Alexandra Ivy's Blog, page 11

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BORN IN BLOOD Tour Scehdule - 12/27/13 - 1/11/14 DECEMBER 27 12/27 Night Owl Reviews (Short Story - PART 1) http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Blo... 12/27 LITERAL ADDICTION (Short Story- PART 1) http://www.literaladdiction.com/autho... 12/27 You Gotta Read Reviews (Short Story- PART 1) http://yougottaread.com 12/27 Book Lovin' Mamas (Short Story- PART 1) http://booklovinmamas.com 12/27 Diane’s Book Blog (Short Story- PART 1) http://dianelynchbookreviews.blogspot... 12/27 Just Paranormal Romance (Short Story- PART 1) www.JustParanormalRomance.com 12/27 Riverina Romantics (Short Story- PART 1) http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com/ 12/27 Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads (Short Story- PART 1) Http://shaynareneesspicyreads.com 12/27 Talk Supe (Short Story- PART 1) http://www.talkingsupe.com 12/27 the snarkology (Short Story- PART 1) [email protected] 12/27 I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/ 12/27 Who's Reviews (Spotlight) http://whosreviews.wordpress.com/ 12/27 babbling about books and more (Spotlight) kbgabbles.com DECEMBER 28 12/28 Darkest Addictions Book (Short Story- PART 2) http://darkestaddictions.blogspot.com 12/28 deal sharing aunt (Short Story- PART 2) http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogpot.com 12/28 Literary Meanderings (Short Story- PART 2) http://www.literaryme.net/ 12/28 Rumpled Sheets Blog (Shot Story- PART 2) http://rumpledsheetsblog.wordpress.com/ 12/28 Taking It One Book at a Time (Short Story- PART 2) Http://takingitonebookatatime.blogspo... 12/28 The Secret Sanctuary of Books (Short Story- PART 2) http://thesecretsanctuarybooks.blogsp... 12/28 Tome Tender Book Blog (Short Story- PART 2) http://tometender.blogspot.com 12/28 Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews (Spotlight) http://literalhottiesnaughtybookrevie... 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The beginnings of the Sentinels by Alexandra Ivy

The idea of creating a story with a race of people with ‘special powers’ has been stewing in the back of my mind for years. I’m a huge geek, and I’ve been addicted to comic books and super-hero movies since I was very young. When other girls wanted to grow up to be a pop star, I wanted to be Wonder Woman. And not just because of the outfit!
Of course, when I thought about being a super-hero I always assumed that I would have a secret identity. Even when I was young I understood that being ‘different’ would cause troubles. Humans might enjoy watching mutants in the movies, but we would be deeply suspicious of anyone who had powers we didn’t understand. Especially if those powers could harm others.
And of course, the mutants (who I call high-bloods in my series) would be constantly aware that their presence would be a threat to others. A few might even use their powers for evil.
And that’s what I hope to explore in this series. Not only the ongoing love stories between characters who are faced with extraordinary circumstances, but the tension between normal people and those who are blessed with special gifts.
I hope you enjoy the Sentinels.

