by: Katherine McIntyre
Series: Philadelphia Coven Chronicles
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Release Date: August 9, 2016
Publisher: Loose Id
Jev was looking for an adventure, however she wanted the usual variety of stomping out nasty fae in the city as an enforcer of the Philly Coven. Instead, handsome as sin Liam O'Reilly shows up on her doorstep dropping news of the worst organization of fae they'd dealt with on the rise again. Except, he's a traitor, an asshole, and the absolute last person she wants to work with.
However, the longer they work together, the more the fire between them burns, turning from rage and irritation into something primal. And as she gets to know the real Liam O'Reilly behind the charming smiles and sexy lines, he becomes so much deadlier. Because the protective, self-sacrificing man underneath his facade is just the sort she could fall for.
Hi Kat. Welcome to Read Your Writes Book Reviews. How are you?
I’m doing great, especially with my latest release ready to go! Thank you so much for having me today!
You are more than welcome. You’re a new to me author. Thus, I’m going to put you on the spot with the “tell me about yourself question”. So, who is Katherine McIntyre?
To any astrology junkies like me, I usually respond that I’m an Aries-Taurus cusp and that does the trick. As a person, I’m hyper, hopeful, short-tempered, and determined as anything. As a writer, issues that are important to me tend to work themselves into my stories, such as inequality between men and women, the struggle with loneliness, not fitting in, and isolation. This leads to a lot of deep and complex female leads in my books and characters who find someone to love and a place to belong.
Oh. I like that you put your issues into your books. I think that tends to make characters more real. Tell me about the genres you write and why you’ve chosen to write in them?
Since I was a kid, I always used to escape into fantasy books. However, when I write, I like the focus on the characters that romance writing allows, so paranormal romance seemed to be the best marriage of the two. One of my absolute favorite things to read and write is snarky dialogue, so paranormal romance and urban fantasy seem to be my top choice genres since that sort of sass tends to crop up there more often.
Let’s talk about your Philadelphia Coven Chronicles series. What can you tell me about the series? Are the books standalone?
The books can work as standalone, but the story all weaves together, so while you can still enjoy them on their own, they’re much more impactful reading in order. As someone who grew up in the Philly suburbs, I knew at some point I’d be writing an urban fantasy set in Philly, and this is the story that cropped up. I love, love, love making the everyday magical, and this provided the opportunity to take some locations I’ve known from an early age and weave a whole other fantastical universe into them. Fairies in Fairmount Park? Who would’ve thought!
I’m trying to wrap my head around the world you’ve created for this series. From the series title, I know the series takes place in Philadelphia. But is there a magical world underneath that humans know nothing about? Or is all the magic taking place right before our unseeing eyes?
The magic is taking place before unseeing eyes. A lot of it involves fae glamour, which warps the reality around so that people see what they want to see. I love that sort of thing, because it plays with our own tendencies to doubt what we view before our eyes.
Hunting for Spring immediately got my attention. Tell me about the book and its lead characters of Conor and Brenna.
Conor Malone is a hunter, one of the lone soldiers in the fight to take down supernatural disruptions in the city. He’s more open minded and kinder than his tough as nails father who hates all things fae. Brenna is a half-breed, part fae, which means she’s spent her entire life not fitting into either realm.
Why do you feel these two were right for each other?
They’re both so lonely, just wanting to find someone who’s willing to step into a different future than the way they were raised. Conor’s father isolated him from most, which may have kept him sharp for survival, but Conor doesn’t want the cold existence his father has. Brenna’s lived alone for so long, unable to trust anyone and has shields a mile high. Conor’s natural sweetness is the sort that ends up melting those defenses and bringing out the fiercely loyal and caring woman behind her icy responses.
Your latest book in the series is Scrying for Summer. Please tell me about it and the lead characters of Jev and Liam.
In Scrying for Summer, the big bads from Hunting for Spring return. I was beyond excited to write this one, because Jev was my favorite character from Hunting for Spring, the exact sort of sassy, larger than life personality that I love to write. I tend to brainstorm out loud at home, and when my husband heard the concept for this one, he was like…really? Based on reading Hunting for Spring, it seems far-fetched, but when they’re stuck working together, their personalities and issues just meld together in the perfect, explosive way.
Why do you feel these two were right for each other, when trust seems to be a huge issue for them?
Liam made some incredibly bad choices down the line (don’t want to spoil Hunting for Spring!) and Jev’s the sort of black and white character who refuses to acknowledge the circumstances that can push people to be bad guys. I wholeheartedly adored the way her perceptions began to shift over the book, how he managed to push her to think beyond those rigid guidelines. And likewise, I loved beyond measure the way Jev called him on the way he didn’t value his life, his self-sacrificing nature, and pushed him to fight instead.
What do you love about these four characters?
