GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep

Monday, May 19, 2025

Book Review: Rebel in the Deep (Crimson Sails Book 3) by Katee Robert + excerpt

Rebel in the Deep (Crimson Sails Book 3)
by Katee Robert
May 20, 2025
Book 3 of 3: Crimson Sails
The rebellion’s fight turns into a battle of the heart in this pulse-pounding conclusion to the Crimson Sails trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert.

Nox has been steadfastly working for the rebellion for years. They don’t ask for much in return, except for one crucial condition: their ex, the noble Bastian, stays as far away from them as possible. To say things ended poorly between them is an understatement . . . and it’s the only relationship Nox has never quite recovered from.

But now the rules have changed. Siobhan, the rebel leader, has emerged from hiding to tell Nox that Bastian’s been taken captive and the secrets he holds tight are in danger of being revealed. The fate of the entire rebellion now rests on Nox and Siobhan’s ability to rescue Bastian from a Cŵn Annwn ship.

Saving Bastian is only the start of their hardships, as the trio is tracked by ferocious pirates across Threshold. And Nox’s complicated relationships and entanglements with Bastian and Siobhan put not only their life at risk but their heart on the line.


Rebel in the Deep (Crimson Sails Book 3) by Katee Robert is the final instalment in this very exciting trilogy.

This set of stories is a very seaworthy type of action and adventure with, of course, all the paranormal monster elements and hot as hell romance. Some questionable heroes and a bit of pacing and timing had me jumping along pretty fast. It can be hard, at times, to keep up with the pace and fast-moving nature of this one.

Just stating a point. There are nonbinary pronouns used in these stories, which made no difference to me.

Could this book be read as a standalone? Maybe.... But I would say to read all 3 and enjoy the full ocean ride. Something is missed if you just cut right to the chase and dig in here. Plus, this gives the reader a chance to feel out the saga and really develop a deeper connection before the finale.

Lastly, I almost expected Johnny Depp to walk across the deck of this one in his full head-to-toe Captain Jack attire!

A fun story, that has some flaws, but overall was well worth the read.


Getting 3 Sheep

 
 
 
 
KD
 
 
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
chapter 1
Nox
Some days, I have to actually do my job. Those tend to be the bad days. The ones filled with violence and blood and a sorrow so thick, the entire crew can taste it on the air.

Today is shaping up to be a bad day.

"Hold it, Bowen," I snap. "If one of those tentacles makes it through your shield, we're in trouble."

"I am holding it," the man at my side grits out. He's easily a head and shoulders taller than me and twice as large, the muscles in his arms standing out in stark relief. He appears to be holding air, but it's just a physical representation of what his magic is doing.

Mainly: protecting my damn ship.

Another tentacle arches out of the sea and slaps down on the invisible barrier of Bowen's shield. Even with his deep well of power, he can't keep this up forever. Not when our primary shield already failed, which isn't something that's happened in the weeks since Evelyn has been aboard.

The woman herself crouches behind us, frantically trying to remake the circle that will re-create the shield. When I dare a glance at her, she's looking shaky and paler than normal, her skin waxen. She meets my gaze, green eyes wide. "Is it the kraken?"

"No. Krakens can be reasoned with. Everyone!" I lift my voice, injecting a boom that will make my crew snap to action. "Attack the tentacles. Bowen, drop the shield when I go over."

"Are you out of your fucking mind, Nox?"

It's not the first time I've been asked this. It won't be the last. I shrug out of my coat and drop it onto the deck next to me. If I've learned one thing, it's that when in doubt, it's best to brazen your way through. I don't have the same scale of power that Bowen does, but I have enough. "I would prefer a peaceful resolution, but this beastie isn't cooperating. I'll get it to the surface. You rip it to shreds."

His dark brows draw together. "How are you-"

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to, darling." I yank off my boots-even with magic, they're a pain to get salt water out of-and step onto the railing. "If I die tragically, remember me fondly."

"Nox, damn you!"

I dive over the edge before he can finish berating me. Bowen's got a paladin's sense of honor-which means he's a stick-in-the-mud-and he's always been reluctant to admit that sometimes it takes breaking the rules to come out on top. Since coming out on top of this current conflict means my crew lives and my ship stays intact, there's no room for negotiation.

