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BOOK EXCERPT,  BOOK PROMOTIONS,  BOOK TOUR,  FANTASY,  FICTION,  PARANORMAL,  YA

YA BOUND BOOK TOURS : BOOK EXCERPT – DARKHAVEN SAGA BY DANIELLE ROSE


Check out my stop on the blog tour for Darkhaven Saga by Danielle Rose!

Dark Secret (Darkhaven Saga #1)
by Danielle Rose
Genre: YA Supernatural
Release Date: February 18th 2020
Waterhouse Press

Summary:

There’s no wrath like that of a witch scorned.

Seventeen-year-old spirit witch Ava López is the self-appointed guardian of the witches and humans of Darkhaven, an idyllic village nestled between the forest and the sea. Her watch: vicious and bloodthirsty vampires.

Ava is a novice in the eyes of her coven. If she expects to protect them and the secrecy of their powers, she must gain better control of her own. When a full moon ritual goes awry, control may be lost forever, and Ava is exiled from her coven. Forced to seek refuge among the beings she had always sworn herself to hunt, she vows revenge on those who have upended her life.

But the more time Ava spends away from her coven, the more she discovers a startling truth: the witches haven’t been honest with her. Ava’s quest to strip the truth from everything she’s ever known begins with the toughest realization of all—coming to terms with who she has become.


Dark Magic (Darkhaven Saga #2)
Release Date: March 10th 2020

Summary:

There’s something about the scent of blood from the undead.

In the heat of battle, hybrid Ava López discovers she has new and fascinating powers, but she does not know how to control them. Though her former enemies have offered her refuge and helped her acclimate to the vampire lifestyle, even they don’t understand her enhanced magic.

With mounting threats from Ava’s former coven and reckless rogue vampires, Ava and her new friends have no choice but to request the wisdom of Holland Taylor to help her understand her powers. Holland is one of the most powerful witches Ava has ever met, and he is also Jeremiah’s ex, which introduces another wrinkle.

Tension between the vampires and Ava’s former coven is building, and when the witches offer a deal Ava would be remiss to reject, she is forced to choose between the life she once considered safe and the life she never wanted.
Purchase Links:
Dark Magic: 
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WSTMFm
Print: https://amzn.to/32pMwC4
Nook: http://bit.ly/2OOSaKm
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2JQ64Ja
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2reInEl
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2PQQ79j

Dark Promise (Darkhaven Saga #3)
Release Date: April 14th 2020

Summary:

There’s a little witch in all of us…

Ava López’s best friend from childhood is missing, and her former coven has asked for her help to find her. Despite all the pain the witches have treated Ava to with their rejection, she is determined to find Liv—even though her new allies harbor resentment.

Ava hopes finding Liv will put an end to the feud between the two groups, but she realizes that to help the witches, she must turn her back on the vampires. But this is the least of her problems.

Ava must choose sides and test loyalties with a decision that comes at a cost—one even Ava, with her ever-growing powers and connection to spirit magic, never could have foreseen. To repent for her disloyalty, Ava must bind herself to a dark promise. A promise no magic can break.
Purchase Links:
Dark Promise:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NhQpVd
Print: https://amzn.to/2oOXXVY
Nook: http://bit.ly/2YijrHY
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2PQRi92
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2OOSUiC
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2NjB6et

Excerpt from Dark Secret

      The house is silent save for the howling wind outside. It threatens us with the commotion of an incoming storm—its strength and fury already enough to send the occasional tree branch crashing against my windowpanes.
      This is the first time I’ve had to sneak out to go on patrol. The thought doesn’t sit well with me. I’m used to trust and freedom, not the threat of banishment.
      Tossing my covers aside, I sit up and allow my legs to dangle over the side of my bed. I’m already dressed. I began preparing for this moment as soon as Mamá told me I wasn’t allowed to hunt tonight.
      Instinctively, I reach for my necklace. I run my thumb down the length of the cross, my strength rejuvenated by its mere presence. The metal is cold to my touch. This two-inch silver cross is the last thing Papá gave me before he sacrificed himself to save Mamá and me from vampires. I never take it off.
      I glance around my room in search of his portrait, but I don’t find it. For the first time, I’m thankful Mamá is having the frame redone. I can’t bear the thought of him watching—not tonight. Not until I have proof.
      I tiptoe across the room, careful not to step on loose floorboards, and slip into my combat boots. I’ve strategically placed them in front of my dresser, which is directly to the right of my bedroom door.
      I’m just feet from my escape now. My breath comes in shallow huffs, and my hands are clammy. I can’t wait to feel the cool breeze against my skin. I wipe my palms against my jeans and try to shake off the fear of being discovered.
      I stare at my reflection in the large mirror that hangs on the wall above my dresser and replay each scenario in my mind. Mamá will not be pleased when she discovers I’ve disobeyed her order to retire early and skip my patrol. But I must ignore her. I can’t skip even one night of patrol in favor of rest before our upcoming full moon ritual.
      For weeks now, I’ve been burdened by the truth. Nestled deep within the pit of my gut is the feeling that something horrible will soon befall my coven. When I told Mamá, she simply made me a potion mixed with dandelion, wormwood, and calendula herbs to aid my clairvoyance and encourage psychic development. Her disbelief stings. Being the only other spirit witch in our coven, she is supposed to trust my instincts. I may be a novice compared to her, but I still know the signs of impending doom.
      Quickly, I tie my hair back and assess my look. I carefully choose my attire for every patrol. Tonight, I’m wearing all black—not unusual for me. My clothes are tight, yet loose enough to sidestep attacks. My jeans are tucked into my boots, and my long-sleeved shirt has small holes that loop around my thumbs, keeping it in place. My exposed neck is protected by my cross.
      Missing only two things, I’m nearly ready to begin my patrol.
      I grab the small mesh baggie. Last night, I filled it with horehound and mugwort. They’re strong herbs used in protection spells. These aren’t a guarantee, but they can’t hurt. And I’ll take anything I can get. Usually I try to patrol with another witch, but tonight I’m going alone. It’s reckless, but I don’t have another choice. I must hunt until this uneasy feeling goes away.
      A long, narrow black box rests atop my dresser. I open the lid. Something washes over me every time I see it, touch it. I run a finger down the long, cool metal, and a jolt of energy shoots down my spine.
      What started as plain, bright, and reflective silver is now a formidable weapon. On one end, it’s thick and fits firmly in my hand. On the other, it’s pointed into a sharp dagger.
      Forged by witches, the metal was melted into its liquid state and mixed with the strongest protection elixirs. No longer shiny, the weapon, my stake, is a matte dark gray and etched with runes that represent magic, the elements, death, and power.
      When I grasp at it to pick it up, it rolls into the palm of my hand as if it somehow knows it should be there. It’s nothing but metal and magic, but it feels alive. It feels like it’s part of me, and as a spirit witch, with little control over the elements, I rely heavily on this stake. It’s saved my neck more times than I care to admit.
      I tighten my grasp around it, and suddenly I’m no longer afraid to sneak away and hunt vampires.
      I don’t fear Mamá’s reaction or care what the coven thinks. All I can think about is driving this stake into a vampire’s heart and ridding the world of another monster.
      I slip the stake into its sheath, which hangs comfortably against my side. Hidden by my arms, blissfully unaware humans don’t notice it. Of course, vampires do. Their senses are far greater than mine. Their strength and speed are unmatched. But they haven’t access to the earth’s magic, and that, in the end, is always the reason why they bite the dust and I make it home for dinner.
      I consider staging my room so it looks like I’m sleeping. I could adjust my pillows to make them mirror the shape of my body, but I shrug away the thought. I’m only planning a quick loop around the village. I should be back long before Mamá wakes.
      My door creaks as I open it, and I freeze. Seconds tick by. I poke my head past the threshold and scan the hallway. Mamá’s door is still closed. I listen for her soft snoring, my racing thoughts slowing with each exhale.
      I tiptoe down the hall and press my ear to her door. If she catches me, I will tell her I am just going to the bathroom. Or maybe I’ll say I can’t sleep, so I’m going downstairs for a snack. Of course, she’d see through both lies. Mamá is a natural lie detector. But I’d have to try.
