Tag Archives: Nancy Northcott

The Deathbrew Affair by Nancy Northcott-a review

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THE DEATHBREW AFFAIR (The Lethal Webs #1) by Nancy Northcott-a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK : Release Date September 30, 2017

The Deathbrew Affair: Lethal Webs #1
(The Lethal Webs series features two spies, ten adventures, and one steamy romance.)

He’s the King of Control Freaks.
I’m the Queen of Winging It.
Together, we’ll save the world….
Unless we kill each other first.

I’m Casey Billings, an American operative in the London office of a covert, multinational agency. I’m working with an MI5 officer, Jack, Lord Bainbridge, to bring down a bioterrorist who plans to unleash a pandemic. We’re posing as newlyweds to infiltrate the community that’s a cover for the bioweapons operation. Unfortunately, we don’t play well together, and not only because of Jack’s distracting, off-the- scales hotness.

I grew up poor in a mill town, and he’s an aristocrat with more money than a third-world country. Besides that, I fly by the seat of my pants while Jack lives by his plans for every contingency and takes charge of everything. Including me. Or so he thinks.

Basically, we’d like to strangle each other. But we have a pandemic to stop first.
Then all bets are off.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE DEATHBREW AFFAIR is the first instalment in Nancy Northcott’s contemporary, adult THE LETHAL WEBS romantic, suspense series focusing on American Operative Casey Billings, and MI5 agent Jack, Lord Bainbridge.

Told from first person point of view (Casey Billings) THE DEATHBREW AFFAIR follows the contemptuous relationship between American operative Casey Billings, and MI5 agent Jack aka Lord Bainbridge as they are paired together in a multi-national undercover operation battling time, a potential pandemic, biological terrorism, and one another. Lord Bainbridge comes from royalty and represents everything Casey Billings hates and loathes but pretending to be a married couple throws Casey into the deep end of a family embattled in their own quagmire with several questionable business proposals including a possible connection to Jack and Casey’s current investigation. What ensues is the fake marriage to lovers trope that focuses on the take down and recovery of a biological weapon; the slow building love relationship between Casey and Jack, and the potential fall out as the players in a game of international bioterrorism begin releasing their product a little at a time.

THE DEATHBREW AFFAIR is an intriguing, engaging and exciting story line of family, partnership, power and greed. Lord Bainbridge is a take charge kinda of man; a MI5 agent who requires order and control, and Casey Billings’ impulsive and carefree behavior wreaks havoc in our hero’s well ordered plans. While Casey struggles with the memories of a mission gone wrong; Jack is desperate to convince Casey that what happened remains in the past. The premise intense and moving; the characters are colorful, sassy and passionate; the romance is a slow build to a potential partnership in the future. Nancy Northcott’s THE DEATHBREW AFFAIR is an energetic, action packed, and thrilling introduction to the author’s THE LETHAL WEBS series.

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Capitol Danger : Romantic Suspense Anthology by JD Tyler, Nancy Northcott, Suzanne Ferrell & Jeanne Adams-a review

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CAPITOL DANGER: A Romantic Suspense Anthology by JD Tyler,  Nancy Northcott, Suzanne Ferrell & Jeanne Adams-a review

 

Capitol Danger

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 25, 2015

A romantic suspense anthology like no other! Four stories, one event and four dangerous missions on the same night.

It’s Inauguration Night. Glamorous balls throughout the nation’s capital celebrate a landmark event. The town and nation are in the mood to celebrate. But not everyone is so pleased.

A home-grown sect known as the Red Mantle plan to make it an event to remember for their own reasons. As their assault succeeds it will be up to those attending the ball to step up and face the fanatics, or die trying.

____________

UNMASKED: An Edgars Family Novella-by Suzanne Ferrell

Abigail Whitson and Luke Edgars are working an undercover operation during the inaugural ball in an attempt to discover who has stolen land to air missiles before they can be sold to a broker—their target for the night. When the playboy arms dealer arrives at the ball, his bodyguard turns out to be someone from Luke’s past.
That isn’t the only surprise of the night. When the ball is invaded by terrorists, Abby and Luke find themselves trying to extract the arms dealer from the fray to protect their mission, while they also risk their lives to protect innocents from the carnage.

DEATH UNDER GLASS, A Faithful Defenders Novella by Jeanne Adams

Edward Millner and his girlfriend Retta Geminous, are celebrating a glittering inaugural. When Red Mantle terrorists take the ballroom, both bullets and glass start flying. Edward and Retta help the agents still standing retake the ballroom, but casualties are high. Can Edward face his demons and use his former Special Forces medical skills to save the night? Can Retta and Edward overcome their troubled hearts in the face of certain death?

DANGER’S EDGE, An Arachnid Agency Novella by Nancy Northcott

When terrorists disrupt the inaugural ball, new Arachnid Agency operative Kelsey Mitchell tables her planned undercover operation and works to bring help into the hotel. Her only ally is Greg Reed, an FBI agent on medical leave after being shot during a robbery. Kelsey dreads making a novice mistake, and Greg is afraid he’s lost his edge.
Attraction flares between them though Kelsey knows the Feds disapprove of people who work for her freewheeling agency. Together, she and Greg must fight their demons and the terrorists to gather intel for the FBI and create a safe landing zone for a rescue force. Can they succeed against overwhelming odds, or will the battle cost one or both their lives—or their hearts?

LETHAL TARGET: An Armed & Deadly Novella by J.D. Tyler

FBI Special Agent Dalton McCoy is playing a deadly game, working undercover for Methan, leader of the extremist terrorist group, the Red Mantle. He’ll stop at nothing to keep Methan and his men from achieving their goal of bringing down key members of the government. When Dalton’s plans come to an unexpected head at the glittering inaugural ball, he doesn’t count on tenacious reporter Jolie Montfort placing herself in Methan’s line of fire as well. Now the agent must take out the terrorist leader and get them both to safety before it’s too late…

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW:

NOTE: Because all four storylines in the anthology CAPITOL DANGER are interconnected revolving around the same set of circumstances and premise, I will review the anthology as a whole, not by individual storylines or authors.

