @belairpeacock) will executive produce and write the series for @universaltv

Congratulations, Diane!!!! We can't wait to see Willow, Victoria, Nikki, and Augusta on the screen!!

You can still grab first run hardcover editions of Black Candle Women signed by Diane Marie Brown. Link in bio: @sistahscifi | www.sistahscifi.com | https://sistahscifi.com/products/signed-black-candle-women-by-diane-marie-brown. Audiobook available from @librofm.

Better yet, check it out from your local #library.

Reposted @diane_marie_brown I wrote Black Candle Women never imagining that it could have a life beyond the pages. But gosh, how incredible to see these women on the screen! And in partnership with such creative and talented folks.

@cmwaddles

@htpbooks

#SistahScifi #blackcandlewomen #DianeMarieBrown #carlabankswaddles

[bookdivareads]

Book Showcase: THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS by Alka Joshi

Read an #excerpt from the recently released THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS, book 3 in the Jaipur Trilogy by @alkajoshi. #fiction #historicalfiction #ownvoices #blogtour #MIRABooks #HTPBooks #recommendedread @HarlequinBooks @HarperCollins

The Perfumist of Paris, The Jaipur Trilogy #3, by Alka JoshiISBN: 9780778386148 (Hardcover)ISBN: 9780369718495 (eBook)ISBN: 9781488218057 (Audiobook)ASIN: B0B623PM6Y (Audible audiobook)ASIN: B09ZPPPSGV (Kindle edition)Page Count: 384Release Date: March 28, 2023Publisher: MIRA BooksGenre: Fiction | Historical Fiction | Own Voices “A stunning portrait of a woman blossoming into her full power…this…

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#Alka Joshi #Blog Tour #Book Excerpt #Book Showcase #fiction #Harlequin Trade Publishing #HarperCollins #HTP Books Winter 2023 Historical Fiction Blog Tours #MIRA Books #The Jaipur Trilogy #THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS

[amysbooketlist]

Qotd: what are you hoping to accomplish this week? . AOTD: finish my Christmas shopping and cards! . Netherlands, 1940 As bombs fall across Europe, fourteen-year-old Lien Vinke fears that the reality of war is inescapable. Though she lives a quiet life with her mother and older sister, Elif, in their small town of Haarlem, they are no strangers to heartache, having recently suffered an immeasurable loss. And when the Nazis invade the Netherlands, joining the Dutch resistance with Elif offers just the atonement Lien craves. Trained to shoot by their late father, the sisters are deadly wolves in sheep’s clothing. They soon find themselves entrenched in the underground movement, forging friendships with the other young recruits, and Lien even discovers a kindred spirit in a boy named Charlie. But in wartime, emotional attachments are a liability she can’t afford, especially when a deeply personal mission jeopardizes everything she holds dear—her friendships, her family, and her one shot at redemption. . @_mira_books_ @htpbooks @noelle__salazar #AngelsoftheResistance #historicalfiction @tlcbooktours #bookwormlife #booksforlife #bookishcommunity #bookishgirl #booksforlife #booksaddict #readingcorner #culturetripbooks #avidreader #booksaremylife #bookhoarder #bookstagrammers #booksarelife #readingtime #amreading #bookaholic #bookreview #bookphotography #bibliophile #bookstagram #showmeyourprettybooks #bookishflatlay #bookishfeed #bookseries #bookselfie #bookdbooksandmorebooks #tbr #igbook (at Columbus, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Clw4hS4LV4O/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#angelsoftheresistance #historicalfiction #bookwormlife #booksforlife #bookishcommunity #bookishgirl #booksaddict #readingcorner #culturetripbooks #avidreader #booksaremylife #bookhoarder #bookstagrammers #booksarelife #readingtime #amreading #bookaholic #bookreview #bookphotography #bibliophile #bookstagram #showmeyourprettybooks #bookishflatlay #bookishfeed #bookseries #bookselfie #bookdbooksandmorebooks #tbr #igbook

