Crush Series Blog Tour: An Excerpt from Crush by Lacey Weatherford!

So, if you follow my blog you may have noticed I'm a bit of a Lacey Weatherford fan, particularly when it comes to the Crush series, so I am very excited to be participating in the Crush Series Blog Tour! I get to share a steamy little scene from the first book with you guys. :) Enjoy!

CRUSH Scene: Hunter-

She lifted one and studied it with a small smile before reaching for the next one in the pile. “These are really good, Hunter. You’re quite the photographer.” 

I held still, my heart racing, knowing if she continued far enough she’d see what I’d been doing. I would totally come off as the jealous boyfriend—something I didn’t want at all. She made her way through until she reached the images that were facing down. 

“Those are the bad ones,” I said, moving to stop her. “I’m just going to put them in the shredder.” 

 “Don’t do that.” She placed her hand over mine, stilling me. “Let me see them first. All the others were so good.” 

I was desperate, racking my brain for a way to distract her from continuing. “Cami . . . ,” I let my voice trail off, and she glanced up at me expectantly. “Yes?” 

I closed my eyes for a second. “Forgive me,” I whispered when I looked at her again. I grabbed her cheeks and pressed my lips to hers. 

Sparks exploded at the simple contact between us, and I found myself sliding my hands down to her shoulders so I could pull her closer. I wrapped both of my arms around her back and pressed against her, walking slowly forward until she was pinned against the door. Her fingers move upward, locking around behind my neck. She opened her mouth, allowing me access, and I happily invaded, licking and tasting what she offered. It was heaven. 

She made a soft moaning sound in the back of her throat—or maybe it was me—I wasn’t sure anymore as her hands made their way up into my hair, digging in as she kept me pulled tightly to her. My palms moved lower, cupping her bottom and lifting so she could wrap her legs around me. She did so as if she’d done it a thousand times before, and I moved to trail kisses across her face and down her neck. She tossed her head back, arching. “Finally,” she breathed out as her hands traveled over me.

***** 

So, what do you think? Curious as to what Hunter is hiding? Look below for links to my reviews of the series and to places where you can buy your copy and try the books for yourself. Right now Crush is free in e-book form, so you can start it right away. :)

Crush by Lacey Weatherford

Book 1 - Crush Series

Cami Wimberley has a plan, and that plan includes no room for boys—especially the big time party animal, Hunter Wilder, no matter how handsome and charismatic he is. She’s beautiful, a senior, extremely talented, gets good grades, and is working her way toward her dream college to be a musical theater major. Everything is perfect.

Hunter Wilder does not want a girlfriend—that would complicate his life way too much right now. He especially doesn’t want this girl, Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes, so how come he can’t keep his eyes off her? He tries to keep her at arms length, but fate seems to keep pushing them together. Before long, it’s obvious to everyone they’re crushing on each other. 

As sparks begin to fly, Hunter finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into hot water. Soon he’s scrambling to keep Cami from discovering his dark secret—one that can destroy their entire relationship.


My Thoughts on Crush

Purchase

Smitten by Lacey Weatherford

Book 2 - Crush Series

Life is good. Cami is away at her dream college with her dream man by her side. She thinks if she can just get through with meeting Hunter’s family that everything will be perfect. Little does she know that life’s about to turn upside down again when Hunter is called to infiltrate a gang whose specialty is chopping and racing cars. His contact happens to be a beautiful curvy girl who is the gang leader’s sister and he has to pose as her boyfriend. Communication with Cami is basically forbidden to help keep his cover.

Hunter, however, can’t stand being away from the girl he really loves, and he sneaks away one night to meet her across town. He doesn’t know the gang leader, Ripper, has suspicions about him already and he’s following him to see where he goes. He surprises Hunter and Cami, and Hunter quickly introduces her as his foster sister who is having some car trouble. He thinks all is well until he discovers he has one serious problem. Ripper likes Cami and decides to pursue her, drawing her into the same dangerous world he’s supposed to bring down.

Can he keep his cover without having Cami get caught in the crossfire? Will the two of them survive having to watch each other fake it in the arms of another? Or will their hot stolen kisses destroy everything?