CAPITOL DANGER is an adult, contemporary, romantic suspense anthology that follows the events on the Inauguration Night of the first woman president of the United States of America. The sect known as Red Mantle will stop at nothing to destroy and take down everyone connected to the new female President, and anyone who stands in their way is collateral damage. The storylines cover a timeline of approximately 1-2 hours.

The four separate but integrated storylines, each with a different leading couple, run parallel to one another. Most of the heroes and heroines (as well as a number of operatives) are current or former members of the military CIA, FBI, Special Ops or Dark Ops organizations hired to work undercover to serve and protect. All, if not most, of the leading characters are unaware of the events unfolding in the other storylines; each will have to contend with the massacre that is about to take place within their own Inauguration Ball. Two of the novellas focus on escaping the fallout of the death and destruction; two follow the attempts to survive under mounting murderous rage and a growing number of dead and dying. The anthology contains scenes of graphic language and violence; there are no sexual scenarios.

Three of the novellas-Unmasked by Suzanne Ferrell, Death Under Glass by Jeanne Adams, and Lethal Target by JD Tyler-are installments in existing series; Danger’s Edge by Nancy Northcott is the first in her new Arachnid Agency series. CAPITOL DANGER, as a whole, can be read as a stand alone; the reader will not need prior information from the existing series to understand the premise but saying that there is some history between several of our leading couples who met in previous storylines.

CAPITOL DANGER is a dramatic and intense, engaging and riveting anthology of suspense, mystery, action and drama. There is romance, love, a couple of happily ever afters, and a look to the future for a couple thrown together by a storage closet and fate. All four storylines focus on the murderous and vengeful actions of a misogynistic, religious zealot whose followers are willing to die for the cause. I see the potential for the continuation of some of the storylines-perhaps there is a CAPITOL DANGER II in the development. CAPITOL DANGER seamlessly blends four different styles of writing into an exciting storyline of intrigue and suspense.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Sentinel / Warrior (Light Mage Wars .5 & 1) by Nancy Northcott-Reviews and Interview

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Sentinel / Warrior (Light Mage Wars .5 & #1) by Nancy Northcott-Reviews and Interview

Light Mage Wars Series

____________________

SENTINEL
(Light Mage Wars .5)
by Nancy Northcott
RELEASE DATE: April 2014
Genre: Adult, contemporary, paranormal, romance

SentinelABOUT THE BOOK:

ebook ONLY .99¢ –Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

He’s on a Quest for Justice
Her Secrets are his Only Hope

When mage investigative reporter Rick Moore gets the unexpected chance to clear his father’s name, it looks like a dream come true. But there’s a price. He must first uncover the truth about the mage world’s most wanted fugitive.

Caroline Dare knows her beloved brother had a reason for killing a member of the mages’ governing council. Real heroes don’t go rogue on a whim. Burned by shady reporters, she pours her devastating worry for him into her fabric art career and maintains stony silence about him. But when her art is panned as a fraud because she’s blind, she’s forced to seek help from Rick, a man she knows only as a sexy arts writer.

Helping beautiful, determined Caroline prove her art is her own gets Rick inside her well tended walls. But as he wins her trust, he finds he’s losing his heart. Now he has a choice–give up his dream or betray the woman he loves.

••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW:

Some background: Mages are a gifted species of people who source their power from the elements. But there is an enemy against their kind, who suck the power and life essence from the mage, known as ghouls. Similar to vampires, the ghouls take down their prey, both mundane and mage, to feed from their blood. Leaving behind a trail of venomous poison in their victim’s blood, those who survive will eventually become ghoul. All magic must be kept hidden from humans and anyone revealing the existence will be punished.

SENTINEL is the first installment in Nancy Northcott’s adult, contemporary Light Mage Wars paranormal romance series-a prequel to her formerly named Protector series. This is mage investigative reporter Rick Moore and blind tapestry artist Caroline Dare’s storyline.

Told from two distinct third person points of view SENTINEL follows Rick Moore as he sets about to investigate the story behind Griffin Dare- a mage who has presumably gone rogue- and the death of his own father for using dark magic. After meeting Griffin’s sister Caro, an up and coming artist whose faith in her brother borders upon worship, Griffin is no longer convinced that the man he is hunting is responsible for the number of deaths and murders for which he has been blamed but Rick’s editor is forcing his hand as it pertains to the investigation. A complication will arise when Rick begins to fall for Griffin’s sister knowing that if she were to know the truth about his investigation, his betrayal would sabotage any hopes of a happily ever after.

The relationship between Rick and Caro is based upon a lie. Rick has been hired to gather any and all information about Griffin Dare and he will use Caro and her family to get what he wants. As the storyline progresses, Rick’s attraction to Caro deepens and he is no longer willing to destroy a family for a newspaper byline. The sex scenes are seductive and intimate.

The world building introduces the magic, the mages, the sentinels and the warriors who are at war with the ghouls and the Collegium. The presiding governing body at the Collegium enforce the rules to which the mage must adhere and in this the Collegium has placed a price on Griffin Dare’s head. We will learn a little more about Rick’s family history –including Rick’s father’s death sentence and the break up of a family.

The secondary characters include Caro’s over protective family as well as Griffin’s best friend Will Davis, whom we met in the Protector series. Will’s connection to Griffin Dare has already been established in the original series so I will not give away any spoilers.

SENTINEL is a quick read that helps to establish some background information about the search for Griffin Dare. There are moments of heartbreak and betrayal for a woman who has spent years trying to defend a brother she no longer knows and for a family whose only son has been accused of the most heinous of crimes. Nancy Northcott blends a contemporary romance with a paranormal edge resulting in an entertaining series for your flights into the fantastic.

______________________

WARRIOR
(The Light Mage Wars #1)
by Nancy Northcott
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Genre: adult, contemporary,paranormal, romance

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WarriorA Woman Tormented by Darkness

Archaeologist Audra Grayson hopes the dig in the Okefenokee Swamp will save her career. But that hope is dashed when she finds out-of-place relics and brilliant, sexy consultant Will Davis comes to investigate her for fraud. Worse, working on the site strengthens the evil shadow that has haunted her since childhood, and she knows he will think she’s crazy and unfit for the job.