[rqd-reads]

My next witchy read courtesy of @htpbooks 🤩 A Lullaby for Witches by @hesterbfox, available now 🔥 [sleeve by @galaxyinkdesigns] — synopsis — Two women. A history of witchcraft. And a deep-rooted female power that sings across the centuries. Once there was a young woman from a well-to-do New England family who never quite fit with the drawing rooms and parlors of her kin. Called instead to the tangled woods and wild cliffs surrounding her family’s estate, Margaret Harlowe grew both stranger and more beautiful as she cultivated her uncanny power. Soon, whispers of “witch” dogged her footsteps, and Margaret’s power began to wind itself with the tendrils of something darker. One hundred and fifty years later, Augusta Podos takes a dream job at Harlowe House, the historic home of a wealthy New England family that has been turned into a small museum in Tynemouth, Massachusetts. When Augusta stumbles across an oblique reference to a daughter of the Harlowes who has nearly been expunged from the historical record, the mystery is too intriguing to ignore. But as she digs deeper, something sinister unfurls from its sleep, a dark power that binds one woman to the other across lines of blood and time. If Augusta can’t resist its allure, everything she knows and loves—including her very life—could be lost forever. ________________ #HarperTeen #HarperCollins #ALullabyForWitches #Bookstagram #HesterFox #Bookish #EBook #Fantasy #YAFantasy #HTPBooks #Fantasy #WitchyBooks (at Saint Joseph, Missouri) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2b-dRrUOg/?utm_medium=tumblr

#harperteen #harpercollins #alullabyforwitches #bookstagram #hesterfox #bookish #ebook #fantasy #yafantasy #htpbooks #witchybooks

[the-page-ladies]

Book Review..... Stephen has just been released from prison for killing his girlfriend. Thea thought she knew her son. She never would have thought he would have done something so evil. But that doesn't mean she's willing to give up on Stephen. With protesters, strange phone calls from a girl saying she was there and knows what really happened, and someone threatening her family, will Stephen be able to get a fresh start? And what does the girl mean she knows what really happened? Could Stephen be innocent? The Good Son is a gripping suspenseful read! Thea is a woman willing to go to great lengths to protect her family! From the first chapter to the very last page this book held me hostage! The rich writing and descriptive details make for a lively book! You can't help but follow as Thea tries to find out the truth and protect her family at the same time! Wonderful read! Happy reading everyone! The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard Release Date 1/18/22 Purchase link is in my bio! Thank you Htp Books for sharing this book with me! #books #bookreview #bookrecommendation #htpinfluencer #htpbooks #netgalley #read #igbook #instabook #upcomingrelease #booklver #booknerd #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookrec #negallery https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1eBWVsmlk/?utm_medium=tumblr

#books #bookreview #bookrecommendation #htpinfluencer #htpbooks #netgalley #read #igbook #instabook #upcomingrelease #booklver #booknerd #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookrec #negallery

[kattitudereads]

Blog Tour - Rodeo Christmas at Evergreen Ranch by Maisey Yates | Review

Blog Tour – Rodeo Christmas at Evergreen Ranch by Maisey Yates | Review

Hello, and welcome to my stop on HTPBooks’s Holiday Romance Blog Tour for Rodeo Christmas at Evergreen Ranch by Maisey Yates! RODEO CHRISTMAS AT EVERGREEN RANCHAuthor: Maisey YatesISBN: 9781335959171Publication Date: October 26, 2021Publisher: HQN Books About the Book: “Gold Valley’s rodeo champion is facing the toughest challenge of his life – a Christmas wedding! Legendary bull-rider Jake…

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[thebookdragon217]

