The Queen of Swords by Nina Mason Blog Tour ~ Review, Excerpt, Trailer & Giveaway!

Hey there! Welcome to my stop on the Queen of Swords Blog Tour; I have a review for you today. 

And wait until you read the excerpt! Swoon! 

The Queen of Swords, A Paranormal Tale of Undying Love

by Nina Mason

Publisher: Vamptasy Publishing

Heat Level: Sizzling

Formats: Kindle and Paperback

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Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Paperback | B&N  

Synopsis

When Graham Logan, a Scottish earl turned vampire by a dark wizard's curse, draws the Queen of Swords, he knows he's about to meet the love of his life. For the third time. But surrendering his heart will mean risking her life...or making her what he is. Neither of which his morals will permit him to do. Graham, who believes he lost his soul to the curse, rages at God: why give her back only to take her again? 

Cat Fingal, the third incarnation of Graham's twin flame, won't let him escape so easily. As soon as they meet, she feels she knows him and begins having past-life flashbacks. A white witch, she casts a spell to summon him, wanting answers and to fill the void she's felt all her life. 

Graham has other problems, too. Like the seductress who wants him for herself and the dark wizard who cursed him and killed his beloved the first two times. 

Will he find a way to save her this time around? Or will she save him?

I had been looking forward to reading The Queen of Swords since I signed up for the blog tour and was impressed with the level of creativity, writing style, and new take on vampires, not to mention the blending of history and the paranormal.  

There are many things I loved about The Queen of Swords - a few of which I listed above. Cat and Graham were intriguing and absolutely made the story. I found the Tarot card readings interesting, especially since I've had mine read before. Cat's practice of white magic held me captive, and I agreed with her feelings about organized religion. It was refreshing to read about a witch who wasn't portrayed as using magic for evil.  

I can't express enough how much I loved Mason's writing style, and her new take on vampires was a welcome change from the usual. I don't want to say too much about how they're different so as not to give anything away, but suffice it to say, I was just about to think there wasn't anything new that could be done with them. I was happily wrong!   

The chemistry between Graham and Cat was sizzling hot. I'm totally into Scotsmen now. They really are meant to be together, at least in my mind, and while I didn't want Cat to be in danger, I wanted them together somehow. I rooted for them all the way.  

Another aspect of The Queen of Swords that had me invested in the story was the blending of history and paranormal elements. I will say that there are many terms I wasn't familiar with, but I read this on my Kindle and easily found the meanings. If you read a paperback copy, I'd keep Google close by in case you aren't familiar with the terms either. 

The Queen of Swords had vampires, faeries, witches, romance, and suspense. There's nothing more I could ask for! I recommend this to anyone looking for a sizzling hot romance with a dreamy quality. 

My Rating: 

Book Trailer

Excerpt

12th May. Visited Caitriona tonight for the first time since becoming a monster. She slept, unaware of my presence, and for a time, I was content simply to observe. As the hours passed, I began to wonder what might happen if she awoke to find me in her room. Would she think me a wraith? Would she think it a dream? Desiring to know, and to get closer, I sat down on the corner of the bed, alert for any stirrings. Seeing none, I crawled up the bed until I reached her side. Still she did not stir. Ever so carefully, I set my head upon the pillow next to hers. She slept on. Drinking in her scent, I felt contentment for the first time since fate and Fitzgerald tore us apart. I closed my eyes and must have drifted off, because next I knew, her arm fell across my chest. Startled awake, I found her blinking at me in disbelief.

I lay there, still as death, waiting for her to react. Her hand moved up my chest to my face. She dragged her fingers across my jaw, pressed them against my lips, touched the end of my nose, my eyebrows, my forehead. As she combed back my hair, she whispered: "This must be a dream. But you feel so real, so alive. I don't ken how such a thing is possible; nor do I care. I only pray I shall never awaken." 

I kept still. I could hear her heartbeat, smell her blood, but her blood was not what I craved. She set her head on my chest and started to sob. 

"Am I dreaming?" she asked, soft and low. 

"Aye." 

She raised herself up, came over me and pressed her mouth against mine.

"Can we make love in my dream?"

"Aye."

When it was over, I collapsed beside her, feeling so elated, so profoundly moved, I very nearly wept. 

She set her head against my chest. "Will you promise me something?" 

"Anything, m'aingael."

"Always come to me like this in my dreams."

About the Author 

Nina Mason is a hopeful romantic with strong affinities for history, mythology, and the metaphysical. She strives to write the same kind of books she loves to read: those that entertain, edify, educate, and enlighten. 

Three of her books will be published in 2014: The Queen of Swords, an urban fantasy/paranormal romance; The Knight of Wands, book one in the Knights of Avalon Series; and The Tin Man, a political thriller about the dangers posed by media monopolies. 

She is currently at work on Book Two of the Knights of Avalon series and is itching to get back to a bok she started a while back about a merman who falls for an oil company spokeswoman after a phantom tanker capsizes on the coast of the Hebrides islands. 

When not writing, Nina works as a communications consultant, doll maker, and home stager. Born and raised in Southern California, she now lives in Woodstock, Georgia, with her husband, teenage daughter, two rescue cats, and a Westie named Robert. 

Author Links

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