Kara's Book Cravings: The Ever Trilogy

 

Y'all know I'm a huge lover of anything teen paranormal, so when I saw THE EVER TRILOGY by Jessa Russo pop up in a recent promotion, I had to snag it. The series contains three books: Ever, Evade, and Entwined.

This is a YA paranormal romance unlike anything I've read before. It's not vampires, shifters, witches, dragons or anything like that. This has ghosts and Soul Collectors! Now, I'm sure this has been done before, but this was my first time reading about these types of beings, (soul collectors) and I was very intrigued. 

Each book is more like a novella, but despite the shorter length, each story is complete. Though, the first two do end in some wicked cliffhangers, so if you're going to take a chance on this, buy the boxed set so you can just read through all three at once. 

I enjoyed most of the characters -- there was one who I didn't like, but I know that was intentional on the author's part -- but overall, each of them were well rounded and likable. There was also a love triangle in this series, and I thought it was done very well, and like just about everything else in this series, there was a cool twist. So many twists and turns I never saw coming, and that really just makes this entire series that much better. 

{RELEASE DAY}: Everlasting Hope

 Today's the day! Everlasting Hope is now available :-)

Writing this book has been quite the journey, and not because it was necessarily difficult to write, but because this story was never supposed to exist. When I finished Eternal Life, my plan was to dive right into Jax's story so that he, too, could find his happily-ever-after. There was just one problem--I had no story for him. No suitable love interest that could handle him. No obstacles or plot. I was truly stuck. So I did what I do best and I procrastinated. 

Slowly, ideas began to tumble around in my head, and I moved away from Jax's story and instead focused on Abby. After the devastating lost she'd suffered, I couldn't help but wonder how she was doing. Was she healing and moving on? What she still lost in grief? But most of all--what did Isach's letter to her say?? 

Then, the ideas came harder and faster, and I knew I needed to tell Abby's story before Jax's, though he plays a large role in this book. Originally, I'd considered letting Jax and Abby get together, but absolutely nothing about that felt right, so don't worry: they don't end up as a couple. I promise ;-) But you'll have to read the book to find out what does happen. And you can start with Chapter One for FREE!

Read Chapter One

Add to Goodreads

BUY NOW! 

When all magical hell broke loose and the vampires fought the witches, the very human Abby Benson was the one who had to pay the ultimate price. Devastated by an unexpected loss, she spirals into grief—until she realizes she has the one thing no one can take from her: hope.

Determined not to give up, and with the help of an unlikely ally, she sets out to reclaim what was taken from her. But to get what she wants, she and her family will once again have to wage war with the witches. This time, though, the stakes are higher, and there won’t be another second chance. 

{TEASER TUESDAY}: A Desperate Kiss

Only 1 week left until you can get your hot little hands on Everlasting Hope! So, just for you today, I'm sharing a scene that was quite unexpected, not just for the characters involved, but for me as well. I had toyed with the idea of letting his happen, but as I was writing, it just didn't feel natural. Then BAM! 

Read on and enjoy :-) 

FULL EXCERPT: 

I had no idea what possessed me to kiss Jax. Maybe loneliness. Maybe the lack of physical contact I’d had recently. Or maybe I did it because I was so certain that he’d push me away, tell me we couldn’t do this. I never in a million years expected him to kiss me back, but that’s exactly what he did.

He tangled his hand in my hair at the base of my neck, holding me in place as his other hand trailed down my arm and side until his fingers curled around the curve of my waist. I shivered at his touch, but I didn’t pull away. Neither did he.

His tongue flickered across my bottom lip, and I didn’t hesitate to part my lips and welcome his kiss. With a groan, he backed me up until I was pressed firmly against the car, and then he kissed me hard and deep. I snaked my arms around to the back of his neck and locked my fingers. I whimpered, and he kissed me even harder until I was certain I’d pass out from a lack of oxygen.

Then, he released me, and my body sagged. If not for the car at my back, I would’ve crumpled to the ground. Jax’s chest heaved with his hard breaths, and I focused on that rather than risking a look at his face. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see whatever emotion would be reflected in his eyes.