I love domestic suspense stories. They pull at the heartstrings and have just the right amount of mystery. I also love that they don't rush to the big reveal. This one is a nanny story so I'm even more interested to read it. I'm a big fan of things having to do with nannies. Give a good evil nanny story and I'm sold. Thanks to @booktrib and @htpbooks for the gifted copy. QOTD: What kind of stories are you secretly infatuated with? FEATURED: Nanny Dearest by Flora Collins 👩‍👧SYNOPSIS👩‍👧 In this compulsively readable novel of domestic suspense, a young woman takes comfort in reconnecting with her childhood nanny after her father's death, until she starts to uncover secrets the nanny has been holding for twenty years. Sue Keller is lost. When her father dies suddenly, she's orphaned in her mid-twenties, her mother already long gone. Then Sue meets Annie. It’s been twenty years, but Annie could never forget that face. She was Sue’s live-in nanny at their big house upstate, and she loved Sue like she was her own. Craving connection and mothering, Sue is only too eager to welcome Annie back into her life; but as they become inseparable once again, Sue starts to uncover the truth about Annie's unsettling time in the Keller house all those years ago, particularly the manner of her departure—or dismissal. At the same time, she begins to grow increasingly alarmed for the safety of the two new charges currently in Annie's care. Told in alternating points of views—Annie in the mid-'90s and Sue in the present day—this taut novel of suspense will keep readers turning the pages right up to the shocking end. #NannyDearest #FloraCollins #books #bookish #bookstagram #reading #thrillers #bookphotos #bookworm #bookstagrammer #bibliophile #tbr #readersofinstagram #paperbacks #booksbooksbooks #literature #newrelease #libros #nannybooks #fiction #HTPBooks #debutnovel #booklover #reader #bookaholic (at Bushwick) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXIBoCr1tk/?utm_medium=tumblr

#nannydearest #floracollins #books #bookish #bookstagram #reading #thrillers #bookphotos #bookworm #bookstagrammer #bibliophile #tbr #readersofinstagram #paperbacks #booksbooksbooks #literature #newrelease #libros #nannybooks #fiction #htpbooks #debutnovel #booklover #reader #bookaholic

[lzteach]

COVER REVEAL:

“NEVER COMING HOME” BY Hannah Mary McKinnon, May 24, 2022,HTPBooks COVER REVEAL! I’m incredibly excited to bring you the gorgeous cover for NEVER COMING HOME by @hannahmarymckinnon. It pubs on May 24, 2022 and I can’t wait for this twisted, darkly humorous thriller. Here’s what it’s about:  “First comes love. Then comes murder.Lucas Forester didn’t hate his wife. Michelle was brilliant,…

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[hollymbryan]

Blog Tour + #Excerpt: VAMPIRE WEEKEND by Mike Chen! #HTPbooks

Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the HTP Books in-house blog tour for Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen! I’ve got all the book and author details for you below, along with an excerpt from the book.

About the Book

title: Vampire Weekend author: Mike Chen publisher: MIRA release date: 31 January 2023

About a Boy meets What We Do In The Shadows in the next fun genre-mashup from Mike Chen, featuring a punk-rock vampire learning to connect to the world again when her surly teenaged grand-nephew needs her, and her music, to get him through a tough time.

Louise knows first-hand that vampire mythos is all a lie. After all, she IS a vampire, and it doesn’t involve glamour, speed, flying, or anything Anne Rice wrote about. Instead, it’s actually pretty boring and quite lonely -- the best part about it is the longevity, which Louise uses to go to see as many cool bands as she can. But all that changes when Louise’s estranged brother Stephen arrives at her door with his 12-year-old grandson Ian.

Ian’s father has recently been killed in a car accident and his mom is battling late-stage cancer. Stephen and Ian have taken a road trip while Ian’s mom receives treatment, and while they thought they’d find a long-lost relative, they get Louise -- who explains her youthful appearance with a story about her relation to theme. Louise empathizes with the young boy and invites him to stay for a weekend. Together, they bond over their love of music, playing guitar late into the morning. But when Ian learns her secret, he asks for something more than guitar lessons: He asks her to make his mom a vampire to cure her of cancer.