A Mage Who Must Oppose it At All Costs

Mage Will Davis senses the darkness in Audra when they meet. Wondering whether she’s in league with dark forces, he vows to ignore his growing attraction to her. Then deadly ghouls target her dig, and Will discovers they want the ancient bronze pieces to open a portal for demons from the Void between worlds. If they succeed, everything on Earth is an endangered species.

The Fate of the World at Stake

With ghoul attacks escalating and mage traitors in league with the enemy, time is running out for Will to stop the portal from opening. The chemistry between him and Audra threatens to combust, but the darkness within her may give the enemy its chance. Must Will choose between the fate of the world and the love of his life?

••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW:

SOME BACKGROUND: The Mage are a gifted species of people who source their power from the elements but their enemies-the ghouls-suck the life force and power from the mage to survive. Similar to vampires, the ghouls take down their prey, both mundane (humans without magic) and mage, to feed from their blood. Leaving behind a trail of venomous poison in their victim’s blood, those who survive will eventually become ghoul.

WARRIOR is the latest installment in Nancy Northcott’s adult, contemporary Light Mage Wars ( formerly The Protectors) paranormal romance series focusing on a supernaturally gifted group of humans who pull their power from the elements. This is mage and loremaster Will Davis and Native American archaeologist Audra Grayson’s storyline. When Audra’s team of archaeologists unearth a 4,000 year old sword from the Okefenokee Swamp, Will Davis’s team of mage warriors is called in to investigate the ‘out of place’ ancient weapon.

The storyline follows Audra and her team as they continue to uncover relics that do not belong to the area. Audra is hoping to clear up her previously tainted reputation that several years earlier ended her career with a nervous break down. What no one understands or knows is that Audra has a dark secret-one that controls her mind and at times her body- that is buried deep within the recesses of her consciousness. Hoping to keep the darkness buried, Audra avoids all confrontation and social interaction whenever necessary.

Will Davis has been a regular throughout the series. A call from the university archaeology department finds Will, undercover as a member of the Georgia Institute for Paranormal Research, partnered with Audra in the hopes of discovering the truth behind the ancient artifacts. But something about Audra draws Will like a flame to a moth; he senses something dark and dangerous in Audra, but not necessarily a part of her control. As the team continues to unearth the relics, lives will be threatened and a series of destructive attacks at the site will set into motion Audra’s introduction into the world of Light Mage and supernatural powers.

The storyline and thusly, the relationship between Audra and Will is very slow to build. Audra fights her attraction to Will- a man with a reputation with the ladies-and therefore Audra chooses to ignore the elephant in the room. She spends most of her time (and the storyline) avoiding any personal or intimate contact with Will and when our couple finally get together, Audra places an expiry date on their relationship. Audra’s constant self-deprecating and low self esteem as it pertained to any potential relationship including her building attachment to Will was oft times depressing and frustrating which made the slow build even slower. Will is a man who avoids long term commitments and it is in his nature to walk away from any potential permanence-I did not feel any emotional attachment to this couple. The romance element was sadly missing for most of the storyline.

The supporting cast of characters includes Audra’s archaeological team, museum foundation advisor Denise Larabee as well as several previous storyline couples from Nancy’s PROTECTOR SERIES including Edie and Josh, Stefan and Mel, Griffin and Val. The world building continues to focus on the war with the ghouls; the demons from the otherworld; and the possibility of another traitor in the Light Mage Collegium.

Nancy Northcott’s gifted world of magic and romance, demons and ghouls is incredibly detailed and passionately spirited. There are moments of heartbreak and betrayal, romance and love, drama and action wrapped up in a supernatural storyline that is imaginative, elaborate and defined.

Reading Order:

Sentinel (Light Mage Wars .5)
Renegade (The Protectors 1)
Protector (The Protectors 1.5)
Guardian (Protectors 2)
Warrior (Light Mage Wars 1)

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviews by Sandy

Interview

TRC: Hi Nancy and welcome back to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of WARRIOR.

Nancy: Thank you, Sandy! I’m delighted to be back. I appreciate your having me here and reviewing my books.
Nancy Northcott
TRC: We would like to start with some background information. For anyone who does not know Nancy Northcott, would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow: Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Nancy: I’m a lifelong book geek who discovered Nancy Drew, comic books, science fiction, and fantasy in grade school. I also love mythology and history, especially English, American, and ancient history, and, of course, romance.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Nancy: When I was small, my grandfather and I used to make up stories and draw stick people to illustrate them. That was the start of turning imagination into something that could be shared. My love of stories with a lot of action and of heroes and heroines who have a little something extra undoubtedly springs from my early reading.

TRC: When not writing, what do you do to relax?

Nancy: I read, watch TV, or go to the gym and zone out on the treadmill.

WarriorTRC: WARRIOR is the second installment in your new paranormal series THE LIGHT MAGE WARS. Would you please tell us something about the premise of the series and of the book?

Nancy: The tag line for the series is “Fighting back an ancient evil with the fate of humanity at stake.” Like the PROTECTORS series that preceded it, THE LIGHT MAGE WARS is about the Light Mages’ struggle to keep ghouls, who use dark magic and prey on humans and mages, from bringing demons to Earth from the Void between worlds. If the ghouls succeed, everything that breathes is an endangered species.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Nancy: There will be four more books, at least two more novellas, and some short stories under this series name. It already includes one extended-length novella, Sentinel, and one novel, Warrior.

TRC: Can each book be read as a stand alone?

Nancy: Definitely. Each book centers on one couple’s romance, tracking it from the beginning to the HEA. The bigger ghouls/demon plot develops from book to book, but I always include a brief recap so new readers know what has gone before.

TRC: Do you have any plans to continue THE PROTECTOR series?

