Blog Tour: Review + #Giveaway: Chasing Azrael by Hazel Butler

Chasing Azrael by Hazel Butler
(Deathly Insanity #1)

Publication date: April 23rd 2014
Genres: Gothic, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

 

 

 

 

When Andee Tilbrook’s husband died, her preoccupation with death turned to obsession. Thanks to her unique ability to commune with the dead, her husband remains all too close, yet never close enough.

Mired in grief, she clings to James’s spirit, slowly losing touch with the world, her friends, and any desire to continue living. But when her friend Josh becomes the target of Natalya, a jealous, capricious and violent Russian beauty, Andee somehow finds the strength to free herself from her misery long enough to help him.

They soon discover that Natalya is wanted by the police for her involvement in a series of grisly murders, and Andee is dragged into the inquiry by the same man who investigated her own husband’s death. Torn between new feelings for Josh, and fear that he might be involved in the murders that seem to threaten anyone who comes close, Andee must face the realities of her life, her past, and her very nature-and do it all in time to save her own life.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22914588-chasing-azrael

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Azrael-Deathly-Insanity-Book-ebook/dp/B00JX0EYIW

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chasing-azrael-hazel-butler/1119282724?ean=9780957368200&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1

 

REVIEW

This has to be one of the most amazing reads I've had the pleasure of losing myself in. Dark, twisted, and intense, this book dug its claws into me and pulled me deeper and deeper into this brilliantly insane story that gave me chills on more than one occasion.

 

Always one step ahead of me, Butler upped the suspense with each turn of the page, throwing curveball after curveball, leaving me breathless and just a tad bit terrified. I wasn't sure if it was the paranormal elements, or the psychotic tendencies of certain characters that had me looking over my shoulder, but it was thrilling from start to finish.

 

Well-paced, eloquently written, and rich with intriguing characters, this was a great mix of murder mystery, paranormal thriller, and horror. I was on the edge of my seat as Andee uncovered the truth behind her past, as well as the bizarre events that brought her closer to death. This book stirred many questions within me, and I felt like I was a part of the cast, actively seeking answers, alongside Andee and her friends.

 

If you love delving into the unknown, while clutching onto your own sanity, this book will enthrall you to no end. Spectacular in every way, this was one read that will haunt me for a very long time.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hazel is an author, artist and archaeologist from Cheshire, England. She is currently in the final year of her PhD, which focuses on Gender Dynamics in Late Iron Age and Early Medieval Britain. She has two archaeological papers published in international journals, as well as several research papers published through Bangor University and the University of Vienna.

Hazel has also published Out of the Dark (an edited volume of Gothic art work, showcasing over thirty artists from around the world), All the Night-Tide (a collection of Gothic/Steampunk fusion short stories based on the poems of Edgar Allan Poe), and ‘Grave’, a short story included in Willow, Weep No More, a fairy tale anthology giving female characters more agency in their roles. Her new novella, Bleizgeist, is a Dark Fantasy tale about a young woman’s isolation and social ostracism due to her unique magical abilities, and her struggle to accept her true nature.

Author links:

http://hazel-butler.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HazelJaneButler

https://twitter.com/hazel_butler

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6042743.Hazel_Butler

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

Tour-wide giveaway (US/CAN)

• 5 x signed copies of Chasing Azrael
• 2 art prints of the Chasing Azrael cover

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Bleizgeist by Hazel Butler

Bleizgeist
Hazel Butler
Published by: Astrid Press
Publication date: December 15th 2015
Genres: Dark Fantasy, New Adult
Cover Designed by author (art by Nathan Park)

Ingary is a harsh land. Cursed by a perpetual winter, the isolated little town has all but forget why they worship the wolf.

Marked by magic she cannot control, Marishka is an outcast.

Alone and starving she is plagued by geiste, the unconscious minds of the people of Ingary, roaming the wilderness as they sleep.

Attracted to the gramarye in Marishka’s blood, the geiste give her no rest. Losing herself to madness, she is saved when she chances to fall in love. But when her affair is discovered, all hope is taken from her.

Beaten and lovelorn, she resigns herself to death.

And then the wolf walks through her door, and Marishka recalls the meaning of Bleizgeist—the spirit of the wolf.

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Praise for Bleizgeist

 

 

‘Filled with atmosphere and chills – a book of beautiful prose and sweeping scope that will have you reading well into the night and beyond.’
-Joel Cornah, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Network

 

‘A good novella has to be complete in itself but also make you want to read more, and Bleizgeist succeeds at both. It’s a beautifully written tale that intertwines darkness and love to devastating effect, concealing and revealing its secrets with a skilful hand. Vivid sensory details bring the whole to life – you can almost taste the cold forest air and hear the cry of the wolves – but it’s the emotion at the heart of this magical story that continues to resonate long after you reach the final page.’
-A.F.E. Smith, Darkhaven (Harper Voyager)

 

‘Bleizgeist is the dark, haunting tale of Marishka’s search for acceptance in a harsh world that reveres and yet shuns her. Butler’s masterful storytelling is merciless. I cried for Marishka more than once. Bleizgeist is an homage to the dark fairytales of old, with a bold and modern approach that makes it very special.’
-Sammy H.K. Smith, Grimbold Books

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hazel is an author, artist and archaeologist from Cheshire, England. She is the founder and owner of The Bookshine Bandit, a business dedicated to helping authors, writers, bloggers, and those looking to self-publish achieve their dreams and maximise their writing potential.

Since 2010 she has been working on a series of Gothic Literary novels, the first of which, Chasing Azrael, was released in April 2014. The Deathly Insanity series is a set of Urban Fantasy novels with overlapping character and plot-lines. Hazel’s other published works include ‘Grave’, a short Dark Fantasy story, and an additional short story and novella published under a pen name.

While her primary interests are in Gothic and Fantasy art and fiction, Hazel reads a wide range of subjects and enjoys most forms of art. In addition to this, she runs The Bipolar Bear, a blog on bipolar disorder, and loves dogs. Her King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Dexter (yes, after the serial killer), is her near-constant companion.

Hazel is currently in the final year of her PhD, which focuses on Gender Dynamics in Late Iron Age and Early Medieval Britain. She studied at The University of Manchester for her Undergraduate degree, then Bangor University for her MA and PhD, spending the two years between her MA and PhD doing corporate archaeology and research excavations, both in Britain and in Austria. She has two papers published in international journals.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / The Bookshine Bandit

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