Problem is, Louise doesn’t wish this loneliness on anyone. And a bigger problem -- she can’t turn anyone. Only rumored elder vampires can do so, and she doesn’t even know where to find them. In an act of defiance, Ian runs away. As Louise pursues him, she comes across a path to these elder vampires -- and a secret that could change how vampires view life and death forever.

With Ian missing, vampires on his tail, and a possible family squabble to finally reconcile, Louise hits the road to set things right -- and discovers that caring about someone else is the most punk rock thing in the world. Especially for a vampire.

Add to Goodreads: Vampire Weekend Purchase the Book: Bookshop | B&N | Amazon | Indiebound

Excerpt

CHAPTER 2

VAMPIRE POWER MYTH #2: We can bite into anything.

In movies, veins pop like a balloon hitting a nail. But in reality? Kids constantly bonk into sharp objects and get light scrapes. Construction workers work around nails and metal, but somehow buildings go up without anyone bleeding out. I worked in a hospital, so I saw this firsthand.

In practical terms, biting someone for blood was not easy. Newly turned vampires don’t exactly have functional teeth. A gradual sharpening takes place over the course of a week, but we’re not the instant kill machine from movies.

The so-called “vampire attacks” in the news? Sounded like algorithm-driven clickbait to me. And that was exactly how I thought about it—or didn’t think about it—when I got to work.

Because today was a blood day. And blood days were liter­ally life and death for me.

Not that I gave off that vibe. Instead, I went about my busi­ness, pushing my janitorial cart into the blood bank of San Francisco General Hospital. The automatic door shut behind me, my cart’s squeaking wheels announcing my arrival to Sam, the department’s night manager, and some staffer who looked more on break than actually working. They leaned over a monitor, attention pulled away by whatever was on the screen. Which worked to my benefit.

Some vampires worked with blood volunteers—usually fe­tishists who gladly let someone feed off them, likely thinking it was a kink or a new obscure fad diet rather than real vam­pire sustenance. That still involved the wholly unhygienic and socially awkward process of drinking from a live human. Un­derground dealers also existed, pumping blood from their arms into a bottle for an in-person transaction.

Me? I went with blood bag theft.

Which, to be fair, I held zero guilt over. Did you know that hospitals waste about 25 percent of blood bags every year? Thus, my weekly pickup during my janitorial rounds hardly made a dent. It all fell within the normal range of lost, misplaced, or expired. In fact, the managers viewed me as helpful for bring­ing the soon-to-expire bags to disposal. If some happened to make it into my backpack along the way, no one was the wiser.

This, of course, assumed that there were actually blood bags to take.

Today, the usual inventory of expiring blood bags was empty.

As in, nothing on the shelves. Nothing to deliver. Noth­ing to steal.

Nothing to feed from.

In fact, even the main storage units for in-date blood bags appeared low.

Any stress from the Copper Beach audition evaporated, as things do when food sources suddenly disappear.

I paused the music on my phone and pulled the earbuds out. Some things required a little more professional behavior. I began scouring the other storage possibilities when I overheard the words the vampire community feared the most.

“I swear, it’s a vampire.”

Eric constantly preached that if humans did discover us, rac­ists would find new reasons to fearmonger, while scientists would capture us for all sorts of poking and prodding. Given that we’d all managed to abide by this for centuries, it seemed like a pretty good suggestion to follow.

My hands squeezed the cart’s handle tighter as I listened.

“That’s ridiculous,” Sam said, shaking his head.

“No, think about it.” The man turned, the tag on his scrubs revealing the name Turner. “After everything we know about viruses these days, who would actually drink blood? Only vampires.”

“Okay, look,” Sam said, rubbing his cleft chin. “You’re as­suming someone drank this guy’s blood—”

“Police said he’s missing about ten ounces of blood. Same as the other two attacks.”

“Alright. Let’s assume someone—or something—drank ten ounces from that poor guy. They said his neck looked chewed, dozens of stitches needed. If you’re gonna believe something ridiculous, go with a werewolf.”