Nancy: I’m so glad you asked me that! I know this is sometimes confusing for readers. THE LIGHT MAGE WARS are the continuation of that earlier series. I don’t own the PROTECTOR series name, so I had to come up with something different going forward, but the books are all part of the same external story arc.

Sentinel in THE LIGHT MAGE WARS is a prequel to Renegade, the first PROTECTOR book, and to Warrior, the first with the LIGHT MAGE WARS group. So anyone who wants to start with the earliest events the characters experience and go through chronologically should ignore the series names and read in this order: Sentinel, Renegade, Protector, Guardian, and Warrior. And then Nemesis, which will be out in the spring of 2015.

They’re arranged in reading order on the book page of my website, too, and listed that way in the Light Mage Wars product descriptions with online vendors. Here’s the book page link at my website- Nancy Northcott

Light Mage Wars Protector Series

TRC: How do you keep the plotline unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Nancy: Thank you for implying that I do! I try.

The overall arc of this series was mapped out before Renegade was published. That includes the main couples and the bare bones of their conflicts. While there are only so many types of romantic conflict, the origins of those issues can be as varied as the characters who experience them.

It helps that the story world is intricate enough that I have plenty to explore. Ghouls have been at the center of several books, but I also have demons, mage traitors, latent mages (those whose magic hasn’t yet manifested) and various magical entities I can use. There’s also still plenty to learn about the magic and the mage world’s politics.

TRC: What are your thoughts on cliff-hangers (between installments) in storylines?

Nancy: It depends on what type of cliffhanger it is. In general and for me–though others may feel differently–I think they work better in genres other than romance. When I pick up something labeled Romance, I want to be happy at the end. I enjoy short stories or novellas that may not go all the way to HEA but open the path for it and have a satisfying, romantic resolution to the conflict within that story. But that satisfying, romantic ending is essential for me in a romance, regardless of its length.

TRC: Do you believe that the cover plays any role in the reader’s selection process?

Nancy: It plays a role in mine, so I tend to assume it does for other readers. An attractive cover will get me to read the blurb. If I like that, I’ll read a sample unless I already know I like that author’s writing style. With authors I know I like, I tend to just buy the book.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular storyline and series?

Nancy: Warrior centers on an archaeological excavation in the Okefenokee Swamp, and the hero and heroine are archaeologists. I’m not, though I’ve always been interested in the subject. On top of that, the swamp is a vast (about 700 square miles) blackwater peat bog, an amazing ecosystem very different from anything else I’ve ever seen. It was first inhabited thousands of years ago. All this means I had a lot of research to do.

Okefenokee Swamp

I took several excursions in different areas of the swamp with guides from Okefenokee Adventures, the official concessionaire for the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. These are people who’ve spent decades exploring the swamp. The guides were very patient with my many, many, many questions, stopping or backing up the boats so I could get pictures I wanted, and showing me Billy’s Island, which was the inspiration for Mystery Island in the story.

They also referred me to a man who has spent his career researching the swamp’s ecosystem, inhabitants, and history. In turn, he recommended an archaeologist who has actually conducted an excavation in the Okefenokee. Very few people have done so.

My husband–who sat in a small motorboat on the water in 40-degree temperature at the end of this past February and never complained, so I give him major marriage points for that!–knew a local archaeologist, who answered lots and lots of questions about archaeology in general and Native American studies in particular.

People were very generous with their time and expertise, and I appreciate that so much. I asked all the questions I could think of. I’m just hoping I didn’t trip over one that never occurred to me!

I started visiting and researching the Okefenokee before Renegade was published. I quickly fell in love with the place. This seems strange to all my friends, who know I like my surroundings climate-controlled and my wildlife safely distant, but I find the swamp’s strange beauty truly magical. When the water is undisturbed, it’s a perfect mirror, and that will definitely matter in a book at some point!

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Nancy: It’s a bit of both. The characters are driven by the conflicts, which are designed to push them in certain directions. But within that framework, the characters dictate the ways the story events affect them. For example, one couple will progress to intimacy much faster and in different ways than another. The risks each character takes, and thus the way the story progresses, depend on that character’s nature.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Nancy: Hmm. That’s an interesting question. I can only answer it based on my experience and preferences as a reader, which also shape my writing.

I like to know fairly early what drives a character. That doesn’t mean I need to know the complete backstory in the first 50 pages, but I need to know what emotions spur this character’s choices. What makes him or her shy away from romantic involvement? What does he or she find challenging in life?

I can accept anything as long as it’s motivated, and I need the motivation built in before the moment of the critical choice. If it is, then I roll right along with the character. If not, then I feel as though the book took a left turn while I was going straight.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Nancy: I have two projects going just now. The first is the next LIGHT MAGE WARS novel, Nemesis. It’s centers on hunky deputy reeve (the mage equivalent of a deputy US Marshal) Carter Lockwood and kick-ass builder and interior designer (and mage) Tasha Murdock. They knew each other before, in circumstances that kept them from becoming involved, parted on difficult terms, and have now been flung back together.

The second project is a followup to my micro-story, “The Solstice Ball,” in the Tiny Treats: A Holiday Collection anthology. The story is about a deputy reeve and a mage teacher who unexpectedly connect. I’ve had some requests for the continuation of their story, so I’m working on that. I’m not sure when it will be available.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Nancy: Just that Tiny Treats is free and contains micro-stories by 19 authors. At this busy season, time to read drops off, so contributing editor Trish Milburn thought we should offer people some romances they could read in a few minutes.

TRC: Thank you Nancy for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success.

Nancy: I appreciate that. Thanks again for having me. I wish everyone at The Reading Café a safe and enjoyable holiday season and a terrific 2015.

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Guardian (The Protectors #2) by Nancy Northcott-a review

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GUARDIAN (The Protectors #2) by Nancy Northcott-a review

Guardian

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

GUARDIAN (The Protectors #2) by Nancy Northcott

ABOUT THE BOOK: July 2, 2013

A POWER TO KILL

FBI agent Camellia “Mel” Wray is no stranger to violence but when an old friend is brutally murdered, she takes it personally. The case hits even closer to her heart when the best person to help with the investigation is Dr. Stefan Harper, the only man she ever loved-and lost. One look at the gorgeous medical expert and Mel realizes he’s still impossible to resist-and still harboring a secret after all these years . . .

