Dark Sacrifice Launch Day Blitz

I’m so excited to be part of the launch day blitz for Dark Sacrifice! I’ve really been enjoying these books, and I think many other readers will, too.

 

Dark Sacrifice (Dark Paradise #2)

By: Angie Sandro

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group

 

A GIFT AND A CURSE

Mala LaCroix sees dead people -really. After using her psychic gifts to catch a killer, she’s locked in a psych ward and must strike a deal with the devil to secure her release. Apprenticed to a dark arts practitioner, Mala vows to free herself and save her loved ones from danger. But she doesn’t know who to turn to when her crush on Landry Prince turns into something more serious.

 FATE WORSE THAN DEATH

Landry has sacrificed everything to protect Mala. A near-death experience changes him forever, and now he, too, possesses supernatural powers he doesn’t understand. Mala and Landry must band together to defeat the dark forces-both human and otherworldly-who would use their abilities for evil. Even as they fall for each other, they must prepare to battle for their very souls . . .

 

PURCHASE AT…

B&N: http://bit.ly/1u7MhF5

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1ohv1aX

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1sdcQJw

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/Xq6YRS

 

EXCERPT

On Saturdays, the local farmers set up a market in Paradise Park. I plan to do my veggie shopping there since I didn’t get my garden planted this year. The streets bordering the park are packed. I’m lucky to find a spot in the parking lot of First National Bank kitty-corner from the Memorial Rose Garden. Colorful tents are lined up in orderly rows in the square. Each section is separated, with the organic foods in one row and regular folk who want to sell extra produce in the other. Local shops also set up booths selling everything from pastries, coffee and tea, handmade clothing and soaps, fresh eggs, organic meat, and toys and games. A freaktastic clown stands on the street corner with a tank of helium and a gaggle of kids around him. I’m tempted to buy Landry a balloon to cheer him up.

The passenger door slams shut as soon as I shut off the engine. Landry wastes no time coming around to open my door and lift me to the ground before I can squawk in protest. He strides off while I grab my cloth shopping bag, leaving me to stare after his retreating back in shock. When he’s halfway across the street, he pauses and turns around.

“This is your idea. Hurry,” he yells.

“I’m coming.” I shut the door and run to catch up. When I reach him, he moves around me until I’m on his blind side. He starts forward again, but slows his steps so they match mine. If I didn’t know him so well, I’d think he didn’t have a care in the world, but I do. He walks like he did in jail—shoulders back and tight, chest slightly raised. He scans the area, alert for a threat.

I take his hand, squeezing when he tries to pull away.

We blend into the crowd, strolling up and down the rows. It’s a mix of people of all ages. A few people say “hi.” Most don’t. A large percentage of them stare. I feel like I’m at the mercy of paparazzi.

“Smile and wave,” I mutter from the corner of my mouth, jabbing Landry in the side with my elbow.

“Huh?”

“You’re acting like you’ve done something wrong, but you haven’t. Don’t let these fools see you sweat. Weakness breeds violence. Like a silverback gorilla in the jungle, you need to beat your chest and fling your poop at someone.”

His snort-laugh doubles him over, and I pat him on the back. “That’s perfect,” I say. “No worries.”

He turns and lifts me into a breath-stealing hug. “Thanks,” he whispers in my ear and presses a brotherly kiss to my forehead. Wish he’d move his lips a little lower. Would a few inches kill him?

My voice comes a little thick and raspy too, and I cough to clear my throat. “No problem.”

How long has he been standing here holding me? We have an even larger audience than before. Now we really are the object of paparazzi-like behavior as people snap pictures of our embrace with their phones. I wrap my arms around his neck and press my cheek against his. “Cheese,” I say, grinning for the cameras.

A couple of high school kids start to laugh.

One yells, “Give her another kiss, Landry.”

“Yeah, Landry. Give me a kiss.” I bat my eyelashes, whispering in his ear, “I swear if you drop me on my ass in public—”

I don’t have to finish the threat.

His mouth steals across mine.

I lean into him, head tilting. My arms tighten around his neck. His lips are soft and juicy, like peaches. Yum. My thoughts scatter and swirl, leaving only the sensation of his mouth on mine.

He breaks free first and lowers me to my feet. He avoids my gaze. “Did it work?” he asks, running his fingers through his black hair so it falls forward to shield his eye again. He shifts from his forward foot to his back which somehow puts distance between us without him having to move.

I laugh, playing off the hurt. “Yeah, we gave our fans a titillating bit of new gossip to take the place of the old. Rumors about our relationship will be flying through town before lunch.” I glance around to be sure. The crowd drifts away, realizing there’s nothing more to see. Even better, nobody hurls insults or throws dead animals at our heads. “Let’s go.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angie Sandro was born at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Within six weeks, she began the first of eleven relocations throughout the United States, Spain, and Guam before the age of eighteen. Friends were left behind. The only constants in her life were her family and the books she shipped wherever she went. Traveling the world inspired her imagination and allowed her to create her own imaginary friends. Visits to her father’s family in Louisiana inspired this story. Angie now lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, and an overweight Labrador.