The water welcomes me like an old friend, my magic rising beneath my skin in response to my intent. It's difficult to see with the beastie churning through the depths, bubbles and tentacles everywhere. That's fine. I've worked in worse conditions.

I pull a small funnel of air down to meet me and enclose my head, allowing me to breathe, and then cut down through the depths, propelled along by my water magic through the small hole Bowen opened in his shield for me. Most people have access to only one element, but I've never been like most people. I can wield all four.

The thing has twice as many tentacles as a kraken and is half as smart. Maybe not even that much. It completely ignores me weaving around its body in favor of trying to eat my ship.

Not today, darling.

I dip between two massive tentacles and stop short at the sight of its massive mouth. A mouth, not a beak, as if I needed further confirmation. Krakens can be reasoned with. If they grow to ship-killer size, they're old enough to know when faced with a fight they can't win. They prefer easier prey than humans anyway. There is plenty to hunt in the cold, dark depths that won't rip you to shreds.

I'm still a sap, though; instead of immediately attacking, I project my voice through the water toward it. "Stop attacking my ship!"

I already know it won't work, but it gets the beastie's attention on me. It opens its mouth wide, exposing row after row of razor-sharp teeth nearly as tall as I am.

Okay, then.

I shove my hands forward, propelling air from the funnel and into its mouth. More and more and more, the force of it preventing the beastie from shutting me out. "Too late, darling." My body shakes from the energy drain, but we're not done yet.

The air fills it like a balloon, sending it toward the surface even as it keeps trying to eat me. It can't seem to figure out why the distance between us is increasing, which further proves that it's pure animal-if one of a truly monstrous size. It doesn't mean it deserves to die simply for existing, but it's eaten four trade ships in the last four weeks and shows no sign of slowing down.

It swipes a tentacle at me, and I have to take the hit because all my magic is devoted into propelling it upward and keeping enough air around my mouth and nose so I don't drown.

It's like someone dropping a ship on me. The tip of the tentacle is thicker around than I am. It slaps me hard enough that I see stars. I lose my grip on the magic bringing air to me-but not the air to the beastie.

The Cŵn Annwn are the biggest monsters in Threshold, the realm that connects all realms in existence, but occasionally one of the beasties wreaking havoc does need to be put down. It's always tragic, but again, that's my ship and my crew and my world. I'm not going to let a beastie keep eating people.

One final desperate burst of power overloads its natural weight and creates enough buoyancy to send its form surging to the surface. My body shakes as I keep it going up and up and up. I can tell the moment Bowen's power takes hold. The weight against my magic disappears.

I exhale slowly and start swimming. I'm far enough from the surface that I have to be intentional about my ascent. Deep pressure does a world of damage to the human body if not managed correctly.

By the time I shoot from the surface and use the water to propel me back on board, it's raining blood.

"Bowen!" Evelyn crouches on the deck with her hands over her head. "Did you have to literally rip it apart?"

Bowen looks a little woozy, which is worrisome in a man that large. "Sit down before you fall down." I nudge him with my fingertips, and he stumbles a few steps to sink to his knees next to Evelyn.

The rest of the crew is looking just as dazed. We've fought mermaids and other ships and all sorts of creatures we can't talk down, but I've never seen the Audacity covered in this much blood. It matches our crimson sails. In fact, I'm the only one who isn't red and covered in gore.

Well, I'm captain for a reason. It falls on me to snap everyone back to reality. I spread my arms and slowly circle. "Well done, chaps. Callen. Gable." I snap my fingers at the two, who straighten to attention when I name them. "Get the deck cleaned up as much as you're able. The rest of you, see what we can harvest of the beast. Evelyn will get shower schedules set up."

We might have the magic of indoor plumbing in the pocket dimension inside the ship, but the resources aren't infinite. We'll have to make port soon so I can refill our freshwater stores.

I turn to find my quartermaster, Poet, holding my coat. It wasn't spared from the carnage, now several shades darker than its usual crimson and dripping the same gore covering everyone else. I sigh. "Well, it was about time for a new coat anyway."