Suddenly, that headline didn’t seem like simple clickbait. Ten ounces. Roughly the same amount my body needed daily, though half that offered cranky survival. So that was the typi­cal amount a vampire needed to sustain until the next feed­ing. And the chewed neck like a werewolf bite? That was a real concern, not because werewolves were real (they’re not), but because biting into a human was not easy.

In theory, you first had to properly locate the carotid artery, then make sure it was easily accessible by positioning the head and neck the right way. Then you needed a well-placed bite—millimeters of accuracy here, from an angle where things are hard to see. I challenge any human to try and bite precisely into a piece of Red Vines stuck on a loaf of sourdough to gauge its difficulty. This was in addition to the fangs’ fairly mediocre ability to puncture.

Biting humans was messy. Factor in an especially scared nondonor human and tools to make the process smoother and, well, the result could easily be mistaken for werewolves.

With the hospital’s blood shortage, their conversation ratch­eted my anxiety enough for me to mutter, “Oh shit.”

That little phrase pulled Sam and Turner away from the screen. Their desk chairs creaked as they turned my way, the headline—San Francisco’s Latest “Vampire Attack” Victim Stable In Hospital—now clearly visible on their monitor.

If there was a fixer working in the community, they weren’t doing a great job.

“Oh, hi, Louise,” Sam said. “Need anything?”

Blood bags. A safe community, one without rogue vam­pires possibly revealing ourselves to humans. While I was at it, someone to play in a band with—human or vampire—though right now neither seemed to be working out.

“No pickups today,” I managed as I pushed the cart through. “What pickups?” Sam asked, his thick eyebrows furrowing. “Expiring blood to pick up on second Fridays. You know,” I said, switching to a very bad generic European accent, “because I’m a vampire and I need to drink it instead of biting people on the neck.” That joke always worked, but doubly so today. Both men laughed, and I almost held up claw hands for emphasis. But no, that joke belonged only to me and Marshall. “I knew it,” Sam said, “you’re the vampire attacker.” “I thought you suspected a werewolf,” Turner said, an Irish lilt to his gravelly voice. “Sorry, boys. It’s a little more boring than that. Management tallies these and I don’t want to piss them off.” That was a lie; I knew they didn’t because otherwise I’d never get away with my theft.

“Right, right. Let me go check in on that.” Sam stood and went to the computer on the far desk, his leg catching his chair enough to kick it over a foot. “You’re right, our last delivery was low. Must not be as many donors. There’s a note saying this might be a thing for a few weeks but it doesn’t say why.”

Just like that, my food supply went from “comfortably fed” to “empty.”

“Cool, cool, no worries,” I said despite the onslaught of emerging worries. I built my whole life around a job that provided blood—and that dried up? Maybe in a parallel universe, I might have my own recording studio with session time paid in blood bags. But here?

I loaded my email as soon as I stepped into the hallway. My fingers mashed over the virtual keys, autocorrect pulling all the wrong words and constantly changing blood to brood, which I supposed was fitting for a vampire. The message went to the local Red Cross chapter’s volunteer manager, a request for shifts as a Volunteer Transportation Specialist.

Basically, someone who drove donated blood around.

I’d actually trained for the role when I was in between hospital gigs, but never took any actual shifts since most of them were during the day—which wasn’t impossible with proper precautions, but still uncomfortable, and required a lot of extra effort, in addition to messing up my sleep cycle. Circadian rhythm still applied to vampire life.

But this was different. If the supply saw shortages, I’d need alternatives just like the early days when I first started and had no clue what I was doing.

Which really wasn’t my fault. Because no guidebook existed for this life, and the woman who made me only came around a few times to check on me before disappearing forever. Despite the physical transformation to vampiredom creating several months of fuzzy memories, I still clearly pictured her during that last visit: a tall, pale woman with long brown hair in peak late-70s punk styling.