The only sound louder than the creatures in the bayou was my pounding heart. Why had I kissed him? Why had he kissed me back? What did any of this mean? I swallowed the lump in my throat and licked suddenly dry lips. Slowly, I released my hold on the back of his neck and let my trembling hands trail down his arms.

“Are we done here?” he asked, his voice raspy.

Pre-Order Now!

Haven't started the series yet? No problem! 

You can get Eternal Curse: The Cursed Series, Book 1 for FREE!

{TEASER TUESDAY}: Time to Move On?

 Only two weeks until Everlasting Hope releases into the wild! Who else is excited?? 

As I mentioned in last week's #TeaserTuesday post, this is Abby's story, and there's a lot happening with all of the characters that you've grown to love. But poor Abby is really struggling, and she's drowning in grief. Chloe tries so hard to help her, but Abby's a bit... resentful of her cousin. So, of course, Jax jumps in and offers his unique brand of help. Read on ;-) 

FULL EXCERPT:

“Want to tell me what’s going on around here?” Arms crossed, I slouched back and stared at the TV.

“What do you mean?” Jax’s gaze never wavered from the game.

“Don’t play stupid. You suck at it.”

He glanced over at me, the corner of his mouth lifting in an almost smile, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Whoa. The breath rushed from my lungs at the sight of him looking at me like that. Anyone with half a brain would agree Jax was sexy, but when he gave that look? I had to refrain from fanning my face with my hand. Chloe told me once that this very look Jax was currently giving me was his I’m-going-to-say-something-to-piss-you-off look, but it had never failed to make Chloe’s heart race. I could totally understand why.

“Seriously, Jax. What’s going on?”

“We’re all wondering the same thing.” He returned his attention to the TV.

“What?” I asked, confused. “Please just stop with all this... whatever this is. It’s not cute or funny.” I huffed and glanced up at the ceiling to collect my thoughts. “Chloe once told me that you were the only person who wouldn’t sugar coat things, that you always told her how it was, even if she didn’t want to hear it. Can you please do the same for me right now?”

Jax paused the game, tossed his controller onto the table next to Wyatt’s, then twisted to look at me. “Chloe talked to you about me?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re pathetic, you know that?”

He laughed, and despite my mood, I laughed, too. Jax leaned back so we were shoulder to shoulder, and the physical contact set off a chain reaction of conflicting emotions. The touch was both comforting and disconcerting. On one hand, I missed the intimacy of having someone—a guy—close to me like this. On the other hand, I couldn’t shake the guilt and awkwardness. For so long, Isach had been the only man to touch me, and this was Jax, the guy who was still very much in love with my cousin.

“We’re just worried about you. That’s all,” he said.

I shifted to put some space between us but didn’t say anything.

“We know you’re not handling things very well, but we have no idea how bad it really is because you refuse to talk to anyone about it,” he continued.

My chest constricted at his words. Chloe hadn’t been lying when she said Jax would lay it all out with blunt honesty. I was no longer so sure I wanted to know what was going on.

“I tried to talk to you this morning, and you barely said anything. Chloe’s tried every day since Isach’s death, and you’ve shut her out. Even Trent tried to offer some help.” Jax shook his head. “We’re at a loss how to help you, Abby.”

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “You mean you haven’t asked Whitney or Wyatt to read my thoughts?”

“They offered, and Chloe threatened them with severe bodily injury if they invaded your privacy like that.” His lips twitched with a smile. “She even made me fear for my life, and I wasn’t the one doing anything wrong.”

“For once,” I muttered, which earned me another deep laugh from Jax. “I really do appreciate everyone’s concern. I do. But I need to deal with this in my own way. When Rachel died, I locked myself in my room and didn’t come out for days. Same thing when Marc died. But eventually, I came around. I will this time, too, but it’s going to take a little longer.”

Jax nodded. “What helped after Marc and Rachel died? What made you want to start living again?”

“Isach,” I whispered and closed my eyes. “He made it so easy to forget all the pain. Of course, back then, he’d been using me. Probably used his magic, but at least it had helped.”

“So, is that what you need this time, too? A guy to pay attention to you, help you forget?”

I gave Jax a dirty look. He wasn’t serious, was he? Replacing Isach wasn’t going to suddenly make everything better.

“Why? You offering to be that guy?” I asked.

Pre-Order Now!

Haven't started the series yet? No problem! 

You can get Eternal Curse: The Cursed Series, Book 1 for FREE!

{TEASER TUESDAY}: A Story of Hope

Everlasting Hope is set to release in exactly 3 weeks, and I couldn't be more excited for this book. I mean, I'm excited for every book I write and release, but this one is like the cherry on top of a sundae.

This book is Abby's story and how she's dealing after the events in Eternal Life. (Hint: she's not coping well.) At the core, this is a story about hope and not giving up, which is fitting for a lot of people, I think. Especially authors who are constantly told not to give up, to keep going and trying and persisting. It was fun to explore these same concepts in a different context. 

Abby's book really is the culmination of so many things. We get to see a lot more of Jax (YAY!) We meet some new and highly interesting characters (more YAY!) We reunite with some prior characters, and I think the reasons why will be surprising.  We learn that not all alliances are created equal, and you can't always trust those closest to you. 

Needless to say, there's a LOT going on in this book. So, who wants a teaser??

FULL EXCERPT:

“What’re you cooking?” I asked.

“Bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.” He moved gracefully from the stove to the toaster. Even though he wasn’t exerting himself, his muscles still strained beneath his blue T-shirt.

No wonder Chloe had been torn between him and Trent. They were both gorgeous in their own ways, and they were good guys, too. Kind, compassionate, funny, loyal. They’d both move heaven and earth for those they loved. They were like Isach in that respect. God, I missed him so much.

Jax set a plate of food in front of me, and I inhaled deeply. My stomach rumbled. He planted his hands on the counter and shifted his weight forward as he studied me.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re not as gray as you were last night.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged, straightened, then crossed his arms over his chest. “You tell me.”

I rolled my eyes. I’d forgotten he could see a person’s aura and determine their emotions. Talk about annoying. Between him being able to do that and Whitney and Wyatt being able to read thoughts, I was walking on proverbial eggshells. Maybe moving in here wasn’t such a great idea.

I grabbed my fork and scooped eggs into my mouth. Swallowing, I said, “Everyone keeps telling me things will get easier with time. Maybe that’s finally happening.”

“Hmm.” Jax turned away from me, fixed himself a plate, then returned to sit beside me.

Head down, I focused on my food so I wouldn’t have to say anything, or risk him figuring out what I was trying to keep hidden.

“I don’t believe that, by the way,” he said.

“Believe what?” I glanced over at him, and he met my gaze. His eyes were full of compassion.

“That loss and grief gets easier with time. It doesn’t. We just get better at handling the pain.” He averted his gaze and shoved a slice of bacon into his mouth.

Momentarily stunned, all I could do was stare at him. What did he know about loss? I opened my mouth to ask him, then snapped it shut. Chloe had told me all about Hannah, how Jax had loved her and how tragically he’d lost her. He’d also lost Isach, too, though I wasn’t sure those two were quite as close as Isach and Trent had been.

“Morning.” Chloe walked into the kitchen. Her gaze landed on me and Jax, and her steps faltered. “What’s going on here?”

The corner of Jax’s mouth lifted in an arrogant smirk. “Someone’s jealous.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “I’m not jealous.”

“The aura doesn’t lie,” he said in a sing-song voice.

Chloe huffed and shook her head, but I didn’t miss the almost smile she fought to hide. Only then did it hit me that Jax, in his own bizarre way, was mourning the loss of Chloe. He loved her, and she hadn’t chosen him. He’d lost the woman he loved. My heart softened toward him and what he was going through. I wondered what was worse—knowing the person you loved was dead and you’d never see them again, or seeing the person you loved every single day as they went about their life in love with someone else. 

Pre-Order Now!

Haven't started the series yet?  No problem! 

You can now get Eternal Curse: The Cursed Series, Book 1 for FREE!

