Of Witches and Warlocks: Blood of the White Witch - Lacey Weatherford

Of Witches and Warlocks: Blood of the White Witch is the third in the series by Lacey Weatherford and is due for release at the end of October 2010.

Plot

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 secret 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 instalment in the Of Witches and Warlocks series, Blood of the White Witch.

What I thought
Any of my regular readers will know just how much I love Lacey Weatherford’s work and this series of books. After reading both of the first two books, The Trouble with Spells and The Demon Kiss in just one sitting, I was already desperate for this one and I hated having to wait for it. This is a series where you want to know what will happen next immediately and the suspense was awful.

I’ve said before that Portia is one of my all time favourite main female characters because of how awesome she is and she didn’t let me down this time around. What I love so much about her is that she knows what she wants and she isn’t afraid to do anything to get it. Some of the things that she has to endure in this book were far more than I think I could ever cope with so I have to applaud her for seeing things through, even when the going was really tough. Portia has an amazingly strong belief in her relationship with Vance and doesn’t believe that anything will get in the way of what they have and if something tries to tear them apart, she’s hell bent on stopping that from happening.

Vance Magnum is near enough my perfect man (Lacey, please give him tattoos!). After reading Blood of the White Witch, he seriously had me thinking about rewriting my perfect man and just naming him Vance Magnum. Forget all of the other stuff I said I wanted, Vance is who I want. Passionate, loyal, strong, independent and incredibly hot. A girl couldn’t ask for more. From the first moment he appeared in The Trouble with Spells, he had my heart melting and ever since then, he has had a firm place there and I think that is where he is going to stay for a long time. Vance is not your typical YA bad boy though. What I love most about him is the fact that he isn’t afraid to show how he feels and the passion and love that he feels for Portia is so distinct and pure that you cannot help but fall under a bit of a spell when you read about them together. Even though he has these amazing and good qualities about him, there is a lot more to him than meets the eye.

Vance still has demon tendencies due to events that happened in the previous books and this is where he really comes into his bad boy self. Every morning he wakes up with those deep red eyes that I find really sexy and he still wants blood. Vance’s demon tendencies are part of what make him as hot as he is. He has a lot of built up tension and passion towards Portia and he struggles a lot to keep those parts of him in check. There are a couple of times where he lets go a little more than maybe he should have and this is where he gets really steamy. I don’t want to post any spoilers so I’ll just say this…be prepared to fan yourself at certain scenes. Each new book by Lacey just makes me fall in love with Vance all over again and each time for new and exciting reasons.

Portia and Vance are a fantastic couple and I loved everything about them in this book. I really enjoyed being reminded of a relationship that is so strong that it is bound to survive anything, no matter what it has to go through to get there. Their love is so pure and powerful that it is simply beautiful to read about. Portia and Vance go through a lot in this book, even more than before if you could have thought that possible and their adventures have many different effects on them both as a couple and personally. Both characters have strong personalities and clear feelings of protectiveness towards the other so it was quite funny to see how far they would both go to protect the other. Not everything is doom and gloom though for this amazing couple, they do have some time being blissfully happy and in love but a book wouldn’t be much fun if things didn’t get shaken up a little bit would it?

Blood of the White Witch has a bit of a different feel to it compared to The Trouble with Spells and The Demon Kiss due to the location changes. I really enjoyed the direction in which Lacey took the story and also the fact that Portia and Vance went to Scotland, which is one of my favourite places to visit. Being in a place that they are unfamiliar with and having a lot going on must have been quite worrying for Portia and Vance because they didn’t really have anyone that they could totally rely on apart from each other for a long time. The story is well paced and interesting throughout, with twists and turns all over the place that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Lacey really knows how to add in some amazing shocks into her books and Blood of the White Witch has a couple that I couldn’t have guessed in a million years. I love that this book kept me guessing the whole way through and that I never really knew where the story was going to go. There could have been so many outcomes that as I was reading, I was thinking of a lot of different possibilities and none of them were right. The great thing about this book is that you will never guess happens at the end no matter how many ideas you come up with. Blood of the White Witch has THE best ending I have ever read, not just as part of a series, but ever.