She’d brought weekly bottles, introduced me to a few Southern California sources for no-questions-asked back-alley blood, gave a very uncomfortable primer on feeding off farm animals in emergencies and offered a very dramatic lecture on the importance of not revealing ourselves to humans in any way. Yet, all of those came during surprise drop-ins and sudden departures, and even her final visit was nothing more than a quick hello before “You’ll figure the rest out. You’ll be fine.”

In fact, she never bothered to tell me her name. Or maybe she did and I just forgot it in my fugue state. Whatever the case, I’d have to rely on those lessons now, to ride out any shortages. I spent the rest of my shift trying to recall how many bags remained in my fridge, and how best to ration them. Hours came and went, a low-level panic setting my night to fast-forward all the way until I stepped into an empty parking garage.

Then my phone buzzed. Multiple buzzes, actually. Though I hoped it was something about the Red Cross volunteer gig, that seemed impossible, given the late hour. No, a quick look showed another text from Eric. And this time, I bothered to read it.

I’ve received a few notes tonight about tomorrow evening’s agenda. I share your concerns, but there is a plan to address this. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our community.

Something was definitely up. A blood shortage, someone attacking humans in the wild, texts about “health and safety.” A second message loaded up, words pushing the first message off the screen.

If you want to learn more, please come to the event. In the meantime, I encourage you all to download our new community app to stream the discussion. Do NOT discuss the media’s ‘vampire attack’ headlines with anyone, not even jokingly. Blood will be served. Reply to RSVP for in person attendance.

Did I want to learn more? Of course. Did I want an app that both invaded my privacy and knew I was a vampire? No. Did I want to get involved with the vampire community?

Not really. Especially given my history with Eric. But I needed blood, and this was a source, however fleeting.

Besides, maybe Eric had forgotten about our last encounter. Still, I refused to download his stupid app. On principle.

Count me in, I typed in a reply text, complete with a little white lie. By the way, I had trouble downloading the app. Maybe later.

On most work nights, I came home just before dawn, changed from scrubs to sweats, let my dog out, and drank blood. Today, that last part remained a sticking point. Lola greeted me as usual, a pitter-patter that told me she needed a potty break. I left the back door ajar for her to go into the small backyard, then checked my blood bag supply in the fridge.

If I’d been more responsible, thorough, careful, and whatever other descriptions my parents threw at me decades ago, I’d have a managed stockpile. Instead, three bags remained, a supply for about four or five days. I could stretch it to a week, though I’d be a grouchy, tired mess. After that? Movie vampires went on killing rampages when they needed blood, but in reality, it meant fatigue and delirium.

And if that went on long enough? Death by starvation.

No wonder someone got desperate enough to bite humans.

I grabbed a mug from the cabinet, white ceramic with a faded photo of a white schnauzer printed on it; Aunt Laura’s old teacup, now used for blood. Mostly empty shelves stared back at me from the fridge, daring me to make a choice.

Did I take one now? Did I really need to drink or could I wait?

Lola returned from the backyard, hopping over the threshold with her short corgi legs, and her nails clacked on the floor as she ignored my mood and waddled past. The jingling of her collar faded as she went down the hall, and I told myself to do the smart thing. I shut the fridge door and left Aunt Laura’s mug on the counter, then followed my dog.

Light flooded the space in my music room as I flipped the wall switch, illuminating everything from the guitars hanging on the walls to the drum kit and keyboard rig sitting in opposite corners. But no dog waited for me. Instead, her collar jingled from across the hall.

The bedroom.

The hour or so before bed normally saw me noodling on a guitar, playing with different pedal effects combinations or trying to work out a lingering melody while Lola stayed at my feet. But as I stood between the two rooms, a crushing fatigue washed over me, something that I knew had nothing to do with appetite.

I peeked in on Lola, the hallway light showing enough that I could see she’d skipped the circular dog bed on the floor to leap straight onto my spot. Usually she’d wait till I fell asleep to pull that off, and perhaps she took advantage of my vulnerable state today. She stretched her little legs into the air, then craned her neck to look at me with ears up, yawning before settling back down.