      No noise comes from her room, save for her heavy breathing. I rub my cross for strength and dash through the hall and down the stairs, skidding to a stop at the front door. Before I even realize what I’m doing, I’m grasping the doorknob, twisting, yanking, and pulling the solid oak open and then closed behind me.
      The cool breeze sends a shiver down my spine. I pull my jacket tighter around me to keep out the cold night air and wipe the sweat that’s beaded at my temple. Slowly, I turn to face the outside world.
      Our house is still dark. Every other step, I toss a glance behind me until I’m so far down the street I can’t see home anymore. There’s nothing but dark space, guilt, and dread between Mamá and me now.
      I don’t cherish the thought of upsetting her. Some of my worst memories are from times when she’s told me I’ve disappointed her. My very worst memory is when I was too young to help her and Papá. I was the ultimate disappointment.
      I kick the pebbles at my feet. I tried explaining how important patrols are right now, but Mamá wouldn’t listen. It’s frustrating that she believes in my magic as a spirit witch, but she doesn’t believe in me. Something dark is coming, I know it, and it’s heading straight for our coven. If she won’t protect them, I will, even if it means lying, sneaking out, keeping secrets, and breaking promises.
      The streetlights are bright at this time of night, illuminating the world around me in rays of light, showcasing all the things I don’t notice during the day. That’s my favorite part about patrolling. Mamá doesn’t understand why I love it so much—the hunting, tracking, killing. But there’s something about the way the moon speaks to me. It’s like she sings songs for my ears alone. She calls to me in ways Mamá doesn’t understand. I am destined for the night. For the hunt.
      The witches aren’t very good at training me to fight. Rather than using hand-to-hand combat, they rely on their magical affinities for one of the five elements—earth, air, water, fire, and spirit. Even as a coven at full strength, the slightest hiccup can prevent a successful ritual.
      Since witches are earthly vessels, our power is finicky and dependent on too many outside factors. To perform a ritual properly and to cast even a simple spell, timing matters. We’re servants to the moon, to the sun, and to the seasons.
      Our magic is so much a part of us, it affects witches on a cellular and characteristic level.
      A naturally masculine element, fire witches are passionate and creative, and harness a fierce temperament. Fire witches can ignite a flame within their victims, burning them alive, but the element is only at its strongest during midday on a summer afternoon.
      The other masculine element is air. Air witches are wise, intellectual beings who rationalize even the most chaotic of times. They can hack through skin with forceful blasts of wind, but they’re only at their most powerful at night in the winter, when the moon is high and the air is cold.
      Water is a feminine element. These witches are mysterious, intuitive beings who can turn water droplets into ice shards. They are at their strongest at dusk in autumn.
      The final feminine element is earth. Users desire stability, practicality, and materialism in the physical world, but with the snap of their fingertips, earth witches can wield bullets made of stone. Their power is most potent during sunrise in the spring.
      Four of the five elements have weapons at their disposal to easily disarm prey. Together, at their strongest hour, they would be unstoppable—but this would never happen. It can’t be midday in the summer and dusk in autumn at the same time. Mamá says the earth can only handle so much magic at once, which is why witches have natural limits and time boundaries.
      As a spirit witch, my powers are mental. I have prophetic dreams and can visit the astral plane. Basically, I can feel when something bad is going to happen, and occasionally, I can see snippets of the future when I sleep. These really aren’t the greatest powers to have when I’m facing a vampire in real life.
      I keep my mind sharp and focus on the world around me. Darkhaven is a small village in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by the sea on one side and forest on the others, it is a safe haven for the witch covens that call this home. Humans don’t seem to notice when we make our way into the forest for a ritual or to collect plants and berries for elixirs.
      The sun won’t rise for hours, so I have plenty of time to loop around town, making sure I hit all the spots vampires are likely to search for food. Evernight Bar and Grill is Darkhaven’s local restaurant and pub. It’s closing in an hour or so, and drunken humans will be stumbling their way through the dimly lit streets like they’re meals-on-wheels. Most of the walking blood bags will be lucky to make it home.
      The soft smack of heels alerts me.
      I am not alone.

About the Author

Dubbed a “triple threat” by readers, Danielle Rose dabbles in many genres, including urban fantasy, suspense, and romance. The USA Today bestselling author holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.

Danielle is a self-professed sufferer of ’philes and an Oxford comma enthusiast. She prefers solitude to crowds, animals to people, four seasons to hellfire, nature to cities, and traveling as often as she breathes.
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