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All Five Blackthorns in the Top 10!

I’m uber-excited to have found out today that all five Blackthorn books are currently in the Top 10 in Gothic Romance on Amazon UK! A huge thank you to everyone who continues to read, review, and spread the word about Blackthorn – I really appreciate it. <3

Have a wonderful weekend! xxx

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Blood Dark Winners Announced!

Just over a week ago, I launched a giveaway asking you to let me know where in the world you are in order to be in with a chance of winning a signed paperback of Blood Dark.

Entries came in from all over the U.K. – from Wales to Northern Ireland, as far up as Inverness in Scotland, and throughout England from the North East to the North West and all the way down to the southern coast. The largest number of entries came from the U.S. and covered nineteen states – from Washington, Oregon and California right across to New York and Rhode Island. Entries also came in from Canada, Hawaii and even New Zealand on the other side of the world from here!

Huge thanks to everyone who joined in, whether it was via the comment section here, email, or via Facebook. Although it wasn’t essential for entry, I absolutely loved seeing all the pictures you sent through of where you were whilst reading Blood Dark – so thank you to everyone who shared those. There could only be two winners though.

Randomly drawn today, those winners are:

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Massive congratulations, Dale and Lorrissa! Please either contact me here or privately message me via Facebook to pass on your address and I’ll have your signed copies of Blood Dark in the post to you asap. 🙂

And, of course, commiserations to anyone left disappointed by not winning this time, but look out for another giveaway coming in November for a special celebration!

Have a wonderful week! xxx

Last Chance to Win a Signed Blood Dark

If you haven’t already done so, you only have a few hours left to enter my giveaway to win a signed paperback of Blood Dark. Signed Blackthorn books are rarely given away, so grab the chance while you can! You can enter by clicking on this post, via email or via my Facebook page. Thank you to everyone who has entered so far. I’ll be announcing the two winners on Monday.

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In my previous post, I shared what readers have been saying about Blood Dark and, this week, official blog reviews have continued to come through too. Here’s a huge thank you to:

Marcy at The Keeper Bookshelf:

“If you haven’t read the Blackthorn series from the very beginning, might I strongly suggest that you do that and soon…I will admit that before I dive into a new release in this series, I go back and re-read the previous stories so that the entire universe of Blackthorn flows like a movie to me. It’s what I do to immerse myself in this world that is not ours but unique to itself…I would highly recommend this story for anyone who knows the Blackthorn universe, anyone who enjoys a deep down experience of being sucked into another world and left breathless. No, that’s not an extreme thought and you’ll know that once you read Blood Dark.”

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Kara-Karina at Nocturnal Book Reviews:

“I was figuratively biting my nails and holding my breath, racing through this book… It’s very well written. The tension and urgency is razor-blade sharp… Blood Dark made me very happy. It’s not sappy and it skirts a very fine line between PNR and UF… It’s dark, violent and genuinely suspenseful. Recommended.”

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Shirley at The Romance Cover:

“This is one of the best dark and mysterious vampire paranormal series ever, and this the latest book does not disappoint at all. This is a rare book that keeps you burning the midnight oil as you just cannot put it down…The whole series is brilliantly written…I can honestly say that with hand on my heart if I could give this book more than a five star rating I would…the romance between Caitlin and Kane is sublime; it is a romance against all the odds.”

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And Author Tracey Rogers:

“Blood Dark gripped me, broke me, shocked me and then broke me some more. Author Lindsay J Pryor delivered more than I could possibly have imagined…the cleverness of the plot can only be applauded…I can say that this series is hands down the best series I have ever read. Each book is as strong as the next one and always offer up the unexpected to keep you pinned on the edge of your seat…Be brave and enter the world of Blackthorn. It’s dark, ridiculously clever, and incredibly stunning!”

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A massive thank you too to every single person who continues to leave ratings and reviews on sites such as Amazon – it truly makes a huge difference in the background. If you haven’t yet left a review for Blood Dark, please do!

Good luck to everyone who enters the giveaway. xxx

Win a Signed Copy of Blood Dark!

Happy Friday, everyone! And to make it even better, here it is… your chance to win a signed paperback of BLOOD DARK! I have TWO copies to give away!

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I know Blackthorn has readers from all over the world so, for this giveaway, I’m trying to track down where Blood Dark has gone.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO ENTER IS:  

Leave a comment telling me where in the world you and your copy of Blood Dark are. You can tell me the country, city, village – be as specific as you like!