Poet shakes her head, her long dark hair flinging blood. She's a tall woman with light brown skin and a thick body that means she can carry three barrels to every one of mine. "You don't need an excuse to add to your wardrobe."

She's not wrong. I grin. "It's true, but this excuse is better than most."

"I suppose it is." She neatly sidesteps a surge of water Gable guides across the deck, concentration on zir face. Callen is next, slightly overlapping with zir path.

I glance over to where Evelyn is tugging Bowen to his feet. It looks absurd for the big man to be leaning on his short, curvy woman, but she's stronger than she appears. She keeps them both on their feet. "Before I get the shower situation figured out, I need to help Bowen," Evelyn says.

"I'm fine," he murmurs. Except his dark eyes aren't quite focusing.

"You're really not," she says tartly. She doesn't look much steadier on her feet, but Evelyn would have to be dead to not run her mouth. It's what I like about her. She frowns at me. "You look terrible, too."

I'm not about to admit that I'm fighting to avoid weaving on my feet. I can channel more magic than most elemental users, but even I have limits. All of us reached them today.

But I'm the captain, and the captain can't show weakness.

I dredge up a roguish grin. "Keep talking sweet to me, and I'm going to have to challenge Bowen for your heart."

She rolls her eyes and Bowen mutters under his breath as she turns them toward the hatch leading belowdecks. Poet snorts. "You done playing hero? You need to be looked over."

"I'm fine." It's more or less the truth. My ribs ache, but my breathing is uninterrupted so nothing's horrifically broken. "Save Orchid's tender ministrations for those who actually need it." Our healer is a miracle worker, and he believes in the cause. We might all be serving the same purpose-to undermine the Cŵn Annwn and help the people and creatures who end up in Threshold by accidentally wandering through the wrong portal.

Poet sighs. "You'd tell me if you weren't."

"Of course I would," I lie. I want nothing more than to peel out of my wet shirt, but I suspect if I do so, Poet will come down with the vapors. There's sure to be a rainbow of bruises across my body. It's fine. I heal faster than most people.

The sea around the Audacity is red and chunky. Bowen might have been a captain at one point, but he's extremely good at following orders. Good enough that there's only carnage left of the beastie. I fight down a shudder.

This is Threshold and I sail under the banner of the Cŵn Annwn, for all that I find their policies loathsome. Each of their captains is a bigger monster than the next. It means I'm a monster-and Bowen, too. It's natural to wonder which of us would walk away if it came to a fight.

His telekinetic power is fearsome, but he's still human. He needs to breathe. The question is whether I could suffocate him before he tore me to pieces . . .

Cheery thoughts.

I motion to Poet. "Let's wrap this up. I hate the smell of gore."

A few months back, half the crew was killed in a hostile takeover-mine, notably-and we still haven't filled out our numbers. Even so, it only takes an hour before we're moving, cutting away from the frothing waters. The blood has summoned other predators, but they aren't our business.

I make the rounds, talking to my people, checking in, until I circle back to where Eyal stands at the helm. He's a tall, lean man with cool dark brown skin and blue locs-or he is normally; currently, he's the same shade as our sails.

Which means it'll be a bit longer before I can change out of these clothes. "You're going to undo all of Gable and Callen's hard work by dripping all over the newly clean deck. Go shower."

"Won't be time for that."

I narrow my eyes. "What are you on about?"

"We have company." He points, and I follow the motion to the horizon. I don't see anything, but that doesn't mean much. Eyal's got better eyes than most.

This day just got exponentially longer. "Trouble?"

"Hard to say." He squints. "Smaller vessel. White sails."

White sails don't mean much-the only ships that fly crimson sails are Cŵn Annwn warships. We're on the trading route between Drash and Three Sisters, so it might be a trader. Or smugglers. Neither fall within our purview.

Still, there's no reason to be foolish. I raise my voice. "Everyone, on alert. It's time to meet some new friends."

chapter 2

Nox

A thread of unease goes through me as we get close enough to pick out the details of the ship. It's easy enough because they're heading directly for the Audacity. They aren't attempting to pretend to do anything else.

