Viking Fire Blurb: In 856 CE, Ireland is a land of myth,
magic, and blood. Viking raiders have fought the Irish for over half a century.
Rival Irish clans promise only betrayal and carnage.
Kaireen, daughter of Laird Liannon,
is suddenly forced into an arranged marriage with her sworn enemy, a Viking.
She refuses to submit. With no mention of love, only land and the protection of
her clan, she endeavors to get her betrothed banished from her country. Will
love find its way around her stubborn heart?
Bram, the Viking, finds himself
without future or inheritance as a younger son in his family. A marriage to the
Laird’s daughter would grant him land if he swears fidelity and if his men will
fight along with the Liannons against any foe—Irish or Viking. However, the
Laird’s feisty daughter only holds animosity for him and his kind. Is marriage
worth the battle scars of such a relentless opponent?
With the blame for a rival laird’s
death treacherously set against the Liannons, Kaireen and Bram must find a way
to lay aside their differences as an unforeseen darkness sends death snapping
at their heels.
Viking Fire Excerpt
Chapter One Ireland 856 CE
“I
renounce Father for this.” Kaireen threw the elderberry gown. Dressed only in
her
leine,
she glared at the new gown on the stone floor.
“Shame
on you and your children for speaking such.” Her handmaid, Elva, gathered the
damask and then dusted off the rushes. “It’s a wonder one of the clim has not
scolded you from your hearth for such talk.” She wore her white hair twisted in
a chignon, underneath a linen head cloth. Strands of white hair poked out the
sides of her covering.
“No,
curse Father for a fool.” She plopped on her bed and a goose feather floated
away. With a huff, she leaned against the oak headboard. Red curtains puffed
like a robin’s chest around oak poles supporting her wooden canopy.
Her
bare feet brushed against the stone floor. Why was she not born plain like her
two older sisters? Already they had married and expected their second bairns by
spring. Well, at least so far she had enjoyed twenty years of freedom. Neither
of her sisters had had matrimonial dreams of love matches. Both were arranged
marriages.
“You
know your da arranged a marriage within a season.” Elva smirked.
Kaireen
shook her head. “To another land holder,” and waved a hand in disgust, “not
t-this heathen. Twice they raided our land in the last month alone. Many a raid
has come from them. Now father wants me as wife to one of them?” She clenched
her fists. “No, I will not marry this Viking.”
Elva
smiled, reminding Kaireen of the rumors of her handmaid’s uncanny foresight.
Whispers
of Elva making strange things happen and often blamed as the cause of
Kaireen’s
stubborn refusal to behave as a laird’s daughter should.
“You’ve
not seen him yet.” Elva wiggled her brows.
“So?”
Kaireen shrugged. “I would like to never see him.”
“Well
then, would you not like to know if you have a handsome husband or not?” She
waited for her response, but Kaireen scowled at her. Elva chuckled. “I would
rather get a good look at him now than the morning after.”
Kaireen’s
ears heated. “I am not marrying.” She shook her head for emphasis. “So there
will be no morning, nor night, nor wedding.”
“If
he is handsome, I may fight you for him.” Elva smiled, deepening the wrinkles
around her eyes.
“Welcome
to him either way.” Kaireen laughed.
The Garnet Dagger Blurb: Everyone
knows what happens when a vampire bites a human…but what if the victim is
Elvin?
Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock
cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the
life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their
life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her
blood for his cure.
Celeste must escape the monks who have held her
prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient
powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she
and his world will die.
When Brock falls in love with Celeste before
realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be
healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who
also wants her dead?
The Garnet Dagger Excerpt: Chapter One
I’ve known
death. For over half a millennia, I escorted many to death at the end of my
sword. In the eyes of the dying, I watched it shroud them. Foolishly, I thought
many more eras would pass before death came for me. It came so swiftly that I
could not run; I could not escape. At a village, dressed in human clothes, I
took in everything. By observing for eons, I understood and spoke their
language. The world of mankind fascinated me. Their hobbled homes burrowed into
the ground.
Rocks
crunched on top one another with thatched roofs woven from straw. Never had I
seen a home or inn that was higher than three levels, as if they were afraid of
the sky. I delayed my return to my people as I watched human jugglers bounce
torches and knifes. It was autumn equinox and the festivities would continue
well into the night. Children laughed as they chased each other. A trail of
leaves from their costumes twirled after them. It was dark when I reached the
forest. Since I was already late, I hiked uphill to a shortcut rather than take
the long path back home. I didn’t need to alert any of my kind near the barrier
at this hour. Liana would wonder why I was late.