I love them for all different reasons. Conor is someone who’s managed to stay soft despite his harsh upbringing, who genuinely wants to help people. Brenna grew up to be sharp and distrustful, but those few who grasp her loyalty witness an entirely different person who’s capable of deep affection and devotion. Jev’s loud, blunt, and ferocious as hell, and she uses everything in her arsenal to fight for the people she cares about. Liam’s more like Brenna, using his unaffected mask and slick words to keep people at a distance, but he would trade his own happiness in a heartbeat for those he loves.
I hear books and characters sometimes surprise an author in ways they never imagined. Who surprised you the most and why?
Liam did, actually. When I first started writing Hunting for Spring, he came off one-dimensional and cruel, however by the end of the book, I took his character in an entirely different direction, giving him depth beyond the surface. I’m a pantser, not a plotter, so while I have a vague idea of what’s going on, a lot of times the characters and circumstances end up surprising me. And when I wrote Liam’s perspective in Scrying for Summer, the continual depths I discovered with his character were an absolute joy to write.
What do you want readers to come away with, after reading these books?
Even the most damaged and broken souls can find their tribe. So many of these characters are so alone at the beginning, either not thinking they’re worthy of love, or refusing to accept it as an option because of their circumstances. I love how humans can transform. How they can change, grow, and learn, and most of all how they can help each other achieve that. As always, I want people to read my books with a renewed faith in humanity.
Kat. It was a pleasure interviewing you. Thank you so much for your time. Is there anything you would like to add?
Thank you so much for having me! I had an absolute blast discussing this series! Right now I’m currently working on book three, Rising for Autumn, featuring the coven leader, Alanna, and a sexy djinn, Samuel. Both characters appear in Scrying for Summer. I’m super excited about this one, so I’ll share a never before seen sneak peek!
Sneak peek of Rising for Autumn
“A chill swept through the air, the sort of graveyard chill that promised bad news was to follow. Sam’s focus sharpened as he scanned over his surroundings. After being under Destrius’s control for so long, that inherent paranoia was a hard habit to break. The slight slap in the distance of footsteps drew his attention at once. Further along the trail, someone jogged in his direction, an oddity this late and night, enough to snare his attention.
The moment the features of the tall brunette with the pin-perfect ponytail came into focus, Sam let out a groan. Alanna Carrington, head witch of the Philadelphia coven, hurtled his way, and with her, trouble was a guarantee.”
Nice. Thank you again. I’m looking forward to reading the first book, Hunting for Spring.
Scrying for Summer
He shook his head, letting out a slow sigh. “Why the hell did I go to the most stubborn, infuriating woman on the planet for help? Of course you won’t listen when it’s not your damn fight.” His eyes flashed as he met her gaze, but she didn’t back down or look away.
“Part of my charm,” Jev threw back, adding in an impudent smile for extra effect. Her blood boiled as she challenged him, but there was no way in hell she’d get sent packing the second a little trouble reared. The humid air between them charged with tension as they stared at each other, neither willing to look away.
He reached forward, but before she could react, his hand gripped the back of her neck, and his lips pressed against hers. The scent of motor oil and cedar surrounded her, and the rough scrape of his mouth sent her senses reeling as sparks traveled to her fingertips. Her body responded before her mind caught up as she pressed against him, her tongue darting into his mouth to taste coffee and sweetness. His fingertips wandered up as he laced them through her hair, a sensation that made her shiver.
She should’ve been on alert after all the Unseelie they’d run into today, yet here she stood on a street corner kissing the hell out of the once-traitor, Liam O’Reilly.
He broke away first, a smirk on his lips that sent her temperature rising in the wanting-to-sling punches way. “Since you’re so determined to help, see you bright and early, babe.”
Without another word, he jammed his hands into his cargo pockets and slunk down the road, heading in a different direction than her apartment. Confusion reigned havoc on her senses as she stood there, hands balled into fists and still blinking at what had just happened. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips still tingled, but already the man had managed to enflame her temper yet again. She’d thought she had him pegged, but every time they interacted, he pulled out some different facet that made her question her preexisting view of him.
One thing was for sure, Liam made her crazy in a way few men could manage.
Purchase Scrying for Summer from:
The Philadelphia Coven Chronicles Series:
(Clicking on the book covers will take you to Amazon.)
A modern day Renaissance-woman, Katherine McIntyre has learned soapmaking, beer brewing, tea blending, and most recently roasting coffee. Most of which make sure she’s hydrated and bathed while she spends the rest of her time writing. With a desire to travel and more imagination than she knows what to do with, all the stories jumping around in her head led to the logical route of jotting them down on paper. She writes novels with snarky women, ragtag crews, and guys with bad attitudes. High chances for a passionate speech thrown into the mix.
Places to find Katherine McIntyre:
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