I was so blown away by this book that after reading it, I couldn’t really do anything. I was in a bit of a state of shock and so many different things were going through my mind about what would happen next and everything that I had just read. I was totally unable to move for a good hour after reading this book and was desperate to talk to someone else who had read it (you know who you are!). Of Witches and Warlocks is a series that everyone should read and Blood of the White Witch is by far my favourite to date.

Madly in Love Monday

Madly in Love on Monday is a meme hosted by The Delusional Diaries. It shines the spotlight on that rare book gem you have found and fallen so “Madly in Love” with that you want to tell everyone about it so they can read it too. So come share it here!!

I really didn't want to be very obvious with this new meme from Lacey but I think I have to be. The book that I want to showcase this week is Lacey's own book 'Of Witches And Warlocks: The Trouble With Spells'. Not nearly enough people over here in the UK know about this fantastic book, which is the first in a series. The whole series has quickly become one of my all time favourites and if because I loved it so much, I dedicated a whole week to it at the end of August. So if you haven't heard of Lacey Weatherford before now, then go look her up and take a look at her books. You wont be disappointed.

Synopsis:

Portia Mullins had always lived the life of a normal teenager, up until her sixteenth birthday. She is then informed by her grandma that she is actually a witch who is a descendant from a long line of witches and warlocks. After overcoming her disbelief she finds that being a member of the coven comes with one great perk in the form of the school's handsome bad boy, Vance Mangum. Vance and Portia have an immediate connection as a budding romance begins, only to be threatened by turbulent skies on the horizon as Vance's checkered past rears its ugly head to haunt them. Portia is forced to use her untried powers in defense of everything she loves in a desperate attempt to hold on to the one thing that really matters in her life.

I'm not the only one...

As you have already seen this week, I am a massive Vance Magnum fan and I can't get enough of him and The Bookish Snob agrees with how I feel.

Elaine Scott: Vance Mangum is mysterious, sexy and a little bit bad. The romance that blossoms between Portia and Vance is very addictive to read and I instantly fell in love with him along with Portia.

Susan K Mann: Now who wouldn't love the sensitive, motorbike riding, leather clad, smoking hot demon, that is Vance Magnum.

Mary from The Sweet Bookshelf: Vance is a man of my dreams! He is a sexy hunk of a man, with a bad boy image, that couldn't be sweeter. Let's not forget his mad magical skills! Whats' not to like? He is a man who will never leave you stranded and will love you forever. A kiss from Vance would send me into overdrive!! A man of my dreams!

 

Find out more about this amazing series at the Official Of Witches and Warlocks website

Where to get the books

Even though this fantastic series hasn't been published in the UK, there are still a couple of ways that you can get it and of course it is already available in the US.

International
Book 1 is available through Lacey's website here which is greatly reduced from the prices on Amazon. The shipping costs will be higher for international buyers but still cheaper than Amazon.

Book 2: The Demon Kiss is available from Amazon. I have also checked Barnes and Nobel, Books-A-Million and Powells online and they all have the book available.

UK

Susan Mann is the distributer for book 1 here in the UK and it is available at a greatly reduced rate compared to Amazon. The Trouble With Spells is available for £10 which includes P+P and there are signed copies available. You can either get in contact through her blog here or email her at susankmann@blueyonder.co.uk

UK

Lynsey Newton over at UK Book Tours has a copy of the first book: The Trouble With Spells. So only a couple of people have signed up for this tour so head on over there now while the list is still short!






Find out more about this amazing series at the Official Of Witches and Warlocks website

Blood of the White Witch - Coming Soon!!

The third book in the Of Witches and Warlocks series by Lacey Weatherford is due for release in a few months and if you have read the previous books in the series, I know you will be dying the for the next installment. Take a look at the preview of the cover for Blood of the White Witch and the back cover blurb!

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 secret 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.

Find out more about this amazing series at the Official Of Witches and Warlocks website

Of Witches and Warlocks: The Demon Kiss - Lacey Weatherford

Of Witches and Warlocks: The Demon Kiss is the second book in the series by Lacey Weatherford and is 246 pages long.