"Orders?" Poet murmurs. She stands at my right shoulder.

I'm tired and itchy from the salt water drying on my skin, and I want nothing more than to get this over with, but that's just my impulsiveness talking. I know better than to listen to that voice. "Let's give them a nice warm welcome . . . at least until we know what they want."

Almost as soon as the words leave my lips, Gable yells from the bow. "It's Lizzie!"

"Lizzie?" I can't stop my shock. I thought for certain we'd seen the last of that murderous vampire. She ran off with Maeve ages ago. I fully expected her to find Maeve's stolen skin, retrieve her stolen family heirlooms, and then take a portal back to her world, never to return. She shouldn't be here.

Except she is. She stands at the bow of the small ship, her long dark hair trailing behind her in the wind of their passing. She's just as beautiful as the last time I saw her, but there's something looser in her body language. Interesting.

A second person joins her, and I stop thinking about the vampire altogether. Because I know this person, this woman. I know that tall frame and those broad shoulders, that tanned skin and handsome face.

Siobhan.

"Fuck," I breathe.

I haven't seen Siobhan in years. There was a time when she sailed more freely about, using her charm and smarts to convince more people to join the rebellion. But as our numbers increased, it became necessary to remove herself a bit, to protect herself. So she essentially went into hiding.

She should still be in hiding.

The fact that she's not is more than a little worrisome. I glance at Eyal. "Bring us close." --This text refers to the paperback edition.



About the author
website
Katee Robert (she/they) is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of spicy romance. Entertainment Weekly calls their writing “unspeakably hot.” Their books have sold over two million copies. They live in the Pacific Northwest with their husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Exiles on Earth (Outcasts of Oloria Book 1) by Bea Tama

Exiles on Earth (Outcasts of Oloria Book 1)
by Bea Tama
May 16, 2025
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance/ Alien Romance
Stranded alien. Fierce farmer. One blown-up barn.

Ellen’s barely keeping her family farm afloat, clinging to dreams of what it could be—with a little luck and a lot of hard work. What she doesn’t need is a spaceship crashing onto her land, or the massive scaled alien who steps out of the wreckage. Now the barn she wanted to convert to a bed and breakfast is shattered all over the lawn, and this huge scaly dude is to blame.

Elia is a space-faring clone, bred for loyalty and survival. He fought for the chance to enter the prestigious Mating Games, only to be exiled for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, stranded on an uncharted world, he and his crew are at the mercy of an infuriated human female with fire in her eyes and no warriors of her own to protect her.

She is not fragile. But she is vulnerable. And something deep in Elia wants her. All he has to do is rebuild what he destroyed and guard her land and her dreams as fiercely as if they were his own.

But Ellen isn’t looking for a mate. And Elia is running out of time to prove that she should.

A sizzling sci-fi romance featuring a caring, exiled alien, a determined human heroine, and slow-burn tension that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of allies on earth, forced proximity, and fierce heroines who refuse to back down.

Triggers:
Authoritarian society
Mention of and threat of execution.
Fantasy / sci violence.

Amazon

About the Author:
Hi! I’m Bea Tama. Well, kind of. This is one of my few pen names; where I write about love falling from the stars, Becky Tama writes romantasy and fae adventures. Our other pen name is a USA Today Bestselling Author, but we don’t let that go to our heads.

I live in the UK not that far from Bristol, where Exiles on Earth is set, and secretly I dream of setting up an agri-business alongside writing about gorgeous aliens coming to help me with it.

Sunday, May 11, 2025

The Witches Who Went to War: The Real History Behind Her Darkest Hour by Suzy Henderson

The Witches Who Went to War: The Real History Behind Her Darkest Hour

When I started writing Her Darkest Hour, I wasn’t just inspired by the idea of witches in wartime—I was captivated by the real, historical belief that magic could be used to defend Britain.

In researching the book, I discovered a lineage of magical resistance stretching back centuries. In 1588, when the Spanish Armada threatened England, tales emerged of magical circles cast to summon storms. During the Napoleonic Wars, rural communities quietly turned to cunning folk—herbalists, charmers, and wise women—to protect them from invasion.