A POWER TO LOVE

Afraid Mel wouldn’t accept him, Stefan never revealed his study of magical medicine or his abilities, instead allowing her to believe he’d been unfaithful. Now she’s back in his life-and their mutual attraction burns hotter than ever. But when something dark and otherworldly threatens humans, Stefan must summon his mage powers to keep everyone safe. Will Mel be able to trust him again? Or will their love cost him even more than it did the first time?

••••••••••••

REVIEW: Some background: Mages are a gifted species of people who source their power from the elements. But there is an enemy against their kind, who suck the power and life essence from the mage, known as ghouls. Similar to vampires, the ghouls take down their prey, both mundane and mage, to feed from their blood. Leaving behind a trail of venomous poison in their victim’s blood, those who survive will eventually become ghoul.

GUARDIAN is the second full length novel (third storyline) in Nancy Northcott’s The Protector series focusing a group of human beings with the ability to manipulate the elements focusing their energy to save and protect themselves and the ‘mundane’ from ghoul attacks. This is Stefan and Mel’s storyline.

We have followed Stefan throughout the previous two storylines. As the resident physician and mage doctor, Stefan has the ability to heal using energy and magic. But there have been a series of attacks against both the mage and the mundane where the resulting tests and investigations prove that something else is at work among the ghouls. The attacks against the mage have been increasing and now the ghouls are targeting humans with artistic abilities and very little magic. When the identity of the latest victim is revealed, Stefan will come face to face with the only woman he has ever loved, but a woman who walked away believing she was betrayed and used.

The prior relationship has already been established as the couple were friends to lovers more than nine years earlier. But Mel believed Stefan was unfaithful and for over nine years she has had time to build up the animosity and mistrust. Having to work with Stefan as he investigates the death of her friend, Mel will be pulled into a world unlike anything she has seen. Magic and mage, ghouls and demons-and the man with whom she is still in love-is caught in the middle of the chaos.

Nancy’s intimate scenes are romantic and loving; there is nothing overwhelming or erotic in their presentation. The world building is detailed and there is plenty of background and expansion in this particular storyline as it appears Nancy is taking the series in a different direction: but at times, it slowed the pace of the story. A good portion of the novel was used to develop the premise but it got lost in the bit and pieces and the smaller side stories.  I was also hoping for some more details regarding Mel and Stefan’s earlier relationship as it would have set the stage for their present day alliance and association.

Overall GUARDIAN is a well-written and interesting storyline. There is some action and adventure; love and romance; and a little bit of sex. Nancy continues to build on her series of magical beings and poisonous ghouls. If you are a fan of a paranormal series with alpha heroes who love their women as much as they love life then The Protector series must be added to your TBR pile.

READING ORDER
1. Renegade
2. Protector
3. Guardian

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy

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Protector (The Protector 1.5) by Nancy Northcott-a review

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PROTECTOR (The Protectors 1.5) by Nancy Northcott- a review

Protector

Amazon / Barnes and Noble/KOBO

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 5, 2013

When firefighter and paramedic Edie Lang arrives to battle a wildfire in southeast Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp, she’s dismayed to encounter the man who ruined her life in just one night. Their reunion doesn’t make helicopter pilot Josh Campbell any happier than Edie is. Despite their efforts to ignore each other, the sparks between them have not diminished, but neither intends to let them flare again.

When one of them is gravely injured, the two discover their passion runs deeper than either of them could have imagined and they have Dr. Stefan Harper to thank for that chance.

Dr. Harper is happy to have given the couple a second chance, but realizes through Josh and Edie, as well as his good friends Val and Griff, that what’s missing from his life is love

**************

REVIEW: PROTECTOR is a short novella in Nancy Northcott’s The Protector’s series focusing on a magical group of protectors and guardians known as the Mage. The Mage are a gifted species of people who source their power from the elements but their enemies-the ghouls-suck the life force and power from the mage to survive. In PROTECTOR the ghouls, with the help of mage power, have developed a weapon that connects with the mage and in doing so, will slowly deplete their victim until nothing is left.

In PROTECTOR firefighter Edie Lang and pilot Josh Campbell battle forest fires as well as each other in a struggle with life and death. Returning from a recent fire, both will find themselves weakened and unable to remember certain aspects of their latest job. It is only when they begin to piece together their memories do they uncover a possible cause to their shared illness and loss of power.

Josh and Edie have a past-one that is mired in miscommunication and Josh’s reluctance to accept Edie as a woman capable of fighting fires. His worry and need to protect carries onto the job when he is unable to separate the woman that he loves from the fire fighter entering dangerous territory. As well as battling the unknown cause of their loss of power, Josh and Edie battle each other in a test of wills.

PROTECTOR is a welcome storyline that leads into Nancy’s next instalment in The Protector series. Dr.Stefan Harper is the resident Mage physician who has been unable to extinguish the memories of the woman he had given up years before, and in Protector, there is a build up to his story. Protector is a fast paced, interesting storyline about two strong willed and capable heroes, who have issues of control when it involves the other. When it looks likes neither is willing to compromise, one must step forward and relinquish his need to protect above all else.

Reading Order
1. Renegade (November 2012)
2. Protector (March 2013)
3. Guardian (July 2013)

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

*************************

Nancy and Marissa have offered a deleted scene and some background information on the heroine of PROTECTOR

DELETED SCENE from PROTECTOR by Nancy Northcott

Wildland fire plays an important role in Nancy Northcott’s novella, Protector.  Firefighter Edie Lang and helicopter pilot Josh Campbell almost had a one-night stand three years ago, but Josh backed away.  Now they’ve met again while fighting a fire in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp.

This scene would have come near the end of the story.

Edie drove the Pulaski’s hoe blade in the sandy, grassy soil and pulled.  She frowned into the trench she and her hotshot crewmages had dug, making sure it was clear of plants and flammable debris.  Focus was critical, but the job didn’t distract her enough, today, to get her mind off Josh.  Or the woman he’d stood so close to in the chow line.