Plot

Portia Mullins has not long known that she is a witch and is now part of a quite powerful coven. Bad boy Vance Magnum was also a member of the coven and Portia’s boyfriend until his past came back to haunt him. After sacrificing herself to save Vance’s life, she wakes up to find him gone with only a note to explain what he is planning to do. After the binding spell that they performed, forever linking them to each other, Portia is in extreme pain without Vance and knows that she must go and find him, not caring about what might be in store for her on the way.

Vance has gone off in search of his demon father, Damien, who has completely ruined his life by plotting to convert him over to the dark side. Portia, Shelly and Brad manage to track him down and convince him that he can’t do it alone. Joining forces with the coven, Portia and Vance plan to take down Damien before he can cause any more harm but things are so much more complicated than anticipated. Portia and Vance’s relationship is on the line and neither is willing to budge when it comes to protecting the other.

What I thought
As soon as I had finished The Trouble with Spells, I instantly picked up this book. I was so happy that I had the sequel waiting because I wouldn’t have wanted to be made to wait to find out what was going to happen next. If possible, The Demon Kiss was much more addictive.

Portia really grows a lot in this instalment of the series. I loved her in the first book and The Demon Kiss didn’t do anything to change that. If anything, I ended up loving her more. Although she is still able to show how much she cares for Vance and those around her, she also shows a completely different side. Portia has grown into an extremely strong main female character due to the outcomes of ‘The Trouble with Spells’. I really enjoyed how she wasn’t about to let Vance get away with what he did and took it upon herself to go and sort things out. This only intensified the passion in their relationship because Portia wasn’t afraid to show that she would go to any length to save what she had with Vance.

Just when I thought Vance couldn’t get any hotter, he does. The passion and chemistry between him and Portia was outstanding throughout and I could really feel what they were. There is so much that I don’t know about Vance and that is part of the attraction. There was always the thoughts in the back of my mind that he could be truly evil, even though that isn’t how he is portrayed. Due to how the first book ended, anything could have happened with Vance and it’s the not knowing that makes him so interesting. Bad boys are supposed to be surrounded by mystery and Vance certainly has that going for him. I loved that I got to see some new sides to Vance’s character that I wasn’t expecting. I knew from the first book that he truly loved Portia and felt so much for her but this is expanded upon a lot more this time around which resulted in my sighing lovingly so many times because he was so adorable.

Portia’s best friend, Shelly, and her boyfriend Brad get a much bigger role in this book which was fantastic to see. We saw glimpses of them both in ‘The Trouble with Spells’ and I really wanted to find out more about them. Shelly and Brad brought a lot of humour to the book, especially when it came to voicing their opinions on Portia and Vance’s relationship and how they acted around other people. Not only are these two characters funny but they are brave and prepared to do anything to help their friends. I guess I wouldn’t say no to a road trip to Mexico either though.

The fact that we see quite a few different settings made this book exciting and fast paced. There never seemed to be much time where something wasn’t happening, even when the characters are stuck in one place for quite a long amount of time. Each time the story moved to a different location, the characters found new and scary situations to deal with and I liked seeing how everyone coped in different ways.

There is a lot of mystery surrounding Vance’s Dad (Damien) and what he is really up to and I was glad to see that nothing was fully revealed until fairly far into the story. I was kept guessing about his intentions throughout and could never really tell what was going to happen. It was also interesting to see how Damien’s actions were going to affect everyone else in the book and what the bigger picture was. As a villain, Damien really freaked me out. If he was my boyfriends’ Dad, I would probably run for miles.

Lacey Weatherford has totally upped her game with this amazing sequel. The romance, the action and the mystery are all upped a couple of notches, making The Demon Kiss a thoroughly enjoyable book. Enjoyable isn’t a strong enough word really though because I was even more in love with it as I was with The Trouble with Spells. With the third book in the series being released in a few months, I imagine things are only going to get a whole lot more exciting.

 

Find out more about this amazing series at the Official Of Witches and Warlocks website

Hopelessly devoted to Vance Magnum

I'm pleased to welcome The Bookish Snob to Heaven, Hell and Purgatory today to share her love of Vance Magnum with you all. It is no secret that I love him but I think she loves him a bit more. 

Vance Mangum. Just rolls of the tongue doesn't it? Give me a moment to gather myself because at the mere thought of his name my heart starts racing and my knees weaken. Sigh. Ok where was I - oh yes, Vance Mangum. The book world has a new bad boy and what a bad boy he is.

