Soul Struck – The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge

Today is release day for Soul Struck, the third book of my Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge series, and I’m so excited to FINALLY be able to share Pierce’s story with all of you.

For those of you who are not familiar with the series, these books follow the lives of Mason, Thad, and Pierce, three warlock brothers who have unearthed a conspiracy that threatens their lives and the lives of everyone in the magical and human communities. As they search for answers to end the threat, they travel further into the shadows that threaten to devour them as well as find true love on the way. In Soul Struck, the eldest brother, Pierce, takes over as our narrator. We get to experience the world of magic through his eyes as well as meet the young shifter who enters his heart and his soul.

So since Soul Struck introduces a new magical species to my world, I thought it would be fun to talk about shifters with all of you today.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had a fascination with shifters. When I was a child, they terrified and intrigued me at the same time. Why? Well, for one, they had teeth and wanted to eat me but for another, they could change into this powerful badass alternate form. For a scrawny little kid like me, that had major appeal. What I wouldn’t have given to be able to shift into some other version of me and take down (or tear apart) my enemies.

As an adult, shifters fascinate me in a different way. Has the desire to rip my foes to shreds disappeared? Um, no, but that’s beside the point. Shifters intrigue me now because they get to be someone or something else for a few hours. They aren’t bound by the rules that keep the rest of us stuck in the rut of our lives. They can become something else, something more powerful than they were, but something that represents who they truly are on the inside.

Plus, they are usually hot and often times naked. What’s not to like?

So, today, I want to share my list of the top 5 hottest, most bad ass shapeshifters of all time.

#5 Mystique from X-Men

Okay, I know a woman wasn’t what many of you were expecting, but come on! This is Mystique we’re talking about. Not only does she have a kick ass body but she can kick some major ass! Combine that with the ability to turn into any person she comes into contact with, and you have to admit, Mystique is one awesome shapeshifter. If only I could look as good in blue body paint as she does!

#4 The Beast from Beauty and the Beast

I keep throwing you for a loop don’t I? How the hell can a Disney character make this list?

To me, the Beast represents the epitome of a reformed bad boy. I don’t know about you, but I find those types of guys H-O-T! Sure, he was magically cursed for being a grade-A jerk, but he learned his lesson when he meets his true love.

That’s not only hot but incredibly romantic. Plus, it turns out he’s also a prince. Swoons!

#3 The Hulk from the Avengers

Okay, so the Hulk has some anger issues. Who doesn’t? You should see me when I stub my toe. But seriously, the somewhat dorky and reserved Dr. Bruce Banner (played by the yummy Mark Ruffalo) is able to let loose his inner badass whenever something or someone pisses him off. Who wouldn’t want to shift into a super strong, virtually indestructible tank in those situations? Fewer people would be cutting me off on the highway, that’s for sure.

#2 Sam Merlotte from True Blood

While I admit I love a good bad boy, an honest-to-God good guy is even hotter. Not only was Sam a great friend but he could shift into any animal he wanted. Talk about completely breaking of the shifter mold, and even though he could, he primarily shifted into a dog. That tells us a lot about the kind of man Sam is, and there’s nothing hotter or more badass than a truly loyal friend.

#1 Alcide Herveaux from True Blood

Okay, so I’m a fan of True Blood, sue me. But despite my complete fascination with this show, Alcide remains my favorite shifter of all time. Why? He’s played by Joe Manganiello. Enough said!

These are the shifters that make my top 5 list. What about yours? Did your favorite shifter appear on my list? If not, who is your favorite shapeshifter and why? I’d love to hear from you.

Blurb for Soul Struck:

Like the electricity he commands, Pierce Blackmoor streaks through life on raw power and pure sexual energy. His conquests on the battlefield and in the bedroom form his foundation, but that bedrock crumbles when his younger brothers’ abilities surpass his own. Pierce finds himself at an all-time low, and clawing his way back to the top becomes his only concern.

Pierce’s plan to reassert his dominance, however, takes a backseat when he wounds Kale Aquilo, an emissary of the Beast King, lord of all shifters.

Kale’s beguiling nature shoots like a lightning bolt straight to Pierce’s soul, and when the soft-spoken Kale relays that a virus is killing his people, Pierce abandons his quest for power to do something he has never done before—protect someone other than himself.

As Kale, Pierce, and his brothers struggle to find the root of the magical virus spreading plague across Aeaea, the shifter island, they face a gauntlet of old and new foes. Soul struck, Pierce and Kale must uncover the truth behind the conspiracy gathering in the shadows.

Buy Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7203

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It’s day 2 of my Month Long Promo Tour for Soul Struck, the third book of the Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge series. In the first two books of the series, I introduced the reader to my versions of vampires (or vampyren as I call them) and the fae. Well, it should come as no surprise that for Soul Struck, I’m adding to the mix yet another magical species—shifters.

And just like I did for vampires and fairies, I shook the shifter mythos up and tweaked a genre many of us have come to love.

So, today, I wanted to give you a brief introduction to my contribution to shifter lore.

Shifting is the result of a magical spell

In my world, there is no genetic mutation or a wolf bite that turns an ordinary human into a shifter. In fact, shifters can’t turn others into shifters. They are born with the ability to transform into an animal, which is a result of a transmutation spell cast upon a tribe of humans by a powerful sorcerer named Sersie in 695 B.C. In her desire to create an army to do her bidding, Sersie inadvertently created a new magical species capable of tapping into the most primitive abilities of all—natural magic.

Shifters transform into an animal according to their magical race not their genetics

Sersie’s spell created four races of shifters—mammalians, avians, aquatics, and reptilians. Two wolf parents create another mammalian, not necessarily another wolf. Shifters transform into the animal spirit that calls to their soul the strongest on the day of the first shift, which is reminiscent of what happened to the human tribe upon which Sersie first cast her spell. Two wolf shifters could produce a child that transforms into a lion or a bear.

Shifters don’t live in packs; they live on a magical island

After the shifters were freed from Sersie’s control, the magical community created Aeaea, a magically shrouded island, where shifters could live in peace and remain safe from other sorcerers. Shifters have called Aeaea home since 690 B.C. and have no desire to return to what they now refer to as Human’s World.

Shifters don’t have an alpha; they have a Beast King

All shifters, regardless of type of animal they shift in to, answer to the Beast King, who is considered the most powerful shifter in the community. He is charged with protecting his people from magical and human threats. He rules Aeaea with the advice of the Were Council, but ultimately the Beast King’s word is law.

Shifters don’t have to completely transform; they can partially shift

While shifters can transform their entire bodies into the animal that has called to their spirit, they also have the ability to shift only part of their body. Arms can turn into wings, mouths can shift into beaks, and hands can turn into claws. Shifters only partially shift in extremely dangerous situations that call for immediate action. If a shifter maintains a partial shift too long, it could result in death.

So there you have it, my brief introduction on shifters as I have created them for Soul Struck. I hope I’ve piqued your interest. Let me know what you think about my take on shifters. I’m anxious to hear your thoughts, and if you want to learn more about shifters in the world of the Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge, I hope you’ll consider picking up Soul Struck.

**The Soul Struck Giveaway Contest**

All you have to do is leave a comment to this post, and your name is entered to win a free ebook from my backlist.

At the end of the blog tour, one lucky winner will win a $50 Amazon gift card!

Blurb: