Tag: Revenge

Categories
Books

What I Read in June & July 2021

In June & July 2021, I read 1 nonfiction book, 1 science fiction, 1 anthology (fantasy), 1 crime thriller, 1 graphic novel, and a short story (contemporary drama). Check it out… Sorry I skipped July without an explanation or better planning.

2021 Reading Challenge

2021 Reading Challenge
Toi has
read 36 books toward
her goal of
50 books.
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 Below you’ll find my star ratings and review blurbs for each title I completed in the indicated month. If you have not signed up for my newsletter, please consider doing so. That’s where I post my thorough book reviews (and sometimes TV and movie stuff) as well as talk about my love of reading while offering tips for having a healthy reading lifestyle. You can also click the Goodreads links to see the thorough reviews. At the bottom of this post, you’ll also be able to watch a video of my monthly reviews, if that’s more your style.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through to make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Any amount I make goes towards my dream to host a book fair in Hampton Roads, VA. Please see my About page for more details. Thank you for your support.

4.0 – Some good writing exercises.

 

Goodreads | Amazon

5.0 – Many twists and endings 😉

 

Goodreads | Amazon

5.0 – Only read An Imperfect Family by Tricia Drammeh

 

Goodreads | Amazon

5.0 – Still processing this one.

 

Goodreads | Amazon

4.0 – I wanted more of these stories.

 

Goodreads | Amazon

5.0 – Zombie sophistication!

 

Goodreads | Amazon

You can watch my update video here. Click below to watch my review video.

So, did you read any good books in June & July?

What did you think of the ones I read?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter

Categories
Fun Hops IWSG

Déjà vu or Voodoo #WEPFF Challenge featuring The Nameless Ingenue #amwriting #flashfiction

Yeah, I’m way early again this month, but I can’t do anything else with this story so I might as well post it.

Sometimes I fear my mind goes to dark places. For that reason, I try to steer clear of dark themes, yet they always seem to find me. Most of my adult fiction has some sort of dark theme, outside of my romantic efforts. This theme, for some reason, really spoke to me. Don’t know why. The day I really paid attention to what the theme was, I wrote the story below.

Just in case: you’ll see the word “ingenue”, pronounced (an – zhuh – noo) <– real phonics OR (on – zjay – new) <– my phonics, lol ;).

~

The Nameless Ingenue

The nameless ingenue and the revered champion met on the dance floor, searching each other out like constellations in the night. They’d made it; together at last. She in her pearly linens clinging to her timid flesh that radiated with hope and unrequited passion. He in his clanging metals and silken coat, spread taut across his muscled form, pulsating with unquenched desire.

Their bodies drawn into one another, melting into gliding and swaying limbs. Their toes barely graced the sheen of the dance floor before their shoulders dipped into an unending embrace. Their lips pressed together in a tender massage, as though one was resuscitating the other. Their hands reaching and groping as though there were no other lovers sharing the dance floor.

When their lips parted, and their eyes gazed into each other’s souls, the ingenue felt something tugging at her heart. There was a subtle ache as she tore her eyes away, darting her focus around the room. Her eyes landed on a glass of Champaign with her reflection waving at her mockingly. She understood then, this is not how it was supposed to happen.

Pexels.com

The nameless ingenue and the revered champion met on the dance floor, hungry to hold each other tightly. They’d made it; together at last. She in her white lace wrapped around her supple flesh excited to face her first lover. He in his coat of jewels and metals, sparkling with strength and confidence as he prepared to claim his prize.

Eagerly, she reached for the champion, desperate to offer him her body. Like a king at court, the champion accepted the gift of her flesh and squeezed it tight, shocking the horrified onlookers. Gasping in terror, the ingenue pleaded with her eyes and clawed at the vice grip around her body. The champion swept the floor with her dangling feet, forcing her into a deadly waltz.

Sniggering with ominous elation, the champion twisted red rings around the ingénue’s neck. The pain of betrayal sent her eyes reeling with regret and searching for understanding. With her eyelids slipping towards oblivion, she glanced at her dying body, reflected in a glass of Champaign. She understood then, this is not how it was supposed to end.
–
The nameless ingenue and the revered champion met on the dance floor, eager to claim each other’s hearts. They’d made it; together at last. She in her borrowed white gown, hugging the smooth flesh of her supple body. He in his silk coat and achievement ribbons; his chest puffed in adoration and pride.

Eyes fluttering, and hands pressed against her heart, the ingenue waited for her champion to embrace her. Boldly wrapping his arms around her waist, forgoing formalities, the champion pressed his lips against his prize. Together the lovers embraced and savored the sweetness of passion fulfilled.

When they’d drawn a sufficient crowd, the ingenue raised her hand to the champion’s neck and stabbed him with a blade that had been concealed beneath her laces. The champions body fell limp and tumbled to the floor; shock and heartbreak distorting his once handsome features. Dancing lovers parted the floor, fleeing the menace radiating in the ingenue’s eyes as the blade in her hand raised and lowered again and again.