My Thoughts on Smitten 

Purchase

Love by Lacey Weatherford

Book 3 - Crush Series

Living happily ever after has always been part of the plan for Cami and Dylan, but when strange things begin happening around the Wilcock household, Cami simply believes she’s becoming forgetful. 

However, when the incidents begin to escalate, both are left feeling vulnerable. Unable to figure out what’s going on, Dylan delves deeper into the mysterious happenings. But when the truth comes out, he finds himself faced with the biggest decision of his life—how far will he go to protect the one he loves?

My Thoughts on Love 

Purchase

Chased Dreams by Lacey Weatherford Release Day Blitz!

OK, most of this post is just a copy-paste, internet-wide blitz post, but I feel obliged to add my two cents. I haven't read the book yet, but Lacey Weatherford has never disappointed me when it comes to lovely romantic fiction. Each new book is almost always better than the last, so I fully expect Chased Dreams to leave me speechless.

Lacey and Chase have created a story that is timeless and heartwarming. They truly know how to create a story about love and loss, while doing the series justice and ending it brilliantly! 

–Lisa Markson, The Paranormal Bookworm

Chased Dreams 

Lacey Weatherford & Chase Walden

Book Three  - Chasing Nikki Series

Dreams of the future, dreams of love and happiness, dreams of being able to move on and get past the heartache that still resides in his soul, Chase Walker believes things are finally starting to look up.

But are they really?

When Chase suffers a devastating injury on the football field, his life is thrown into a tailspin once again. Feeling like he’s lost his identity, he struggles with keeping his relationship with Brittney from falling apart, while also trying to find out who he really is inside. 

But when dreams from the past resurface, causing old feelings to rise anew and clash with the life he’s living now, Chase is left to wonder if all he has is Chased Dreams.

Purchase Chased Dreams for $2.99

About Lacey Weatherford 

Lacey Weatherford is the bestselling author of the popular young adult paranormal romance series, Of Witches and Warlocks, and contemporary series, Chasing Nikki and Crush, and Tell Me Why.

Lacey resides in the beautiful White Mountains of Arizona. She lives with her wonderful husband and children along with their dog, Talley, and cat, Minx. When she’s not out supporting one of her kids at their sporting/music events, she spends her time reading, writing, and visiting with her readers on her social media accounts.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Release Day Book Review: Love by Lacey Weatherford

Love
by Lacey Weatherford

Genre: Romance / New Adult / Suspense / Mystery / Contemporary

Ages: 15 and up

Sequel to Crush and Smitten.

I received an advance e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description:

Living happily ever after has always been part of the plan for Cami and Dylan, but when strange things begin happening around the Wilcock household, Cami simply believes she’s becoming forgetful.

However, when the incidents begin to escalate, both are left feeling vulnerable. Unable to figure out what’s going on, Dylan delves deeper into the mysterious happenings. But when the truth comes out, he finds himself faced with the biggest decision of his life—how far will he go to protect the one he loves?

My Thoughts:

Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness. This book is awesome. And awful. Joyful. Painful. Jaw-droppingly amazing. Seriously, I may not be able to sleep tonight. Are you trying to kill me, Lacey???

It started with the sweetest, most swoonworthy Valentine's Day ever, as celebrated by Cami and Dylan Wilcock. They were so happy, laughing over racy humor and reveling in their love for each other. I sighed and awwed, chortling a little at their antics, but underneath there was a sort of dreadful anticipation. In suspense stories, I've noticed that the happier the main characters are at the beginning, the worse it is going to be before the end. Never has that been more true.

I was glued to every page from beginning to end. I guessed the identity of the troublemaker pretty early on, but there were a couple of twists that I did not see coming. While the mystery wasn't all that mysterious, the suspense was...murderous. I swear, I didn't move at all during the latter two thirds of the book except to turn pages. If you are an angst weenie, this book is not for you. As for me, I loved it, even when it made me cry. Which it did. A lot.

Cami and Dylan were at their absolute best. I don't want to spoil anything, but you see new sides to them that made me love them even more. Especially Dylan. Russ, Dylan's best friend and fellow firefighter, played a large part in the story, and I think he could make a great hero in his own right. I can fall in love with two characters in one book, right?