Maybe she just knew what I needed today.

Instead of going back into my music room, I stepped inside and shut the door, leaving the bedroom in a complete UV protected blackout state as I crawled under soft sheets. I stayed still, the quiet silence of a moment without vampires, without humans, without blood shortages, just a happy corgi resting against my stomach and worries in my head.

Excerpted from Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen, Copyright © 2023 by Mike Chen. Published by MIRA Books.

About the Author

Mike Chen is a lifelong writer, from crafting fan fiction as a child to somehow getting paid for words as an adult. He has contributed to major geek websites (The Mary Sue, The Portalist, Tor) and covered the NHL for mainstream media outlets. A member of SFWA and Codex Writers, Mike lives in the Bay Area, where he can be found playing video games and watching Doctor Who with his wife, daughter, and rescue animals. 

Connect with Mike: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Thanks to HTP Books for having me on the tour!

#vampire weekend #vampire weekend book #mike chen #author mike chen #mikechen #mira books #mira #htpbooks #htp books #book excerpt #excerpt #new release #new releases #newrelease #newreleases #genre mashup #vampire books #vampires #vampire fiction #SFF #science fiction #sci-fi #scifi #sci fi #scifi fantasy #scififantasy

[doodlesink]

The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader--Book Review & Excerpt!

Happy Tuesday!  The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader is out today.  Stop by to read an excerpt from this captivating tale.  Happy Reading!

https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2022/12/the-sunshine-girls-by-molly-fader.html

#thesunshinegirls #molly fader #htpbooks #harlequin #dual timeline #historical fiction #theavidreader #book review

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Perfect Little Lives by Amber and Danielle Brown #Thriller #HTPBooks #Excerpt

Perfect Little Lives Authors: Amber and Danielle Brown ISBN: 9781525805059 Publication Date: December 5, 2023 Publisher: Graydon House/HarperCollins  ON ASHER LANE, SOME SECRETS ARE WORTH KILLING FOR…Simone’s mother was murdered when she was thirteen. When her father was convicted, everything changed. Overnight, Simone went from living in a wealthy white neighborhood to scraping by.Ten years…

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[sistahscifi]

@isisasare, the founder of Sistah Scifi, was joined by @diane_marie_brown to discuss her book Black Candle Women in this throwback Sistah Scifi Wine Down Wednesday! In the segment, Isis and Diane discuss the inspiration for Black Candle Women.

Synopsis:🤩 Generations of Montrose women—Augusta, Victoria, Willow—have lived together in their quaint two-story bungalow in California for years. They keep to themselves, never venture far from home, and their collection of tinctures and spells is an unspoken bond between them.

Check out the whole video on @sistahscifi instagram page! We have hardcover editions signed by Diane Marie Brown in stock: @sistahscifi | www.sistahscifi.com | https://sistahscifi.com/products/signed-black-candle-women-by-diane-marie-brown.

@graydonhousebooks @harpercollins @htpbooks

#BlackCandleWomen #DianeMarieBrown #SistahScifi #sistahscifiwinedownwednesday

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Book Showcase: THE SORORITY MURDER by Allison Brennan

Read an #excerpt from THE SORORITY MURDER by @Allison_Brennan in today's book showcase. #fiction #thriller #blogtour #HTPBooks @HarlequinBooks

The Sorority Murder by Allison BrennanISBN: 9780778311683 (paperback)ISBN: 9780778312185 (hardcover)ISBN: 9780369706515 (ebook)ISBN: 9781488212574 (digital audiobook)ASIN: B094PJMBQ3 (Audible audiobook)ASIN: B08R8ZSV4D (Kindle edition)Publisher: MIRA BooksRelease Date: December 28, 2021Genre: Fiction | Suspense | Thriller | Crime Thriller New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan’s…

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#Allison Brennan #Blog Tour #Book Excerpt #Book Showcase #fiction #Harlequin MIRA #MIRA Books #THE SORORITY MURDER