Fresh tears stung her eyes. Scowling, she blinked them back.  Idiot.  Stupid, overly sensitive, girlish idiot.  Josh has a right to flirt if he wants to. Maybe he hadn’t been, but the way he and that woman–that very pretty woman–stood so close had seemed like flirting.

His behavior was officially no longer her problem.  Once this fire was out and the various crews working it went their separate ways, she wouldn’t see him again.

So what if his muscular build, light brown hair and smiling hazel eyes were seared into her heart?  She could cope.  She was good at coping.

At least now she’d made the hole fourteen inches deep, down to pure soil.  She moved right and started again.  They had to stop the fire from jumping out of the peat and into this sandy area with its oily saw palmetto ground cover and slash pines.  Fire would devour this stuff like a kid with candy, racing through it and toward the houses near the road.

“Edie?”  The voice belonged to Jenny Martin, one of the two other women on the Three Pines Hotshots crew.  The tall brunette peered into Edie’s face.  “You okay?”

“Yeah.”  Edie kept her focus on the sandy soil she was turning.  “Smoke’s bothering my eyes.”

Jenny dug her own Pulaski into the ground.  “You sure it’s smoke, not Captain Gorgeous in the flight suit?  I saw the way you looked at him.”

Busted.  Edie sighed.  “Jenn, it’s confusing.”

At least the guys taking down pines wouldn’t hear them over the growl of their chainsaws.

“Maybe,” Jenny said, “but he watched you walk away, and he didn’t look happy.”

That was some comfort but not much.  “Unfortunately, he’s not unhappy enough to do anything about it.”

Shaking her head, Edie stretched.  “That should do it here.  Let’s see if they need us to help take down trees.  I’m in the mood to watch things crash.”

“Oh, crap!”

Edie barely heard Jenny over a sudden roar.  The dry trees to their left were crowning, fire rushing up the trunks and spitting out debris.   At the same time, the peaty ground fifty yards away erupted in flame.

Hell.  Fire could travel underground for long distances and erupt in peat that had seemed clear.

Edie’s eyes met Jenny’s in agreement.  They had to fall back, and fast.

The two women grabbed their gear and ran for the road, only to find the flames roaring on either side of it.  They and the two men nearest them were cut off

Edie set her jaw.  Her magic could hold back the flames for a while, but only that.  And the super-heated gases in the air were a problem all on their own.  The hotshots needed a helicopter pickup, and fast.

****************

Character Profile: Edie Lang
Protector by Nancy Northcott

Wildland fire plays an important role in Nancy Northcott’s novella, Protector. Firefighter Edie Lang and helicopter pilot Josh Campbell almost had a one-night stand three years ago, but Josh backed away. Now they’ve met again while fighting a fire in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp.

Edie is the woman Josh could’ve loved but lost. Or, as Edie would put it, she’s the woman he chickened out on.

Of medium height, blue-eyed and with blonde hair she keeps short during fire seasons, she’s a wildland firefighter. Edie and Josh met when they worked on the same helicopter-based firefighting crew in Wyoming. Edie left that job to join the Three Pines Interagency Hotshot Crew out of Ft. Collins, Colorado.

A love of the outdoors drew Edie to wildland firefighting. She enjoys hiking in the wilderness.

Here’s a look at Edie writing an email to her mom:

“Don’t know how long we’ll be here in Georgia. The Okefenokee is a peat bog, and drought has left a lot of that peat exposed as well as making everything easier to burn. And lots of it is.

“I saw somebody I didn’t expect yesterday. That guy I told you about, the helicopter pilot in Wyoming, is here. I don’t know where he’s working now, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t think I’ll have to deal with him.”

Edie frowned at the screen. She’d better not have to deal with him. Josh was as good-looking as ever, with that killer smile, light brown hair, and drool-worthy bod. But three years of not seeing him killed the irritation and, yes, okay, hurt of the night that almost was.

Of course he’d had to answer his pager, make that emergency drop of retardant on the fire. But no one had forced him to say he’d find her when he finished. And he shouldn’t have said it if he wasn’t going to do it.

So no, she wouldn’t deal with Josh if she could possibly avoid it.

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Nancy Northcott-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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Nancy Northcott-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy Northcott has been a lover of comic books, science fiction, fantasy and romance since childhood. An attorney, she left that profession to teach at the college level and to write. Now, she combines her passion for romance and high stakes in RENEGADE, her first published novel and the first book in her contemporary mage series. She continues her story in GUARDIAN, which will be published in May 2013.

Nancy lives with her family in North Carolina.

TRC: Hi Nancy and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of RENEGADE.

Nancy:  Thank you, Sandy!  I’m delighted to be here.

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Please tell us
something about yourself?

Nancy:  As a child, I loved fairy tales and mythology, and I’m sure those interests helped develop my imagination.  I discovered comic books at age seven.  Super-heroes seemed like another kind of wizard, I think.  My favorite series was THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, which was set in the thirtieth century.  I loved their futuristic world, their powers, and their bone-deep camaraderie and dedication to justice.

At the same time, I was discovering historical romance, thanks to Disney’s WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER and my grandmother’s collection of Inglis Fletcher novels. Fletcher wrote a series about North Carolina from its early colonization to just after the Revolutionary War.

We lived in a small town, and I could easily ride my bike to the library.  Our local librarian, Mrs. Wally, quickly figured out what would appeal to me, so I never had a shortage of suggested books.   I still love to read, and I enjoy a wide range of nonfiction as well as science fiction, fantasy, comic books, historical fiction, mysteries or thrillers, and, of course, pretty much every subgenre of romance.

TRC: Many authors, including yourself, developed an interest in writing at an early age. What was the catalyst that sparked your interest?

Nancy:  My grandfather and I used to draw stick figures and make up stories about them.  I’m not a very good artist, but I enjoy sketching with a pencil.  When I do, I always have a story in mind about the picture.

TRC: Whom do you credit as your biggest source of support and why?