Love is darker, more intense than Crush or Smitten and it is officially my new favorite Lacey Weatherford novel. The emotions are so powerfully conveyed that I felt each and every one of them along with the characters. Now that it's over, I find myself torn between my usual, selfish desire for a sequel and a wish that Cami and Dylan never experience enough trouble to warrant another novel again.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme). Ratings may contain spoilers.

Profanity:
I rate it a 5.10 for one f-word and some mild to mid-level swearing.

Sexuality:
I give it a 6.10 for a couple of mildly descriptive/fadeaway scenes, references to rape, the threat of rape, and multiple innuendos.

Violence:
I rate it a  7.10 for torture, murder and attempted murder.

                              Lieder Madchen

Book Review: Fire and Ice by Lacey Weatherford

Fire and Ice
by Lacey Weatherford

Genre: Young Adult / Indie / Paranormal / Urban Fantasy / Romance

Ages: 14 and up

This is the first book in a new series that shows the events of the Of Witches and Warlocks series from Vance's point of view. Fire and Ice takes place at the same time as The Trouble With Spells.

Description:

Time passes . . . sometimes too quickly, other times not fast enough, but that’s not what’s important. The essential thing is what we learn about ourselves during that passage of time and how we apply it. Will we continue to follow the destructive paths we find ourselves on? Will we give in to circumstances that seem completely unchangeable? Or will we desperately fight to hold on to those we love and to what’s good inside us—no matter how terrible the cost? I only know I would do whatever was required of me to keep Portia, but in a world of witches, warlocks, and demons, anything can happen. My name is Vance Mangum, and this is my story.

My Thoughts:

Oh, I get so excited whenever Lacey has a new book coming out, but a new one about Vance and Portia? As soon as it finished downloading on my kindle, nothing could tear me away. I'm not sure which one I like better, Fire and Ice or its counterpart, The Trouble With Spells, but I don't really care because both exist and are absolutely wonderful. This makes me very happy. :)

Seeing everything from Vance's view was...enlightening. I really got a feel for his loneliness before meeting Portia, something that was spoken of before, but never really felt. At least, not with the intensity of Fire and Ice. Plus, I've wanted to know Vance's inner reactions to certain scenes for a long time now, and now I do! (Mostly the more painful moments, 'cause I'm mean like that.)

A handful of scenes and conversations are almost word-for-word with those in TTWS, only focused on Vance's feelings and reactions, but most are entirely new. My favorites were the ones where Vance and Portia just get to play and be carefree teenagers in love. Given the newly intensified loneliness of Vance's back story, these moments were all the sweeter.

Lacey delivers a delightful number of laughs and a delicious quantity of lighthearted swooning. I spent almost the entire book smiling and was sad to see it end.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 4.10 for some mild to mid-level swearing.

Sexuality:
I give it a 4.10 for some heavy petting and several sexual references, but nothing graphic or objectionable.

Violence:
I give it a 6.10 for murder and torture.

                        Lieder Madchen

Book Review: Smitten by Lacey Weatherford

Smitten
by Lacey Weatherford

Genre: New Adult / Mystery / Thriller / Romance

Ages: 15 and up

I received an advance e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you, Lacey, for listening to our pleas for a sequel to Crush!

Description:

Cami thinks life with her boyfriend, Hunter Wilder, is perfect. Then she finds out, not only is he wrapped up in a gang whose specialty is stealing cars, he’s with another girl as well.

Hunter knows the gang leader, Ripper, is suspected of murder and he’ll do anything to keep Cami safe—even faking a relationship with someone else. There’s only one problem—Ripper’s fallen hard for Cami, leaving Hunter to stand by and watch as he puts the moves on his girl.

Both Cami and Hunter quickly learn it’s hard to watch the one you love in the arms of another. Will the two of them make it through this together? Or will their hot stolen kisses destroy everything?

My Thoughts:

Oh, I had so much fun with this book! I laughed and cringed along with the characters at the embarrassing moments, sighed and swooned over the many, many, MANY romantic scenes while catching my breath and holding onto my metaphorical hat at the perils Cami and Hunter face during their second adventure.

Hunter is sent undercover with a dangerous car thief and suspected murderer who goes by the inauspicious name of 'Ripper' at the beginning of Smitten. He does his best to keep Cami out of his work, but with one careless (albeit very romantic) mistake, he inadvertently pulls her right into the middle of it. Hunter's protective nature is strained to the very limit. I won't say more except that it gets very, very messy and is highly entertaining.

The villains were nicely done; I found myself looking at Ripper and wondering, going back and forth in my mind whether to believe he had committed all of the crimes he was suspected of or not. By the end I had a pretty good idea, but I was still surprised by a couple of things.

For those who haven't read it, I will say this without spoilers. For those who have read it, you know what I'm talking about. Page 226 (page number may vary slightly depending on the format). Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness. Only Lacey Weatherford could have pulled that off, and it was AMAZING. Other than that, my lips are sealed.

While Smitten didn't replace Crush as my favorite Lacey Weatherford book, it was a wonderful sequel. While it appears to be the end of Cami and Hunter's story, maybe with some well-aimed and not at all subtle hints she could be talked into another one...? We can always hope.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 4.10 for some mid-level swearing and name-calling.

Sexuality:
I give it a 5.10 for a vague scene of sexuality, many innuendos and references, as well as a lot of steamy kisses.

Violence:
I rate it a 5.10 for murder committed in the past, attempted murder and multiple injuries.

                              Lieder Madchen

Book Review: Crush by Lacey Weatherford

Crush
by Lacey Weatherford

Genre: Contemporary / Young Adult / Mystery / Romance

Ages: 16 and up

I received an advance e-copy from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you, Lacey!!!

Description:

Cami Wimberley has a plan, and that plan includes no room for boys—especially the big time party animal, Hunter Wilder, no matter how handsome and charismatic he is. She’s beautiful, a senior, extremely talented, gets good grades, and is working her way toward her dream college to be a musical theater major. Everything is perfect.

Hunter Wilder does not want a girlfriend—that would complicate his life way too much right now. He especially doesn’t want this girl, Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes, so how come he can’t keep his eyes off her? He tries to keep her at arms length, but fate seems to keep pushing them together. Before long, it’s obvious to everyone they’re crushing on each other.

As sparks begin to fly, Hunter finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into hot water. Soon he’s scrambling to keep Cami from discovering his dark secret—one that can destroy their entire relationship.

My Thoughts:

OK, to be perfectly and completely honest, I wasn't expecting to like this as much as Lacey Weatherford's Of Witches and Warlocks series. So far I've loved everything she's ever written, but I generally prefer fantasy to contemporary. So, I expected to love it, just not quite as much. Hah. I was wrong. This is probably Lacey's best novel yet.

For characters, you have sweet, thoughtful Cami, mysterious, troubled Hunter and geeky, unsettling Clay. I really loved Cami. She's very kind and naive to the point of obliviousness at times, but there's a fierce stubborn streak that only comes out when you push her a little too far.

I thought upon first meeting him that I wasn't going to like Hunter much. He has issues like you wouldn't believe, including drug use and drinking. Despite that, you can't help but like him. He makes you laugh, he makes you sad, he makes you want to hit him upside the head in frustration, but most of all, you want to discover his secret. I came up with all sorts of theories with everything from, oh no, he's a vampire! to, hmm, is he in witness protection?

Clay is a fantastically written character. He's been Cami's best friend forever, but now he wants to be more. From the first scene with him, he gave me the shivers. The, oh dear, this is going to be sooo messy kind of shiver.

The first half of the book is mostly about Cami, though the POV alternates with Hunter. The plot moves at a marvelous pace, growing in suspense even as the focus shifts over to Hunter for the second half. And then that ending! So. Freaking. Awesome. It just pounces on you, and you think, so that's what was going on! It all makes sense now! I wanted to cheer, but it was ridiculously early in the morning and I didn't want to wake anybody up.

Whether or not you've read Lacey's other books, whether or not you like contemporary YA, you'll like Crush. It was fun, serious and adventurous all at once.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 4.10 for one mid-level swearword and drug use.

Sexuality:
I rate it a 4.10 for multiple references and innuendos as well as an attempted rape.

Violence:
I give it a 5.10 for attempted rape, murder and one scene of violence.