RELEASE DAY: Eternal Bond, The Cursed Series, Book 3

  

Eternal Bond is LIVE!!

Writing a six-book series was a huge undertaking, and there are still days when I question what I was thinking. LOL. Most of the time, I don't regret it, and on the days when I do, I stop and think about this book. Eternal Bond was by far the easiest book in this series to write, and it's my absolute favorite. I had so much fun with it, and I hope all of you will have just as much fun reading it. 

All of our favorite character return--Chloe, Trent, Jax, and Abby (along with a lot of others)--and a few not so favorites--Isach! We also get to learn a lot more about Hannah, and the Halstead vampire who started it all: Sean. 

Here's everything you need to know about Eternal Bond and where to get your copy: 

Book Title: Eternal Bond (The Cursed Series, Book 3) 

Author: Kara Leigh Miller

Genre: Young Adult paranormal romance 

Content Warnings: Heavy kissing / non-descriptive sexual situations

Word / Page Count: 124,000 words / 294 ebook pages / 436 print book pages

Publisher: FireChicken Press, LLC 

ASIN: B08KTRY28Z

Print ISBN: 978-1-7354336-2-2

Release Date: November 17, 2020

Blurb: Chloe is in a fight for her life. Literally. Held prisoner by the Rose Coven, they are desperate for her to break the curse and restore the magical balance, but Chloe adamantly refuses—until a nearly starved Jax Halstead is tossed in the room with her. Now, hanging on to her humanity might be next to impossible.

When one act of mercy creates an unbreakable bond that threatens to destroy everything she’s ever wanted, getting away alive—and still human—is more important than ever.

Once freed, her love and devotion to Trent is at war with the bond she shares with Jax, a bond that’s only growing more intense by the day. And now she must decide which is stronger. All while navigating her senior year of high school, college applications, and waiting for the Rose Coven to return. If that isn’t bad enough, Isach Zoya is back. He knows the truth, and he’s watching her every move. What else could possibly go wrong?

Digital Buy Links: Amazon 

Print Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

Add to Goodreads

Read Chapter One for FREE!

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: 

Despite whatever feelings we had for each other—love or hate or something in between—I wasn’t going to let him starve. It was my fault he was stuck here in the first place. And my fault he was starving to death.

“Jax?” I carefully climbed onto the bed.

He groaned but didn’t move. I waited a few seconds to see if he’d wake up or say something, but he was lifeless. Closing my eyes, I pressed the point of the nail into my fingertip.

“Ow.” I winced and opened my eyes. A tiny bead of blood popped out of the puncture hole. Please let this work. I rubbed my finger across Jax’s lips.

He growled and turned his head away. “Don’t.”

“If you don’t, you’ll die,” I said, my voice trembling.

“And if I do, you’ll die,” he snarled.

Fear coursed through my veins at the realization of what I was doing. He could easily overpower me, even in his weakened state, and suck me dry. And the worst part was, I didn’t think it would be intentional. Still, I had to do something, and this was the only thing I had to offer. I wouldn’t let him die. And I wouldn’t let Ivy win.

“Get away from me,” he said.

“No.” I flung my leg over his waist and straddled him.

He could have changed me already, and we’d be free right now. But he hadn’t. He’d respected my wishes, and he was being punished for it. I had to help him. I owed him.

“Look at me, Jax.” I took hold of his cheeks and forced him to face me.

His eyes were pitch black, and I swallowed hard.

Indecision warred in my mind. “I’m not going to let you die,” I said.

“You have no idea what you’re asking me to do.” He pushed himself upright so his back was flat against the headboard.

He blinked a few times, and his eyes turned a cloudy shade of blue—not quite as mesmerizing as Trent’s but not the terrifying black they’d been a moment ago, either.

“I’m asking you not to die.” Heart pounding, I gathered my hair and draped it over my shoulder, exposing my neck. “I can’t survive in here without you,” I whispered. “So, are you going to do this, or am I?” I pinched the nail between my thumb and forefinger and held it up. 

Digital Buy Links: Amazon 

Print Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

Add to Goodreads

Read Chapter One for FREE!