You can enter here, via my Facebook page, or you can email me. It’s not essential for entry, but a picture would be great if you’re entering via email or Facebook. It could be of you, your pet, or even a local landmark alongside your eBook or paperback of Blood Dark.

THE REST OF THE RULES:

The competition is open now and will close next Friday (2nd October) at midnight, UK time.

The two winners will be drawn randomly and announced on Monday 5th October. Obviously, winners must be willing to email me their addresses! And, no, Kane will not be delivering it personally… 😉

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If you haven’t yet started reading it yet, here’s just a sample of what readers are saying so far:

“This book had me gripped from beginning to end, it was like an emotional roller coaster I didn’t want to get off.” ~ Louise

“I COULD NOT PUT DOWN!!!!! I wanted so badly to take my time and savour the world of Blackthorn slowly but I couldn’t stop reading… The characters are so alive and complex. The storyline gets deeper and bigger… Blackthorn is on the rise and no one can stop them!” ~ Demei

“Just finished it…..Omg I loved it….had me crying at one point… roll on the next book can’t wait to find out more.” ~ Sarah R

“Fantastic! Better than I anticipated. I am now trying to forget all about it so I can read it again!!” ~ Carrie

“Have to say this book blew me away. The intensity kept me on the edge. Felt like crying at times also… My fav in the series so far and that is saying a lot.” ~ Mena

“Read it all last night. Couldn’t put it down!! Omg please tell me the next one is out real soon!” ~ Sam

“Just finished blood dark wow bloody brilliant book loved it.” ~ Gillian

“…this book is a winner! This series continues to captivate me and the next one in the series – Blood Instinct – can’t come fast enough!!” ~ Suzanne

5 Stars for Blood Dark is NOT enough!!! ~ Amanda

“Seriously one of the best series I’m reading right now.” ~ Sarah

“Another success! Dangerously dark and captivating!” ~ Brickley

“Awesome series!!!!! Lindsay Pryor has nailed this book! ~ Jennifer

“I laughed, i cried, i shouted at the pages as there were so many twists and turns… by the end of the book i was an emotional wreck… This is without question the best series i have read in a very, very long time.” ~ Niamh

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Good luck, everyone! xxx

Blood Dark at Number One!

Thank you to everyone who joined in with Blood Dark’s release day yesterday. You made it into an absolutely fantastic day for me. Your enthusiasm was infectious!

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The day started at nine o’clock and I was still chatting to my fabulous readers past midnight. Even my writing buddy (and my hubbie) gave up and went to be in the end! 

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I’m absolutely delighted that reviews are already being posted for Blood Dark and am thrilled with the response so far. I want to say an extra special thank you to everyone who has already taken the time to do that, or who is planning to. One review in particular was even posted on Bookouture’s Facebook page, so huge congrats to author Lindsey Clarke. Her review was immense and you can read it on Lindsey’s website here.

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It also appears that Fiona’s Book Reviews, the first review I received for Blood Dark, is being considered for an award by Bookouture for the quickest turn around in Bookouture history for a book to be downloaded, read and reviewed! So the highest of high fives to Fiona for that feat!

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I’m also really excited to tell you that I got word this morning that Blood Dark has reached the number one spot in Gothic on both Amazon UK and Amazon US!! So a massive, massive thank you to every single person who has downloaded the eBook or ordered the paperback. This doesn’t happen without you.

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I’ll be back tomorrow to tell you how you could be in with a chance of winning a signed paperback of Blood Dark from me. Have a wonderful day and I hope there weren’t too many sleepless nights last night! xxx

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It’s Blood Dark Release Day!

 

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Days have been booked off from work, do-not-disturb signs are going up, alternative childcare arrangements have been made, dinners have been prepared in advance, pillows have been plumped, and now…. it’s finally here!!! Kane and Caitlin are back…!!!

It’s BLOOD DARK release day!!!

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To mark the occasion, I’m very excited to be making a guest appearance with Kim The Bookworm today. So please do come and visit if you can!

“Today is publication day for Lindsay J. Pryor’s Blood Dark – the fifth book in the paranormal romance Blackthorn series. The first book in the series is called Blood Shadows and as a newbie to this genre, I tentatively picked it up and read it not really knowing what to expect and not expecting it to be my thing. OH MY GOD! I was completely blown away by it. I got completely immersed from the first page and didn’t want it to end. I fell in love with the characters, some more than others! And oh boy, it was hot, hot, hot!