                                Lieder Madchen

Blood of the White Witch Book Tour: Interview with Author Lacey Weatherford + Giveaway!

I am so excited to be a part of the Blood of the White Witch Blog Tour! I had never read any of the books in this series before, but they are so much fun! And Lacey, the wonderful authoress, is such a fun lady. While I was reading her books, we had a crazy Twitter conversation that made me laugh and want to interview her even more. So I am thrilled to have her as a guest here, where she has answered a few of my questions and is giving away e-copies of her book to every commenter. Be warned, once you read one of her books you have to read them all. :)

How did the Witches and Warlocks series come into existence?

It was a total fluke actually.  I’d just finished writing my first book ever, with the intent of getting it bound for my bookshelf so I could say, “Hey, I did that!”  It took me 14 years to finish that book and I didn’t have any plans to write anymore.  I was sitting in my room laughing at my daughter who had just dyed her hair from a very light blond back to her natural brunette color, but the color had gone on black.  We laughed and her boyfriend teased her that everyone was going to think she was a witch.  For some reason that comment stuck in my head and the story about a high school age girl with black hair becoming a witch began to form. 

I resisted at first.  I was happy I’d finished my previous book and it had taken so long I didn’t want to write another.  But after about a week I couldn’t ignore the voices anymore.  They wanted their story told.  Six weeks later the first book was finished.  Seven days later I finish book two.  Three weeks later I finished book three.  And the ball just kept rolling on from that point.

What parts of the story were your favorites to write?

Well, I’m an incurable romantic, and I love kissing, so anything that had kissing with Portia and Vance was always a favorite with me.  I also enjoyed stepping outside of myself and getting into the heads of the villains.  That delicious evilness is so fun to play around with.

(Note from the blogger: There were some pretty awesome kissing scenes. :)

Was Vance Mangum inspired by a real person?

Yes!!  When I very first thought of the character for this story I had an image of this hot guy I’d seen on television pop into my head, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember where I’d seen him.  I finally tracked him down and discovered his name was Matt Lanter. (9O21O, Vampires Suck, Liar’s All)  I ordered all of his movies and what television shows I could get on DVD or the internet and watched them all while I developed the character in my head.  From the way he swaggered as he walked, to the cocking of his eyebrow, were all incorporated into the character.  Matt has the books and he’s been a wonderful support too.  I received a lot of my initial contacts I made in the book world after he retweeted the release of my first book.  He’s awesome! 

******** Spoiler Alert!********

Is there any way on earth your parents would have let you marry at sixteen?

LOL!  Maybe...if I was pregnant! No, not even then because my dad would have shot the guy! Ha! I would’ve happily gotten married at sixteen though.  I was ready to get on with life!

I’m definitely not advocating teenage marriage, but that being said, many people in my family were married very young because we were lucky enough to find that special someone early in life.  We’ve had some who married at seventeen, and I was eighteen married when I married my handsome, swoony, nineteen year old husband.  I’m happy to say all those marriages have been wildly happy and successful!  I think age is irrelevant most of the time.  It depends on the maturity of the individual.  Some thirty year olds aren’t ready for marriage because of the wild and crazy lifestyles they live.  Some young people have good heads on their shoulders and a clear vision of their futures.  It’s all subjective. (Once again...not saying a fourteen year old should be allowed to marry because they’re mature!  Don’t shoot me!)

(While I read this book, I just had to go ask my mom if she would have let me marry at 16, or even now, and she started grilling me on my potential husband's stats. I described Vance and she said absolutely not, LOL.)

******** End of Spoiler ********

Are there any authors or books that have influenced your writing?

Every time I read something by L. M. Montgomery I feel like writing something.  Her Anne of Green Gables series is one of my favorites and her description are akin to chocolate being served to you by angels on a ray of sunshine—complete word perfection that melts in your mouth and brings joy to the heart.  What a gifted writer! I love her work!

(I love Anne of Green Gables! That series is wonderful.)

Do you plan on continuing to write after finishing this series? If so, what will you be working on next?

Yes.  I have the rough draft of my next release done already.  It’s a fairytale/fantasy called Castle in the Clouds.  I also have about six other stories in the works right now, from YA to Adult, contemporary to paranormal.  There are a lot of ideas buzzing around in my head!