But perhaps most fascinating of all is the rumour that during WWII, a group of witches gathered in the New Forest to perform a ritual known as the Cone of Power. Their aim? To stop Hitler from setting foot on British soil. It sounds like folklore—but it’s part of Britain’s strange, often forgotten magical undercurrent. The war wasn’t just fought on beaches and battlefields. It was fought, too, in glades and gardens, by those who believed the spiritual realm had a part to play.

That hidden history became the beating heart of Her Darkest Hour. Eliza Maclean, a young Scottish witch, is drawn from her quiet life on the Isle of Mull into a war she never expected to fight. Recruited by MI5, she finds herself hunting a German spy in Cambridge—but with magic, not guns.

I wanted to honour both the women who stepped into wartime roles and the lesser-known stories of those who used ancient knowledge to protect what they loved. Eliza’s magic is not flashy or cinematic—it’s rooted in emotion, empathy, and intuition. And that, perhaps, is what made it so powerful.

In the end, this book is a tribute to the quiet guardians of our past—those who lit candles, traced symbols, whispered prayers to old gods, and believed, fiercely, in their country’s protection.

What if those rituals worked?

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy discovering Eliza’s journey in Her Darkest Hour.

Suzy Henderson
Author of Her Darkest Hour
#HerDarkestHour #HistoricalFantasy #WartimeWitches


Her Darkest Hour
by Suzy Henderson
Publication date: May 8th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical
In the shadow of war, a young woman must choose: deny her magic or wield it to stop a traitor before Britain falls.

England, 1939. A young witch. A nation at war. A spy hiding in plain sight.

As war looms over Britain, Eliza MacLean wants nothing more than an ordinary life. Raised on the Isle of Mull, she’s spent years denying her gifts—just as her mother insisted. But her grandmother taught her differently, whispering ancient knowledge of herbs, charms, and spells.

When her grandmother dies, Eliza seeks refuge in Cambridge with her cousin and the women of the WVS. But beneath its spires and blacked-out streets, Cambridge hides more than just scholars and soldiers. A secret network of witches is working to protect Britain from an enemy who knows magic is real—and seeks to weaponise it.

Drawn into the fight, Eliza is thrust into a world of espionage, deception, and occult warfare. Her rare abilities catch the attention of MI5 agent Alex Fletcher, who needs her help to unmask a deadly spy before it’s too late.

As she learns to harness her power, Eliza finds herself torn between duty and love, risking everything for Jim, a fighter pilot whose fate seems written in the stars. But war is ruthless, and magic has a price.

With the spy closing in and the war reaching new heights of peril, Eliza’s only hope of saving those she loves is to embrace the very magic she’s spent a lifetime hiding—no matter the cost.

But some powers were never meant to be used.

Perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches and The Rose Code, Her Darkest Hour blends historical fiction with supernatural intrigue in a gripping tale of war, witchcraft, and sacrifice.

Goodreads-Amazon

About the Author:
Website-Goodreads-FB
Twitter-Instagram-TikTok
Suzy Henderson is the author of The Beauty Shop, Madame Fiocca, and SPITFIRE, novels which are set during the turbulent times of World War Two. She also writes romance and recently released a novella, Christmas in the Highlands, a best seller on Amazon UK.

Her debut novel, The Beauty Shop, was awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion. It is based on the true story of pioneering plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe, and the Guinea Pig Club – an exclusive club for RAF pilots and airmen who required plastic surgery as a result of their war injuries and were under the care of this enigmatic New Zealander.

Madame Fiocca is also based on a true story. This gripping adventure follows the tempestuous life of SOE heroine, Nancy Wake before and during the Second World War.

Suzy lives with her family on the edge of the Lake District, where she can be found rambling around lakes, country lanes or roaming the fells. Armed with a pen, a love of reading and a growing obsession with military and aviation history, she is often lost in the 1940s, writing historical fiction.