Nancy:  My husband, without a doubt.  He has always encouraged me to pursue publication and never begrudged trying to trim the budget here or stretch it there to see if we could cover a brainstorming trip or a conference fee.  When our son was small, his dad also took him out of the house from time to time so I could have quiet to write.  I realize I’m lucky to be with someone so determined to see my dream realized.

TRC: What or who has been the biggest influence in your life?

Nancy:  My parents always encouraged me to try whatever interested me, and that was more valuable than I realized when I was growing up.  My mom was in the U. S. Navy during World War II, when military service was still an unconventional choice for a woman.  Life handed my dad, who was also in the navy, a series of pretty hard knocks before my parents met, and he set an example of perseverance that taught me a lot.

TRC: You have lived and travelled throughout the British countryside. Have you considered writing a novel or fictional series featuring some of the
places you have visited or lived?

Nancy:  Yes, I did, though I tend to love off-market time periods, like the Restoration (the reign of Charles II, 1660-1685) and medieval England.  I wrote three historical romances and one historical fantasy set in these periods. They did well on the contest circuit, with three of them finaling in RWA’s Golden Heart competition, but don’t really fit a traditional market niche.

TRC: RENEGADE is the first novel in your new Protectors series. Would you please tell us about the premise?

LINKS TO PRE-ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble/ The Book Depository /

Nancy:  The tagline for RENEGADE is “She enforces the rules.  He breaks every one of them.  Now they are each other’s only hope.”

The heroine, Valeria Banning, is the top cop for the southeastern U.S. mages.  The hero is Griffin Dare, their most notorious outlaw.  After he saves her life, she agrees to listen to him but finds his claim that there’s a traitor inside the mages’ governing body difficult to believe.  Val investigates and finds enough to convince her Griff may be right. However, her investigation has alerted the wrong person, so she and Griff must flee for their lives.

TRC: Will we see Griffin and Valeria in future storylines?

Nancy:  Absolutely.  Each Protectors novel features a different couple, as I think we all expect in a romance, but Griff and Val will also appear.

TRC: What or who is the inspiration behind the series?

Nancy:  It’s hard to pin down any one thing. Although RENEGADE is set in our contemporary world, the mages have the same mutual loyalty and dedication that drew me to the Legion of Super-Heroes, and their culture owes a lot to my love of history and fantasy.

Romance, of course, is the most prominent thread in the story, but I also like movies and books with a lot of action and escalating stakes.  There can’t always be something blowing up, though, and my small-town upbringing contributed a lot to the imaginary town of Wayfarer, Georgia.

It’s probably fair to say the series has been influenced in some way by all the types of books I enjoy.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the Protectors series?

Nancy:  At the moment, six, but series arcs have a way of evolving, so there may well be more.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the series, which actors or model would best represent the main characters?

Nancy:  Hmm.  I have to think about that one.  Many of the writers I know do virtual casting before they start writing, but I’ve never been one of them.  I tend to write the character and then see which famous faces might fit.  For Griff, a young Christopher Reeve (without the Superman hair) comes closest, and Val has the girl-next-door appeal of Mary McCormack from IN PLAIN SIGHT.

Actor Lucas Bryant of HAVEN is almost a perfect double for Stefan, the hero of GUARDIAN.  The actress who most resembles Mel, the heroine, is Kathleen Munroe, with her hair dark as it was on STARGATE UNIVERSE.

TRC: GUARDIAN is the May 2013 release for the Protectors series. Would you please tell us something about the premise? Who will be the main characters?

Nancy:  GUARDIAN revolves around mage physician Stefan Harper from RENEGADE and Camellia “Mel” Wray, the Mundane (or non-mage) FBI agent he once hoped to marry.  They meet again when a friend of hers is murdered and Stefan is called in to consult about a strange toxin in what’s left of the victim’s blood. Their old attraction quickly rekindles, but his secrets and her fears still stand in their way.

TRC: You are a member of the Romance Bandits. What and who are the Romance Bandits and how did you become involved?

Nancy:  The Romance Bandits are a blog group formed by some of RWA’s 2006 Golden Heart finalists.   There were eighteen original members, but I wasn’t one of them. I didn’t know most of the others and wasn’t sure what being part of something like this might involve.  After meeting several of them at a conference, I asked if I could join the group.  There are currently seventeen of us.  We talk about romance, books, movies, and life in general.  http://www.romancebandits.com

TRC: Many writers bounce ideas with family and friends. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Nancy:  I’m part of a brainstorming group that meets twice yearly.  If we need to wrestle with something in between, email is a great help.  For guy-specific questions, I talk to the two I live with.

TRC: Writer’s block is a very real phenomenon for many authors. How do you handle the stress and anxiety of writer’s block?

Nancy:  I have four main ways to cope.  One is to write something else that doesn’t matter, anything that will result in words flowing onto virtual paper.  Sometimes playing Tetris on our son’s old Nintendo 64 game console lets my subconscious work out the problem.   When all else fails, I clean the bathroom, which at least lets me feel virtuous for a while.

When something is due, though, producing words is imperative, so I sit down and write, even if I don’t much care for what’s coming out, on the assumption I can fix it later.  At least I then have something to fix.

TRC: Would you please tell us what you do in your spare time when you are not writing?

Nancy:  I enjoy reading, listening to music, or watching television or a movie.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Nancy:  I’m doing revisions on PROTECTOR, a novella scheduled for March 2013, and GUARDIAN.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Nancy:  PROTECTOR is about wildland firefighter Edie Lang and helicopter pilot Josh Campbell, who are both mages. They think their one-night stand three years ago wrote “The End” to their mutual attraction until they meet again while fighting a wildfire. Then they’re forced to admit they feel more than mere attraction, but they have differences that make them fear risking their hearts.

If I were casting Josh, I would choose Scott Speedman of the Underworld movies and Last Resort. For Edie, I’d pick Amy Carlson of Blue Bloods. The picture on her website is perfect for Edie.

Thank you very much for reviewing RENEGADE and for having me as a guest today, Sandy.  I appreciate the opportunity to chat about the book.