(Now you have me all excited! I can't wait!)

Is there any music that you like to listen to while writing? Or songs that come to mind when you think about certain characters?

I have a massive playlist for the series.  It definitely helps me to get into the mood for some of my really big scenes.  Some of the most influential songs have been:

Apologize, by One Republic (Book 1- The Trouble with Spells)

Pictures of You, by The Last Goodnight (Book 1- The Trouble with Spells)

Fall For You, Secondhand Serenade (Book 2- The Demon Kiss)

If Today Was Your Last Day, by Nickelback (Book 3- Blood of the White Witch)

Running Up That Hill, by Placebo (Book 3- Blood of the White Witch)

Whataya Want From Me, by Adam Lambert (Book 4- The Dark Rising)

Bad Romance, by Lady Gaga (Book 4- The Dark Rising)

I Can’t Stay Away, by the Veronicas and Naturally, by Selena Gomez puts me in Portia’s head.

Give Me a Sign, Anthem of the Angels, Into the Nothing, I Will Not Bow, Blow Me Away, Had Enough, and Lights Out, by Breaking Benjamin are songs that instantly connect me to Vance voice.  My playlist for book 5, Possession of Souls, is exclusively Breaking Benjamin, since Vance has been who I’m most connected with in that story.

(I listened to these songs while working on this post and they are great! Running Up That Hill and Fall For You are now stuck in my head. :P My brother is a huge Breaking Benjamin fan.)

If you held the same powers as Portia or Vance, what would you do with them?

I have no idea.  I always joke around that I would use them to clean my house!  I really would too!  I’d hope I would use them for good and the betterment of society.  I know many people in my family are very sick with things like cancer or other debilitating diseases.  I would use that ability to heal them before I did anything else.

Thanks so much for hosting me!! I really appreciate it and I enjoyed your questions! :D

Thank you for visiting! I had a wonderful time reading your books and interviewing you, I can hardly wait to read what you write next!

Lacey Weatherford has always had a love of books. She wanted to become a writer after reading her first Nancy Drew novel at the age of eight. Lacey resides in the White Mountains of Arizona , where she lives with her wonderful husband, six beautiful children, one son-in-law, and their energetic schnauzer, Sophie. When she's not out supporting one of her kids at their sporting/music events, she spends her time writing, reading, blogging, and reviewing books.

You can contact Lacey by following her on her social medias:

Twitter

Facebook Fan Page at Of Witches and Warlocks- Paranormal Book Series

Author Site

Series Site

I was scheduled to give away one e-copy of Blood of the White Witch, but Lacey has generously decided to give a copy to every commenter! Just leave your e-mail address and something nice for Lacey about her books or the interview. :)

You can go here to read my review.

There will be lots of fun posts and giveaways during this tour, so go check them out! The next post will be at Readergirls tomorrow on Aug. 17th.

                                 Lieder Madchen

Book Review #91: Blood of the White Witch by Lacey Weatherford

Blood of the White Witch
by Lacey Weatherford

Genre: YA Romance / Paranormal / Fantasy
Ages: 15 and up
This book is the third in the Of Witches and Warlocks series.
I received a copy of this in exchange for a fair and honest review as part of the Blood of the White Witch Blog Tour.

Description:
A perfect romance.
A heartbreaking betrayal.
An ancient ritual.
A fight to the death.
Who will survive?

When love came knocking on the door of novice witch, Portia Mullins, in the form of handsome bad boy, Vance Mangum, she had no idea how quickly the attraction between them would escalate. Now she finds her relationship with Vance taken to a whole new level, in a way she had never dreamed possible at this point and time of her life. Yet even as the personal connection between them explodes, the two quickly find themselves in a world of shifting balances. While searching for Vance’s missing mother, they realize they are suddenly unsure of who to trust, learning that sometimes things are not always as they appear. When Vance’s demon characteristics abruptly begin to resurface again without warning, the horrible truth comes out, crashing down upon them and shattering some of their most precious dreams. Once the deadly plan is uncovered, Portia and Vance find themselves hastily rushing against the hands of time in an attempt to stop an ancient ritual from being performed. But will they be successful before fate reaches out to twist them cruelly, possibly separating them and changing magic forever? Passion, loyalties, powers, and family ties, will all be tested when dangerous adventures abound in this third installment in the Of Witches and Warlocks series, Blood of the White Witch.