Excerpt:
Duncan would be pleased to know that it was only her years of training that allowed Callie to ignore his raw, sexual magnetism.
He was the sort of primitive male that should have infuriated her, not tantalized her deepest fantasies.
Of course, the Mave would tell her that fantasies were meant to be filled with unsuitable desires. Why not lust after a bad boy cop? It wasn't as if she was going to do anything about it. She didn't know if his flirtations were a way to taunt her or if he were one of those groupies who got off on sleeping with ‘freaks’ but either way, it had nothing to do with her as a person.
Still, it was only with an effort that she managed to crush the tiny tingles of excitement fluttering in the pit of her stomach and the dampness of her palms.
Now wasn’t the time or place.
Tonight in her dreams...well, that was a different story.
Clearing her thoughts, she laid her hands on the victim’s arm and closed her eyes.
It took a second to slip from her own mind and into the female stretched on the floor. There was always a strange sense of...floating. As if her consciousness was hovering between one body and the next. Then, focusing on the feel the female’s arm beneath her fingers, she murmured her name.
“Leah.”
The soft word was enough.
With hair raising jolt, she was sucked from her body and into Leah’s mind.
She could easily sense the female soul, just as she could sense she was fading.
Fast.
Despite the ridiculous myths, a necromancer couldn’t control or raise the dead. Her only ability was to tap into the mind of the murdered victim to see the last few minutes of their life.
And only within a very short timeframe.
Once the...spark, for a lack of a better word...was extinguished and the soul moved on, the memories were lost.
A meaningless talent for the most part. But on rare occasion it could mean the opportunity for justice.
With a well-honed skill, Callie touched on the female’s memory center. Just being born a diviner didn’t automatically mean that a person would be capable of reading memories. There were many necromancers were never able to do more than enter the body and hopefully catch a stray thought.
Callie, however, was one of the most talented.
Which was why she was always sent when there was a suspicion the death might have been caused by a high-blood, as the freaks preferred to call themselves.
Finding the spot she was searching for, she delicately slipped into the fading memories and allowed them to flow through her.
Suddenly she was no longer kneeling on the hard floor. Instead she was in the attached garage, stepping out of her sleek black Jag. She sensed a pleasant weariness in her limbs, as if she’d just finished a vigorous workout at the gym, a suspicion confirmed when she glanced down to see she was wearing a pair of stretchy pants and a matching sports bra.
Rounding the car, she moved to unlock the door that led to the house. She stepped into the small laundry room and stripped off her sweaty clothes to toss them in the washing machine. Now naked she moved into the sun-drenched kitchen.
There was an ease in her steps as she halted at the stainless steel refrigerator to pull out a bottle of water that hinted this was a routine morning for her, and a comfort with her surroundings that said she had lived in the house for at least a few weeks.
Callie, however, could sense a faint surge of pride as she turned to study the large kitchen that looked like a picture out of a fancy magazine.
Leah had recently moved up in the world.
And she was fully enjoying her elevation.
Callie had barely managed to grasp the knowledge when Leah was stiffening, her head turning toward the French doors.
Was there a shadow lurking by the trimmed hedges that lined the patio?
She gave a strained laugh, lifting the bottle to drink the last of the water before tossing it into the recycle bin next to the fridge.
The neighborhood was the safest in the city. Besides, the house was guarded by a security system.
If there was a creep out there trying to sneak a peek through the windows then he’d set off a hundred bells and whistles the minute he stepped on the patio.
Brave thoughts, but a tiny shiver inched down the female’s spine as the shadow moved, stepping away from the hedges to reveal--
Without warning the image was snatched away.
Just like that.
Callie blinked, expecting to have been returned to her body. When the spark left, it destroyed any connection that Callie had to the dead.
But instead she found she was still in Leah’s body, standing in the center of the kitchen as if she were still in the memory...without Leah.
What the hell?
“I’m afraid I can’t allow you to see anymore,” an unexpected male voice drawled.
Callie turned in shock to watch the tall man with silver hair pulled from his lean, darkly bronzed face to stroll through the door leading into the dining room.
She pressed a hand to her racing heart.
No one should be here.
No one but her and the soul she’d connected to in the physical world.
Unfortunately, no one had given the stranger the handbook on necromancy. Instead of disappearing, he continued forward, the muted light revealing his painfully beautiful features. His brow was high and intelligent, his nose a thin blade and his lips carved along full lines. And his eyes…
They were gemstone like hers, only instead of blue they were perfectly clear, like diamonds glittering with a cold light.