Angie’s social media

@AngieSandro

http://anjeasandro.blogspot.com/

http://facebook.com/pages/Angie-Sandro/

 

  THE DARK PARADISE SERIES

Dark Paradise (Book 1): read my review here

Dark Sacrifice (Book 2): read my review here

Dark Redemption (Book 3): Available September 9, 2014

 

 

Dark Sacrifice (Dark Paradise #2) by Angie Sandro

I just love a book that forces me to look up the difference between “hoodoo” and “voodoo.”  (For the record, the short version is that voodoo is a religion of Caribbean origin, while hoodoo refers to magic practices of African origin.) And the hoodoo fun is certainly ramped up in this sequel to Dark Paradise (reviewed here).

SPOILER ALERT: This review contains some spoilers for Dark Paradise.

Dark Sacrifice Front Cover (Forever Yours/Hachette)

THE PLOT: Again, the book is presented in first person present tense with alternating chapters narrated by Mala and Landry. When we left off at the end of book one, Mala was in a pysch ward and Landry was in jail. Landry is almost killed by a fellow inmate, and a demon from the other side hitches a ride back on Landry’s soul. After Mala and Landry are both released, they return to Mala’s house, along with various ghosts, to try to figure out the identity of the 4th murderer of Mala’s  mother. In the meantime, a revelation is made about Mala’s parentage, and we’re reminded again that in the world of Paradise Point, everything isn’t always what it seems. Is Landry’s father a murderer or a protector? What’s George (AKA Deputy Dawg, LOL) up to in all this? And then, Aunt Magnolia shows up to collect Mala and take her to New Orleans to become her hoodoo apprentice amidst great wealth and opulence. Is Mala ready to become the hoodoo queen of New Orleans?

MY TWO CENTS: I feel like this series is a New Adult version of, say, True Blood. There’s plenty of otherworldly wackiness with ghosts and zombies (but no vampires, thank you SO much!) But that rural mysticism seems so believable within the framework of the story. I loved how the action moved along and the characters developed. I loved all the New Orleans segments, and the nail-biting finale will keep you reading until the very end. (I was dead wrong about the identity of the fourth murderer, so I don’t think it was predictable at all.) Some plot points were wrapped up while others were left hanging. I can’t wait to see how everything wraps up in book 3, Dark Redemption.

BOTTOM LINE: Another strong entry in this series. If you like Gothic mystery and magic, and you’re wondering if this is a series worth becoming invested in…the answer is yes. Pick up Dark Paradise and dig in. If you read Dark Paradise and liked it, you’ll probably like this one even better.

TEACUP RATING: At least 4½ out of 5 teacups. Even though I’ve read the ebook ARCs, I may have to invest in a paperback set of the series for my library.

ON SALE DATE: The book will be available in trade paperback and ebook formats on August 5, 2014. (Check back here on that day for more information!)

Note: Review is based on an ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro

What’s that you said? Voodoo? Rural Louisiana? Murder mystery? Vengeful ghosts? Count me in!

Dark Paradise Front Cover (Forever Yours Publishing)

THE PLOT:  Mala LaCroix is the 20-year-old  daughter of a prostitute, possibly also the latest in a long line of witches that include her slave ancestors. Mala has been branded as trash her whole life thanks to her mother, but she wants to make something of herself…specifically as a member of law enforcement. But her life spirals out of control after she finds a dead body floating in the swamp and the girl’s ghost starts haunting her.

Landry Prince is the 21-year-old son of the local preacher. He’s a hard-drinking athlete who’s always had a crush on Mala, but never the courage to talk to her. When his sister is found dead, Landry isn’t sure if Mala’s really trying to help him find Lainey’s killer, or if she’s the murderer herself. And if’s she’s not, which of their friends or family was involved in her death? Will Mala and her mother survive the witch hunt? What does Lainey’s ghost really want?

MY TWO CENTS: I could not stop reading this book. The point of view trades off between Mala and Landry, written in present tense. Again, “New Adult” is not the genre/age group for me, and yet I rarely felt like I was reading anything other than a regular supernatural fiction novel. There wasn’t TOO much romance, but I did feel the love scenes were a weak spot. The only time I felt the plot slow down to an uncomfortable pace was during Mala and Landry’s biggest love scene.

Also, I appreciate that Mala is a strong, independent female, but I did feel like she spent a little too much time hurt or being “rescued.” Maybe making her vulnerable is supposed to make Mala sympathetic to the reader, but I was on her side from the start. Maybe it was just a starting point to show her gradual growth in the sequels as she gets stronger.

I don’t know WHAT to make of Landry. I don’t love him, but I think there’s still mystery to be unraveled in future books. The supporting cast were all interesting and diverse. The setting felt very authentic to me. It was only Mala and Landry’s relationship that seemed shaky, and that may be the author’s intent.

BOTTOM LINE: Enjoyed this book greatly and looking forward to its sequels, Dark Sacrifice and Dark Redemption, available later this year.

TEACUP RATING: Not a 5-cup book, but awfully close. Let’s say 4½ out of 5 teacups, with some beignets on the side.

ON SALE DATE: Dark Paradise will be available in paperback and eformats on July 1, 2014.

Note: Review is based on an ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.