Note:First of all, I have to warn you that this most definitely the third book in a series. To read this one, you have to read the first two. And you won't regret it. These books are way too much fun. My mom often calls the books I read "candy." This appellation usually irritates me, but in this case it fits. Think of this series as a bag on M&Ms; once you devour one, you just have to have the rest. They are extremely addictive.

I have decided to divide this review into two parts; the Spoiler-Free and the Tell-All. I can't really do justice to this book without giving away the huge surprise at the beginning because it affects the entire story. So, the first part of this review may have some hints and such, but the second part will be for those who have already read it so that I can share my opinion.

My Review, the Spoiler-Free Portion:
Blood of the White Witch jumps right into the story with a shocking and highly original twist. I will leave you the delight of gasping over it in surprise. I had my hand over my mouth to stifle my giggles for the first five minutes of the book.

I love Vance and Portia. They are both so very young but in possession of wisdom beyond their years. They have real problems sometimes in their relationship (though often exaggerated by magical mayhem) and they work through them intelligently and with understanding.

Vance is totally swoonworthy. He is handsome, strong, very protective, occasionally fierce, passionate, kind and loyal. He also has a strong belief in God, which is unusual and welcome in a YA hero.

The characteristic that stood out most in Portia, to me anyway, was her pure stubborn determination. No matter how bad things get, she finds hope and no matter what happens with Vance, be it evil relatives or demonic possession, she retains her belief that they will prevail. I also love their sense of humor. They are forever teasing each other and their friends, reminding you that they are still teenagers.

The plot is interesting, full of strange developments and disturbing twists. With this series, one never knows precisely what will happen next...and where would the fun be if you did?

I would recommend this book to lovers of (mostly) light YA romance and paranormal fantasy.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate it a 2.10 for one dang and one insult.

Sexuality:
I give it a 5.10 for multiple fadeaways, references and innuendos, all of which were pretty clean.

Violence:
I rate it a 7.10 for multiple murders and a brief threat of rape.

It is my great pleasure to have Lacey Weatherford herself visit my blog today, I got to ask her a few questions and she is giving away e-copies of Blood of the White Witch to every comment on the interview post! Just click on the button on the upper left sidebar and go get your copy!

Now, here is the part of the review where I tell you the rest of my feelings about more specific events in the book, and if you haven't read it yet you should turn back now. I mean it, I am putting a nice big gap in the post and writing the spoiler in a tiny font so you won't read it accidentally. I also put the semi-spoiler (aka, the spoiler that doesn't spoil much) on top of the huge spoiler so that if you glance down you will just see that.

**********SPOILER ALERT!**********

Lacey Weatherford has the dubious distinction of being very high up on my list of Evil Authors. Evil Authors being those who have perfected the exquisite form of torture that is a cliffhanger. I read her first three books, ending with this one, in a single day because I couldn't stand the cliffhangers that lurked at the end of each one. And then this one! I was left with the dilemma of knowing that the fourth book, The Dark Rising, was available on Amazon but also knowing that it would have a cliffhanger as well and that the fifth one has not yet been released. I gave in the next day and bought it, reading it in just a couple of hours and tearing my hair out once again from the ending. And the next one doesn't come out until February!!! I know this because I Tweeted my frustration at the author and she told me she was working on it. Lacey is a lovely lady and I had fun talking to her, even though there are moments when I could throttle her for her endings....

Vance and Portia got married!!!! First paragraph and I went into a state of happy shock. I love the way Lacey handled it, with Vance getting permission from her parents and everybody there to celebrate with them. In the previous books, I had really liked that they decided to wait for sex until after marriage (a wait that is sadly underrated in modern culture) and I really liked the way it was handled after their marriage. There is definitely passion and sensuality, but no details past kissing and some caresses. Also, when it comes to the idea of possible pregnancy, abortion is never considered an option despite the terrible circumstances. It is wonderful to read a story featuring teenagers who share the same values that I do.

                   Lieder Madchen