If you’ve not yet started this series, and you like this genre, I highly recommend that you have a read of Blood Shadows and work your way through them all till you get to Blood Dark. By that time, I’m sure the next one will be ready for you as Lindsay is working on it right now. 

Lindsay has such an amazing following for this series, her readers are the most awesome I’ve ever come across and some were even taking publication day off work so that they could spend the day reading Blood Dark. Now that’s dedication for you!”

And Kim is absolutely right about all my incredible readers. Thank you for the tremendous support that has been piling in today and this week, whether here, via email, my Facebook Page, the Into the World of Blackthorn discussion group, or Twitter – I’m going to catch up with everyone individually as soon as I can. Until then, relax and enjoy your next installment into Blackthorn. I know some of you have waited a very, very long time for this.

On a personal note, it’s a bit of an emotional one for me this time around as it was exactly five years ago last night that I first unleashed Blackthorn on anyone, entering Blood Roses into the New Voices writing competition that led to me being discovered by my publisher, Bookouture. I still vividly remember my finger hovering over the ‘send’ button right up to the last five minutes. I was so anxious about sharing my series for the first time (let alone on a public forum to be commented on and voted for), that I nearly let the nerves get the better of me. If I had, I’m not even sure Blackthorn would be out there now. So here’s a massive thank you to my wonderful husband for making sure I clicked that button – and Bookouture for bringing Blackthorn to you. 🙂

Before I go, I want to give a shout out to three of my lovely readers:

Happy Birthday for today, Sue!

Happy Birthday in advance for Sunday, Carla!

And Happy 43rd Wedding Anniversary, Debra!

Just to pre-warn you, on Friday I’m going to be launching a giveaway to win a SIGNED PAPERBACK COPY – so stay close for that one!

Have a wonderful day, everyone! Happy reading!

xxx

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Blood Dark’s First Three Chapters For You!

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With less than two days to go until BLOOD DARK is officially yours, I thought you might like to take a sneaky peek at what’s in store. So, especially for you, here are the first three chapters of Blackthorn’s fifth installment. I hope it helps pass the time between now and Wednesday. 🙂

Just click on the link HERE to read the first three chapters for free.

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If you missed it the first time around, I’ve posted a guide to Blackthorn’s characters as well as a reminder of the story so far in case you need it.

And if you like visuals, don’t forget Blackthorn is on Pinterest too. As well as best-fit images of the Blackthorn district and scenes from the first four books, I’ve now included a BLOOD DARK board with some clues of what’s ahead. 🙂

The hours are counting down!!

Blood Dark – The Full Cover Reveal

 

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We have less than five days to go!!! BLOOD DARK will be yours as of next Wednesday. For those waiting on the paperback version (available from release day), here’s the full cover reveal…

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I do hope you like it!

As feedback continues to come in, I thought I’d share a few snippets of what readers and reviewers are saying so far (I’ve avoided any with spoilers):

“This, hands down is my absolute favorite story yet. This story, the deception, lies and hidden truths just keeps improving. And most definitely, my favorite book of 2015! Keep the breakables at a distance for those angry moments and the tissues handy for those others. Well, Well worth it all.” ~ Mellissa Montefort

“Hold on to your seat and TRY to catch your breath, because Lindsay J Pryor is taking you on a roller coaster ride! She takes you from the highest highs of joy, to the lowest lows… A must read for everyone and anyone who loves a GREAT story, told by an amazing author.” ~ MonicaLee

“Wow, I have just staggered off the emotional roller coaster that is Blood Dark. Absolutely loved it… but feel like I’ve been through the wringer. I think I had every emotion at one point or another! Just brilliant…” ~ Julia Stevens

“What can I say? What a ride!…This book is incredible and a credit to the rest of the series. The story is really starting to build and come together and the heat is on!!…Just when you think you know what’s going on – bam! You’re hit with a twist. It was nail biting and heart racing but also endearing and beautiful. I got frustrated (in good ways and bad) I cried, I laughed but most importantly – I fell in love all over again.” ~ Kay Cunningham

Now I’m just wondering if Brickley Jules (Sirens of Fiction), whose review of Blood Shadows I shared last time, will have caught up by next Wednesday. She’s already reviewed Blood Roses now too – and it’s wonderful! Thank you so much, Brickley. Two more books to go and you’re there!

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“WOW! I was blown away before I was even finished. The Hero, the Victim and the Antagonist swap roles like a thing of beauty. Just when I have the story lined out Lindsay would throw me a plot twist leaving me happily dumbfounded. When I was done flopping around in disbelief and spouting ‘I can’t believe that just happened’ I again would try to determine what end lies in store for our main characters just to be amazed all over.”