I’d also like to encourage anyone who is pursuing a dream to persevere.  I’ve been lucky in having a supportive family and finding a community of writers who encourage each other.  I think luck is always an element in success, and we have to keep trying until the lucky break arrives.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Spaghetti with marinara sauce

Favorite Dessert
Tiramisu

Favorite TV Show
Three-way tie:  Castle, White Collar, and Burn Notice

Favorite Movie
To Kill A Mockingbird

Last Movie You Saw
The Avengers

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk, definitely!

Do you have any pets?
Yes, a bossy golden retriever mix.

TRC: Thank you Nancy for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of RENEGADE. We wish you all the best.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥


FOREVER YOURS PUBLISHES THREE TIME GOLDEN HEART AWARD FINALIST NANCY NORTHCOTT’S FIRST NOVEL, RENEGADE, AS AN EBOOK ORIGINAL ON SALE NOVEMBER 6th

 

Northcott Brings Romance, Suspense and the Paranormal to RENEGADE, the
First Book in her The Protectors Series

RENEGADE, the first novel in three time Golden Heart Award Finalist Nancy Northcott’s The Protectors series, introduces one of Collegium council’s top sheriffs, Valeria Banning, the mage council’s sheriff for the southeastern United States. Valeria doesn’t just take her job seriously, she takes it personally. So when Griffin Dare, a notorious fugitive sworn to protect innocent Mundanes and mages from dark magic, risks his life to save her, she has to wonder why. To find the answer, she’ll put everything on the line, starting with her heart.

Before Valeria can recover from the attack that almost killed her, evil forces are moving against them. Soon, they’re fighting side by side. What they are doing is forbidden, and when the council discovers they are working together, Valeria and Griffin must run for their lives, and not just from the law. Danger threatens at every turn as they try to prevent the advent of a ghoul takeover, and struggle to find the traitor they believe is betraying the Collegium and working with ghouls to send unsuspecting mages to their death.

You can follow Nancy at : Website / Twitter / Facebook

 

 

 

 

Nancy is offering a Keeper Kase and an ecopy (Kindle or Nook) of her new novel RENEGADE to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1. You must be a registered member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page, or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in such as Twitter, please post your email address along with a comment as Twitter does not allow for email addresses.

3. Giveaway open to USA and Canada only.

4. Giveaway runs from November 5-8, 2012

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Renegade ( The Protectors Series #1) by Nancy Northcott

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Renegade (The Protectors Series #1) by Nancy Northcott

RENEGADE (The Protector Series #1) by Nancy Northcott

RENEGADE is the first storyline in Nancy Northcott’s (November 2012 release) Protector series. Renegade focuses on 27year old mage protector Valeria Banning and rogue mage Griffin Dare. As the shire reeve (sheriff) for the southeastern United States Valeria is responsible for a team of soldiers and is duty bound to kill Griffin Dare. Considered a rogue mage and a murderer, Griffin has been on the run for 6 years following the death of his former girlfriend and a fellow mage. Implicated in the deaths, Griffin has been handed a death sentence should anyone bring him home. But there is more to the deaths than the Collegium of Mages are willing to hear. Griffin’s claims of self-defense have never been heard and he is about to meet the woman who will steal his heart and possibly set him free.

Mages are a gifted species of people who source their power from the elements. But there is an enemy against their kind, who suck the power and life essence from the mage, known as ghouls. Similar to vampires, the ghouls take down their prey, both mundane and mage, to feed from their blood. Leaving behind a trail of venomous poison in their victim’s blood, those who survive will eventually become ghoul. Griffin has made it his mission to protect the mundane from attack, secretly hiding many at his house, but an attack against Griffin, will find that he is harboring a secret that could end his life sooner than later.

Griffin and Valeria meet when she is set up while on assignment. Finding herself face to face with a wanted man, Valeria is unsure whether to trust Griffin, but she will soon discover that much of what she has been told about the man has been fabricated by the Collegium of Mages.

As the storyline develops, Griffin will reveal the truth behind the charges against him, and it will be Valeria who willing places herself in danger to aid the man with whom she is falling in love. But along the way, they will discover that not all is it should be, when mundanes and human are found to be demon possessed by dark magic and have targeted Valeria and Griffin for extermination. And it will be a decidedly different Griffin who will reveal to Valeria the people he believes are behind the accusations and attempted murders of he and his friends. With both enemies and friends on the Collegium Council, Valeria soon realizes that she can no longer trust those she once called family and friends, and Griffin is no longer willing to risk Valeria’s life with his own.

The relationship between Valeria and Griffin is sexually charged and as forbidden as sin. Knowing she will be labeled a traitor for her betrayal to the Collegium, Valeria and Griffin embark on a ‘courtship on the run’ as they try and stay one step ahead of both ghouls and the mage who have been ordered to kill the couple.

Nancy Northcott introduces a series of fellow mage who are both friend and foe in the Collegium. From Dr. Stefan Harper who is the Collegium’s chief physician and Griffin’s best friend to Griffin’s second in command-Will Davis. But it is Valeria’s former guardian and Collegium Council chief Gene Blake that will place Griffin and Valeria in the most danger.

From blood magic, Dark of the Moon rituals, demons to Satanists, chaos magic and compulsion spells the Mages have their hands full when trying to decipher the enemy’s next move. But the biggest threat will come from someone in the Collegium and Griffin will have to face the ultimate test in a dual where only one mage will be left standing.

Nancy Northcott’s RENEGADE is a fast paced and fascinating look at the paranormal. There is plenty of detailed information in the storyline as it is the first novel in a series. The character development reveals a depth that allows the reader to get inside the story, and the dramatic turn to the storyline may perhaps drag a tear or two from your eye. Renegade has an amazing and eclectic group of characters and builds upon an exciting premise with many stories still to be told. An ancient struggle for power between the mage and the ghoul will force the humans they encounter to reconsider who is a friend and who is the enemy. Congratulations to Nancy Northcott on an amazing introductory novel.

LINKS TO PRE-ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble/ The Book Depository /

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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