Tonight was
the two month anniversary of our hand twining ceremony. One more month as was
custom, and then we’d be wed. A gasp rustled through the trees. The roots shot
a warning through to me with stifled caution. Adjusting my pack, I continued on
instead of changing back into my Elvin clothes. After I passed the border which
kept humans from entering our land, then I’d change. In the distance, I heard a
groan. Curious, I spun in the direction of the sound. The autumn wind breezed
through my worn human clothes, chilling me. But someone needed help. I turned
in the direction of the sounds. Whatever made the noise should be a few yards
ahead.
I hiked slower than my normal speed, so as
not to startle whatever human called out. My leather boots crunched upon dried,
diseased leaves and bark. Horrified, I glanced up. Branches twisted around each other to suffocating. Lifeless
limbs cracked in the wind. Flesh of the trees sloughed off in layers, exposing
its bones. Gashes hollowed out chunks of warmth. Fragments of leaves clung to
finger tips, marking sepulchers of the dying trees. Trees mourned with wails
like splitting wood, and I brought my hands over my ears. I must flee before I
became infected, they told me. Flee before the stain of this defilement creeps
into you, they warned. Trees spoke to my kind, always had. Yet these trees were
in such agony of death that I could not breathe. Felt as though my lungs had
folded in on themselves, like a moth unable to break loose from its cocoon.
Nothing I
could do for them, and if I lingered too long, whatever disease gnawed upon
them may choke me. Where would I go if I carried something so foul as to devour
trees from the inside out? I’d never return to Tamlon if I brought this
infection with me. I drew away, but a movement at the base of a decaying tree
to my right caught me. My night vision picked up the sight of a human. His
sallow face seemed to glow in the moonlight. Poking out from rags lay his arms
and legs, which resembled skin stretched over sticks. So cadaverous was his
face, I’d have thought him dead if he hadn’t moved.
“Please,” he said and his voice sounded like cicada’s vibrations, “help me.”
“What ails you in this troubled place?” I wondered if my voice, foreign to my
ears in speaking the human’s language, revealed my nature.
“I am lost.” His dark eyes crinkled around the corners. “Without strength to
rise. If you would but assist me up, I’ll be on my way.”
I’d never touched a human on purpose before. Was it that that gave me pause, or
dread that stilled my heart? My feet itched to flee. As soon as I helped him,
then I’d leave. I gritted my teeth and reached a hand down.
His gnarled fingers snapped
on my arm, making me wince. Jerking me forward, his face contorted. Surprised
by his strength, I fell beside him. Blackness curled around me. Teeth, fangs,
broke through the skin on my neck. Then I knew him for what he was, a vampyre.
Cooper, Andrea R. (2013-03-25). The Garnet Dagger (Crimson
Romance) (Kindle Locations 60-67). F+W Media. Kindle Edition.
Andrea’s Bio: Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has
always created characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late
twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing
flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories.
They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real
world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly
like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three
kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and
historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in
Zumba.
She believes in the power of change
and counting each moment as a blessing. But
most importantly, she believes in love.
Twitter:
@AndreaRCooper
Buy
Links:
Viking Fire
iTunes: http://goo.gl/fQuKBd
My Review: (The Garnet Dagger)
Overall I have to say I enjoyed this book.
There are several reasons why, we will first start with plot/storyline:
It was a well written and very interesting plot wise. The action in the plot never lulled and it made you want to read on it the story! The romance aspect and fantasy aspect worked well together in this book and was very beleivable. I was not disappointed when I finished this book.
Characters:
They were all well written and developed. The characters were very creative and I liked most of them except for the main character. I didnt like the main character because I found him to be very depressing and stuck on himself. Other than that however I can find no other faults with the characters.
Creativity:
This book as I said above is very interesting because it has very creative characters and a very creative plot as well. I found that because of this aspect of creativity the book was very unique and refreshing to read and I enjoyed it alot.
My final verdict...
I would recommend this book highly because is a well written enjoyable book!
I would like to thank the author Andrea Copper for letting me read and review her book and letting me spotlight both her books as well!
Holly Black is the author of bestselling contemporary fantasy books for kids and teens. Some of her titles include The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), The Modern Faerie Tale series, The Good Neighbors graphic novel trilogy (with Ted Naifeh), the Curse Workers series, Doll Bones, and her new dark fantasy novel, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. She has been a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award, a finalist for an Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award. She currently lives in New England with her husband, Theo, in a house with a secret door. 
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