The first image you get of Vance is him wearing a leather jacket outside of school, leaning up against his motorcycle. Can you see him? OK now add amazing blue eyes, a rock hard body and a smile that will drive you crazy. He has a wicked sense of humor and like all bad boys, has a tortured and mysterious past. Oh and did I mention he has magical powers ? Yep, I can hear your heart beating faster from here. Delicious huh? Right from that first moment of meeting him, Vance grabs hold of your heart and embeds himself deeply. He's the boyfriend you always wish you had in high school - the boy who when he walks into a room everything reduces down to a whisper and you find yourself drawn to him. He finds your eyes and with that smirk that melts your insides, he walks to you, letting everyone know that you're the one he wants and that to him, no one else matters. Everyone else may think they "know" him but you do - he's devoted, loyal and completely into you. It also doesn't hurt that he kisses like the devil and that he has the ability to scramble your brain with that incredibly sexy raised eyebrow.

He's the reason why you get up in the morning, why you find yourself with a goofy grin on your face and why you find yourself doodling your name and his wrapped in a heart whenever there's a pen nearby. He is irresistible and 100% unforgettable. This, my fellow bad boy lovers, is Vance Mangum. This is why reading the "Of Witches and Warlocks" series is one of the best things you can ever do for yourself. And here's an extra incentive (like you really need any more) - the way I see Vance, he has the potential to be even badder!! You get a hint of it in "The Demon Kiss" as you learn more about how hard he fights against his demon nature and how easy it could be for him to fall over to the "Dark Side". What would happen if he falls? What would that do to his bad boy status? I have no idea but honestly doesn't it just make you tingle imagining all the evil possibilities?

I believe Vance will prove the saying that wine improves with age. He can only get better, hotter and insanely addicting. We've seen how much he's developed so far in books 1 and 2 and I'm on pins and needles waiting for the last two in the series. So remember this name everybody - Vance Mangum because I guarantee, this won't be the last time you hear it :) I HEART VANCE !!

Find out more about this amazing series at the Official Of Witches and Warlocks website

Matt Lanter Appreciation

Matt Lanter is the actor who inspired Lacey Weatherford for the character Vance Magnum. You can read more about how this came about here on the official website for Of Witches and Warlocks.

You may have already seen Matt in action on the hit US TV show, 90210 as Liam. Since finding out that this was who inspired Vance Magnum, I have started to watch 90210 and I'm now hooked because of him. Matt is also the voice of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Clone Wars which is where many people may recognise him from.

Due for release in the US on 18th August is Matt's latest film 'Vampires Suck'. There have been many spoof films around over the past couple of years but I have to say, I am seriously looking forward to this one. Check out the trailer below.



Seeing as Vance Magnum is a seriously hot bad boy, I thought I would share some pictures of Matt looking exactly how I would picture him in the role. Enjoy :D

Check out Matt's My Space and Twitter pages to find out more about this hunk of a man!!

Update: After seeing a tweet by Lacey herself, I HAD to add this picture to the post. Matt Lanter as a fireman?! Oh my...

Find out more about this amazing series at the Official Of Witches and Warlocks website  

Of Witches and Warlocks: The Trouble with Spells - Lacey Weatherford

Of Witches and Warlocks: The Trouble with Spells is the first book in the series and debut novel by Lacey Weatherford and it is 205 pages long.

Plot

When Portia Mullins reaches her sixteenth birthday, her whole life changes. Up until that day she had led the life of an extremely normal and quite boring teenager but then she finds out that she is a witch. Not just any old witch though, one that comes from a long line of quite powerful witches and warlocks which includes her father and grandmother.

Being a witch is far from being as bad as Portia imagined though, especially when she realises that the hottest and most mysterious guy in school, Vance Magnum is a member of her coven. No one really knows anything about him apart from the numerous rumours that surround him but Vance doesn’t waste any time in showing Portia some attention. The pair have an instant and deep connection and their romance develops extremely quickly. Portia realises that Vance’s background was hidden for a reason but now it has reared its ugly head and threatens everything good about her new found amazing life.

What I thought
There aren’t that many books that I would consider ‘comfort reads’. A book has to have quite a big impact on me for me to feel like reading it at least a few times a year. Of Witches and Warlocks instantly went to the top of my ‘comfort reads’ list. I know that I am going to get withdrawals from not having read this book in a while so it is going to be one of the very few that I take away with me to University.

For some reason, I usually have problems with female main characters. I don’t really know why. Maybe it’s because I always prefer the guys in books (that sounds like the most reasonable explanation). Or maybe jealousy might be a better explanation. Portia Mullins changed most of my thoughts about heroines. Once you look past her being a witch, she really is just a normal teenager which makes her really easy to relate to. I loved the fact that she had the same hang ups that I had at her age but they weren’t overdone. If you have read any of my previous reviews, you will know how much I hate whiney girls. Portia isn’t like this at all and a huge part of why I liked her so much. The fact that she is a witch doesn’t ever go to her head. Lacey kept Portia grounded throughout the whole book and always kept her true to herself.

Vance Magnum. *fans self*. There has been quite a lot of hype surrounding Vance and some of my blogger friends who have read this book warned me about how amazing he was. I was a little worried that he wouldn’t live up to my expectations but he actually surpassed them. No wonder he is the reason why Portia lives. Vance is the high school bad boy surrounded by mystery and the leather jacket and impressive motorbike don’t do anything to help change this image that everyone has of him. The thing about Vance is that he is no where close to being who everyone thinks he is. He is so passionate and caring when it comes to Portia and would do anything for her, whenever she wanted it. He really wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid of what anybody else thinks. He loves Portia with all of his being and that is all there is to it. I want a Vance Magnum for myself but without some magic man dough, I have no chance. *sigh*

Portia and Vance’s relationship seriously gives many other literary couples a run for their money. Edward and Bella have nothing on these two. The chemistry between the two is so believable that you will almost feel as though you are there with them at times. Their love for one another is so pure and beautiful that it was a truly wonderful thing to read about. It was so refreshing to read a love story where the feelings involved were unconditional and both characters strived to become better people because of their relationship. There were a couple of times where I felt like things were moving too fast but the reasons behind these parts are explained in enough detail to make them necessary to the story. Portia and Vance’s relationship got more and more interesting as each chapter went on and I couldn’t tear myself away from their story.

Although the book is quite short, there is a lot packed into it. Much more than I would have ever expected. Normally, I would have wanted a book this length to be longer but not with this one. Lacey managed to put everything in that I wanted to know, expand on it and make it believable in such a short space of time. I loved the fact that Portia isn’t thrown into the deep end immediately when it comes to her magic. Although there are some things that she has to get to grips with quite fast, no one pushes her to learn as much as she can, as quick as she can. Everyone understands that each witch or warlock is different and that they all develop their magic at different rates. The magic aspects of the book were also really interesting. Lacey has fused together newer ideas of magic with older ones, inventing an exciting community where anything is possible.

Inside Of Witches and Warlocks is a world so fabulously built along a perfect timeline that it flows seamlessly from beginning to end. Of course, there were things left unanswered but knowing that there would be three more books in the series this only added to the intensity and building tension. Not everything can be covered in one book and Lacey has left herself with plenty more to work from that shows promise for an amazing series. I couldn’t wait to find out what was in store for Portia and Vance.

Quite frankly, I think Lacey Weatherford is a genius. I received both book 1 and 2 together and finished them on the same day. Once I had started reading, I couldn’t put these books down. I have to warn you just how addictive they (and Vance) are so if you get them, make sure you set aside enough time to read in one sitting. I know you wont want to stop once you start. If romance, passion (without being unsuitable for younger readers) and excitement is what you’re after, this is the book for you!

Find out more about this amazing series at the Official Of Witches and Warlocks website

Of Witches and Warlocks week!

Welcome to a week celebrating my new favourite YA series.

 'Of Witches and Warlocks' by Lacey Weatherford.

Instead of putting only one of these books in my 'Book of the Month' feature, I decided to give the first two books in the series their very own week. I wouldn't have been able to choose just one of them so the best way to show my appreciation to the author, Lacey Weatherford, and to the series was to host a week full of posts about my new favourite books. Check back every day this week to find out more about why this series is so fabulous.