And a massive thank you to Anna from Sirens of Fiction too, who also wrote a fantastic review of Blood Roses:

“Serryns are a vampire’s worst nightmare but, I could feel the hunted serryn’s anxiety as she, herself was facing off with her worst nightmare. I could feel the excitement Caleb felt while circling Leila, knowing he was going to capture and conquer his rose. I could feel the sexual tension between them. I could feel the unwanted love build up between the two. Lindsay wrote the story from the point of view of Leila and Caleb, she wrote in a way that made you feel the story. I loved Kane from Blood Shadows, but in Blood Roses, Caleb is the man!!!!!!”

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! xxx

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Blackthorn Reviews Are Coming In!

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With less than ten days until BLOOD DARK’s release, the official blog reviews are starting to filter through. Last week, I posted Blood Dark’s first review courtesy of Fiona’s Book Reviews. Now Big Little Sister Blog has also had a chance to read and review Blackthorn’s fifth installment – and it was another super-positive one! I’m thrilled. Thank you SO much, Michelle!

“Lindsay Pryor has crafted a world that’s intricate, gritty and genuinely fascinating… Book five is darker and harsher than I expected and all the better for it.  Lindsay Pryor’s ability to stay true to her finely crafted story is enviable and her characters are rich and demanding (especially that Kane!).  I’d say its fabulous.  In fact its beyond fabulous – its fabulous on steroids!  And I’m a goner!” 

You can read the full and fabulous review here.

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And last month, I shared some reviews from the Sirens of Fiction who had only just started on their Blackthorn journey. Now Blood Shadows has been reviewed by another of the Sirens, so HUGE thanks to Brickley Jules for her terrific review – and for going straight on to read Blood Roses! That’s what I like to hear! 🙂

“The author, Lindsay J. Pryor, did a superior job creating the world the book takes place in. The book was well thought out, with carefully painted characters, who were easy to imagine… I would definitely recommend this book! It has a lot to offer those you enjoy romance, fantasy, futuristic or supernatural.” 

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I’d like to say a massive thank you too to all the other reviewers that I know are currently posting their reviews for BLOOD DARK on NetGalley. I’m hearing such positive things so far, so thank you for taking the time to support my series.

Don’t forget, the full cover reveal is coming soon as well as those first three chapters!

Have a wonderful week! 🙂

Blackthorn: A Recap Before Blood Dark

*WARNING: Contains HUGE spoilers for the first four books in the series*

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Now that we’re four books into my series and at the mid-way point in the Blackthorn story, there’s a lot that has happened. On Tuesday, I posted a reminder of who’s who in the world of Blackthorn. Now, here are a few key things to jog your memory of some of the story so far that will prove useful before you read BLOOD DARK…

FIRSTLY, A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE WIDER PICTURE

The regulations were put in place 80 years ago when the third species first outed their furtive co-existence. The outing was instigated by the Higher Order (vampire royalty). At the time, the Higher Order claimed they had the ability to heal humans and offered it in return for a place for themselves in Midtown.

Amidst the third species being outed, there were whispers of unconfirmed prophecies about the vampires rising up against humans. Remaining cautious, the humans set up locales and, within them, districts to manage and contain the third species. Over time, a stratified human society also started to form.

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However, it turned out that the benefits of Higher Order blood, though effective, were only temporary. Unhappy about the symbiotic relationship this necessitated and believing their original claims to be time-stalling trickery, the Global Council mounted pressure on the Higher Order. The Higher Order promised a permanent cure existed – and that they would find it.

Now it appears the whispered prophecies were true: the vampire leader has arrived.

If you’re uncertain about the set-up in Blackthorn, how the regulations came into being, or want to understand more about the mythology that underpins the series, you can find posts about it here.

AND THOSE FEW USEFUL REMINDERS OF THE STORY SO FAR

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Please note, the racaps below aren’t in chronological order – they’re just meant as reminders for readers familiar with the series.