To receive all Suzy's latest book news, do join her reading group here & claim a free story: https://www.suzyhenderson.com

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
$50 Amazon gift card


Friday, May 9, 2025

Coming Soon: Mommy Blog #1 from Image Comics

DEXTER MEETS THE STEPFORD WIVES IN UPCOMING SUBURBAN SATIRE HORROR MOMMY BLOG

Bestselling writer Marguerite Bennett (Witchblade, writer/creator of Animosity) and artist Eleonora Carlini (Captain Marvel, Vicarious) comes an unsettling black comedy in, Mommy Blog. This thrilling satire will hit shelves in May from Image Comics.

Mommy Blog reveals the horror that can lurk even within the hearts of a suburban mom! Think: Real Housewives meets Fatal Attraction in this disturbing domestic thriller perfect for fans of Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones’ Lady Killer.

"If readers want something funny, cruel, scathing, and just a damn good time, MOMMY BLOG is for them," said Bennett.

Carlini added: "Drawing from Marguerite’s script was stimulating and fun. I loved Astrid from the very first pages—there’s something about her that I feel speaks to every woman. I could relate to her, both in the pain she keeps silent and the anger she expresses. I believe readers will love her too."

Mommy Blog one-shot (Lunar Code 0325IM270) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, May 28.


Mommy Blog #1
May 28, 2025
Lunar Code: 0325IM270
Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Eleonora Carlini
Image Comics
In this scathing, brutal, outrageous black comedy, Astrid is an aspiring social media "super mommy" keeping tabs on her glamorous gated community after the disappearances of several neighborhood children. Certain a predator is afoot, she turns all of her cunning, creativity, sugar, and spice to catching the killer—and if her rivals for "Mommy of the Year" get caught in the path of the chainsaw, well, you have to break a few eggs to make a cruelty-free omelette, don't you?

From writer MARGUERITE BENNETT (WITCHBLADE and writer/creator of Animosity) and artist ELEONORA CARLINI (Captain Marvel and Vicarious) comes this unsettling black comedy that shows what horror can lurk even within the hearts of a suburban mom! It's Carrie meets Fatal Attraction! From NINTH CIRCLE, bringing you the BEST horror by the industry's TOP creative talent!





Thursday, May 8, 2025

New Release: The Crown of the Dark Prince (House of Hyrax Book 2) by Arcadia Rayne

The Crown of the Dark Prince (House of Hyrax Book 2)
by Arcadia Rayne
Book 2 of 2: House of Hyrax
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
Forbidden Love
Chosen One
Godly Magic and Prophecies
He’ll give up everything for her
Political intrigue
Found Family
Magical Trials
Unexpected Allies
“What do you want?” “You”
The Crown of the Dark Prince is the exciting sequel to the bestselling novel The Rose in the Shadows and promises readers a steamy story filled with magic, secrets, betrayals, and heart-pumping action.

Theadora Moore has finally found her place within the Athenian Court.

With her would-be assassin now imprisoned in the palace dungeon, the kingdom awaits her next steps—completing her trials, ascending to the Royal Council, and forging a powerful alliance through marriage. Yet, despite her willingness to embrace these new responsibilities, she is haunted by dark secrets.

Thea can't stop dreaming of the Underworld, and she’s desperate to figure out what her ancestor, the God of the Dead, wants from her. Until she understands, she can't trust anyone with the truth, not even Crown Prince Clayton Vail. As her secret meetings with Hyrax continue, they threaten everything she cares about, including her growing relationship with Clay, who is determined to uncover what she's hiding—even if it risks tearing them apart.

When the legendary Sword of Zion is stolen from it's archives, Thea must seek help from an unlikely ally and realizes that secrets have a way of surfacing and prophecies cannot be ignored. To protect the Mortal Realm and keep her friends safe, she must finally accept who she is and the destiny she was born to fulfill—before it's too late.

Amazon



About the Author:
website
Arcadia Rayne is a fantasy romance author based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Originally from Baltimore, MD, Arcadia developed a passion for storytelling from a young age. After receiving her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland she went on to pursue a Master's and PhD at Boston University.

Arcadia is passionate about creating fantastical worlds with strong characters. She loves all the tropes. When she's not writing, Arcadia enjoys binging reality tv and crocheting.