Callie Brown is a skilled necromancer, one of Valhalla’s powerful ones. She only helps the authorities when cases involve ‘high bloods’ or ‘freaks’. Callie’s ability allows her to experience a person’s last minutes before death to identify the victim’s killer. A strange strong male necromancer fixates on her and raises the dead to obtain a magical coin. She and Duncan work together to learn the identity of the necromancer and his objective with the coin and Callie. Sergeant Duncan O’Conner is a part of the Kansas City police department. He does not view the people of Valhalla like his fellow officers or normals. Duncan’s secret gives him better insight and understanding with the freaks. When a crazed necromancer becomes interested in Callie, killing and raising the dead, Duncan acts on the attraction he has had for years for the red-haired necromancer while trying to protect Callie from harm. At times, Duncan came across a little pushy for my tastes; however, the fact that he did not have the same prejudices towards the high bloods as the mortals did won me over and endeared him to me. Callie was both strong and weak. She had her moments when her insecurities reared up but it made her character one I could relate to and sympathize with. Since BORN IN BLOOD is the first book in THE SENTINELS series, it started out a little slow but necessary so the author could introduce the elaborate working and mindset of the world. Valhalla’s infrastructure intrigued and interested me, how each person with talents had a placement. I hope upcoming books delve deeper into the Sentinels and the Mave. BORN IN BLOOD is a great start to a promising new series. The book’s concept had a faint X-man-ish flavor with its mortal’s prejudices that set the series apart from the usual paranormal reads available, a great break from the standard vampires and weres. By Romance Junkies Reviewer: Raonaid http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artm...

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Reviewed by L Walker Posted September 14, 2013 Romance Alexandra Ivy reaches into her past works and reintroduces MY LORD ETERNITY, the second book in the Immortal Rogues series about three vampires chosen to protect the keepers of three magical amulets. Each amulet is a piece of the sacred medallion the great Nefri used to create the place of peace for vampires, known as the Veil. While most vampires choose to exist peacefully in the Veil, there are some among their kind that seek out power, race dominance and stubbornly refuse to abandon the old ways of blood lust that made them unsafe among humanity. Nefri not only magically binds each amulet to a human maiden she feels is worthy of it's keep but also sends a trusted vampire guardian to watch over the bearers of the amulets. Lucien Valin is a vampire of pure heart and finds humans quite interesting. Unlike most of his vampire brethren, Lucien has a fondness for humans; often finding himself drawn in fascination to beautiful human females. When he is chosen by Nefri to be the guardian and protector of Jocelyn Kingly, he willingly accepts his mission as it allows him to leave the Veil and return to the world of humans. Lucien does not anticipate the strong physical reaction he has to Jocelyn but is further captivated by her willingness to help those of her kind in need. A vampire only has one chance at their true mate, and the young woman that he has promised to protect might turn out to be the one his immortal soul never forgets. Chosen by Nefri as a keeper of one of the sacred amulets, Jocelyn Kingly, once the most sought after prize in high society, is barely managing to make ends meet since being disowned by her parents and cast out of her life of comfort. Trying desperately to make a life of her own after a devastating social scandal, Jocelyn agrees against her better judgment to allow the handsome an alluring Lucien to rent some vacant rooms in her modest London home. Fueled by her desire to help others, Jocelyn finds herself getting closer to the charming tenant as he manages to inject himself quite frequently into her daily routine. As a keeper of an amulet, Jocelyn soon finds her world turned on it's head as the evil vampire Amadeus sets his sights on obtaining her amulet, stopping short of nothing to achieve his goal. MY LORD ETERNITY is a well written, classical style story that takes place in a time long before most of the books in the Guardians of Eternity series. This book and I am sure the whole series will certainly remind you of how far times have come in respect to what was once considered scandalous and proper behavior. The author provides more insight to the creation of the Veil, the earlier vampire society and manages to create a hero that steals the spotlight in most of the book. Learn more about My Lord Eternity SUMMARY To other vampires, mortals are weak, uninteresting creatures. To Lucien Valin, they are infinitely fascinating. Especially Jocelyn Kingly - once the prize of London society, now an outcast. As the vampire assigned to guard her, Lucien is relishing his task. But her beguiling goodness puts her in terrifying danger. Not just from the traitor intent on claiming her mysterious amulet, but from the desire Lucien struggles to keep in check. Youthful infatuation already cost Jocelyn her good name. But even with little to lose, instinct tells her that accepting Lucien as a tenant in her home is a devil's bargain. As she roams London's streets at night, helping the most wretched, she feels a dark force drawing near. And Lucien - magnetic, charming, irresistible - may turn out to be her saviour, her lover, or the means to change her destiny forever.

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