Kane and Caitlin

  • Though committing to each other at the end of Blood Shadows, Caitlin has since returned to work at the VCU. Her new temporary boss is Matt Morgan, who was her partner in Blood Shadows. Her first case is trying to find who is responsible for a spate of human murders in Blackthorn and Lowtown. Caleb is a prime suspect.
  • Within the first twenty-four hours back on the job, Sirius Throme (Head of the Global Council) turned up in Caitlin’s apartment with a threat of invading Blackthorn should Kane not give himself up. Sirius revealed his master plan to conduct soul transferences, for which he needs Kane – a method he’s going to use to create an elite human race that will ultimately lead to a cull of the third species.
  • Kane doesn’t just have Sirius to contend with. Having come face to face with Phia in the compound in Blood Torn, Kane knows the Tryan is out there somewhere – a serryn appearing in Blackthorn the first sign that the prophecies have started. Aware of the devastating impact of a vampire uprising, he’s intent on killing the prophesied leader as soon as he discovers who it is.
  • Kane knows Phia is a serryn and that Caleb is hunting her. At the end of Blood Torn, he was on his way to see Caleb to get him to back off from Phia so he wouldn’t trace her to the compound. Due to Caleb’s links with Feinith and the ruling of all serryns to be delivered to the Higher Order, he’s hoping Caleb doesn’t know of the serryn’s role in the prophecy.

Caleb and Leila

  • Caleb is of Higher Order heritage. His mother renounced her Higher Order status but went on to have three children – Seth, Caleb and Jake – with a Higher Order male. Caleb prefers to reside with his own where he can better protect them, so has revealed his heritage to no one.
  • In Blood Roses, Caleb was revealed to be the pending Tryan: the prophesied vampire leader said to rise up and lead the vampires against the human oppression. He was supposed to kill Leila to see his transformation through and, by doing so, kick-start the prophecy. Instead, he took her serrynity leading it to jump to her next sister in line – Sophia (Phia).
  • Caleb released Leila after she promised she could find an alternative to the prophecy and, with it, an alternative to Caleb killing Phia. He is awaiting her return. In the interim, he is determined to find Phia both as a fail-safe in case Leila lets him down, as well as to fulfil his promise to her should she keep to her word.
  • Leila knows Phia is safe somewhere in Blackthorn and has warned her to stay away from Caleb. Leila is on the cusp of returning to the district.

Jask and Phia

  • Before Leila’s serrynity jumped to her, Phia was involved in a vigilante group called The Alliance – responsible for the assassination attempt on Caleb and Jake Dehain in Blood Roses. Phia since found out that a Higher Order vampire called Jarin funded that attempt. Jarin is Feinith’s bethrothed and an enemy of Caleb. Members of The Alliance are now being killed off.
  • Both Phia and Jask know Caleb is pursuing her. They know Caleb is aware of what she is, and that he let Leila go – but they don’t yet know why.
  • A secret army attacked Jask’s compound, stole some of the lycan young and destroyed the pack’s herbs days before they are due to morph. Lycanthropy in the Blackthorn world is a life-threatening allergy. Most of the pack will not survive. Jask needs to find supplies from somewhere – and quickly.
  • By the end of Blood Deep, all the lycan young returned to the compound, except for Tuly, Corbin’s daughter, who ended up in Caleb’s hands. Tuly let Caleb know that Phia is at the compound.

Eden and Jessie

  • In Blood Deep, Jessie revealed the effects of Caleb and Leila not seeing their destiny through. There has been a split in the fourth dimension and the fourth species are leaking into Blackthorn. The only way to reclose the dimension is for either Leila or Caleb to kill the other.
  • It is not public knowledge that Caleb is the Tryan. However, as Jessie has seen the prophecy, she’s also seen the face of the Tryan even though she can’t recall it. Sirius is as aware of this as he is of the prophecy itself. He wants to get his hands on Jessie to have her shadow read so he too can discover the identity of the leader and kill whoever it is.
  • Through Jessie’s visions, Sirius was revealed as being the catalyst to the Tryan’s uprising. It is Caleb and Sirius’s showdown, not solely the vampire leader’s uprising, that leads to global devastation.
  • Eden revealed that he had seen angel tears before. He believes Sirius Throme is holding angels at The Facility in Midtown, and that he is testing the superhuman abilities their tears create on his secret army. This is the army they believe invaded the compound and that Sirius now intends to use to invade Blackthorn to capture Kane once and for all.

As with Tuesday’s post, I hope that has helped refresh a few aspects of the story. I know Blackthorn readathons have already started and I hope everyone who is a part of them is having fun picking up on all those little nuances that should now be falling into place. I still can’t quite believe we’re at the mid-way point of the series!

On that note, there are only thirteen days left until the official release of BLOOD DARK! The full paperback cover will be posted between now and then, the first three chapters will be uploaded for you to get a taster of what’s in store, and there will be the all-important Bites. Stay close, we’re nearly there!

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