Surrounded by horrified revelers, an ache shot through her heart and she fell to the floor searching for understanding. Hands clinching the fabric over her heart, she tossed and turned, trying to shield her eyes from the violence she rained down on her lover. She caught a glimpse at her reflection in a half-cracked glass of Champaign and she understood. The ingénue understood; this is how it was all supposed to end.
–
Huddled under the elegant cloth of the banquet table, the sister’s eyes sparkled with glee. With flushed cheeks and heaving breaths, she clutched the handmade ragdolls as though her life depended on it. The dark doll had been torn down the back, its stuffing of cotton and hair spilling onto the floor. She tossed the white doll, now stained with red wine, to the end of the table’s length and sighed in relief. She had enjoyed her playtime and was satisfied with the result of her game.
~
FCA- 701-words- The Nameless Ingenue 2018 Copyright © Toinette J. Thomas

Well. That’s that. Did it feel like déjà vu?
Did it make you think of Puppet Master? (I kind of had that in mind.)
Too creepy; not creepy enough?

Please, take some time to read other stories in this hop. All stories should be posted by October 17th, but early entries arrive daily. Look for any name or link with DL next to it to enjoy a short story. I guarantee you will laugh, cry, be terrified, and more.



Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Guest Files Guest Posts

Meet Damian Ward (the Blood Angel Series)

Greetings everyone and thanks for stopping by. Today I’ll be adding a special insert into my Character Files with the help of a guest consultant, a.k.a. author Nina Soden. Today we are going to get to know Damian from the Blood Angel Series.

guest

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Before we delve into this character, let’s learn a bit about our guest consultant, Nina Soden. She has bachelor’s degrees in Theatre and Military Science making her great for this profiling position, but she’s not all work and no play. Nina has a love for all things art, including poetry, theatre, and film.

Learn more about Nina Soden here:  BLOG | AMAZON AUTHOR SITE

Without further ado, let’s see what this guy, Damian, is all about.

nomaleBasic Stats

Full Name: Damian Ward

Birth Date: May 24, 1993

Sex: Male

Height: 6’

Weight: 165 lbs. – Slender build with a chiseled face

Eye color: Silver/Grey

Hair color and length: Brown / Short

Language(s): English – Although he suffers from selective mutism due to a trauma he suffered as a young child.

Preferences

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Food: Steak

Favorite Book or Movie: Lord of the Rings (book and movie)

Favorite Music: Alternative

Favorite Pastime: Reading

Other likes: History

Biography:

As a young child Damian watched as his father’s life was brutally taken from him. Damian only survived because of his burning anger and growing hopes to one day seek revenge against the man—no, monster—that had killed his father. He struggled with selective mutism from that day forward, until he met Alee and learned a new form of communication. Their telepathic connection was only the beginning of Damian’s awakening. Soon he learned that his family’s bloodline held secrets that he never dreamed existed. With his new gift of transformation, Damian was able to see the world through new eyes with a new sense of purpose and strength. What he did with that power was devastating, but everyone makes mistakes—Damian learned from his. In Revenge, the soon to be released final installment of the Blood Angel Series, we learn that Damian, once Alee’s best friend, just might be her worst enemy and only person she can really trust.

Damian’s purpose in the Blood Angel Series

The Blood Angel Series focuses on Alee Moyer, a young girl who discovers there is more to life than anything she could have ever imagined. Having been diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia at a young age she spends most of her childhood in and out of hospitals. However, soon after her father’s death she learns that her real affliction isn’t something that is covered in the medical books. She is the first surviving dhampir in history, part vampire and part witch, and her life is about to change forever. Damian, although he has his own struggles and challenges to overcome throughout his childhood, is thrown into Alee’s life mid high school and although they don’t know it at first they were born to be enemies that won’t be able to survive without each other.

How does Damian feel about his/her book peers?

Damian’s sole focus is revenge, until he meets Alee and starts to experience feelings he has never had before. He learns to open up, develops closer friendships, and even begins his transformation from a mere human to a powerful lycanthrope. Although Damian and Alee share a strong connection, it isn’t until it’s too late before he realizes that what he is feeling is love. His best friend, Kyle, quickly becomes his rival when Kyle and Alee start dating. Victoria, Damian’s twin sister, is the only one he can turn to as their world begins to change around them and the reality of what it means to be a lycanthrope settles in.

About the Blood Angel Series

Awaken (book 1):

Awaken is set in a world very much like our own, yet Atlanta isn’t just an ordinary city and Alee Moyer isn’t just an ordinary girl. Having barely survived her childhood it will take the death of her father for the truth of her true bloodline to come out. Even if it means losing her life, or at least her identity she won’t be able to escape her true destiny as the first surviving Dhampir in history. Surrounded by a new world where the horror films she grew up watching have become reality and the most unlikely characters have become her lifeline, Alee will struggle to find herself and her purpose.

Beginnings (book 2):

Having lost her family Alee has been thrown into a new life and new world. Camouflaged by the mundane happenings of a high school existence she would never have guessed what was happening below the surface in, “The Underground”. She’s a Dhampir, the first in history, but with that power also comes danger. Will Alee be able to survive her destiny or will it prove more powerful than she?

Revenge (book 3):

Having died in her father’s arms only to awaken in a pool of blood surrounded by the corpses of the mutilated, her true love among them, who could blame her for what she did next? Wouldn’t you seek REVENGE?

Part horror thriller – part tender romance and filled with magic and paranormal delights – the Blood Angel Series will leave readers wanting more!

Awaken (book 1): http://amzn.com/0985885300 | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-4K

Beginnings (book 2): http://amzn.com/B00D3G7RWM | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-7J

Revenge (book 3): http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-bR

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Well now, that was fascinating. I am very pleased with this special insert to the Character Files from the ToiBox. I think my guest consultant, author Nina Soden, did a wonderful job and I wish her all the best with Damian and all the other characters from the Blood Angel Series. Be sure to pick up your pre-order copy of Revenge today, before its release in late August.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords