
Today is the last day of September. That means Fall is definitely in the air and that it is time again for the Return of Something Wicked! Prepare yourselves for an entire month of guest posts, interviews, reviews and giveaways for all types of paranormal/Halloween reads. Check in daily on Rainy Day Ramblings for the schedule. Don't forget to take some time and enter all the great giveaways on the Something Wicked Returns Giveaway Hop! My giveaway will kick off this afternoon. Also don't miss the weekly challenges. If you missed my puzzle challenge, there is still time to enter.

Now to get this started early, I have invited one of my favorite indie authors here to share her wickedly hot NA release: Torch. This is a book with a sizzling hot romance and a scary plot involving an arsonist murderer. All of you NA fans won't want to miss it!I am excited to once again host my friend Cambria Hebert. For all of you who are long time followers you know that Cambria makes regular appearances on this blog, for new followers, if you haven't read Cambria's books yet, what are you waiting for? Let me introduce you to my friend Cambria Hebert:
Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series, The Death Escort Series and the New Adult Take It Off Series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went ot college for a bachelor's degree, couldn't pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured, her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and fury), where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting: her blog, Facebook, twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest and Youtube.
Now since we are headed into the month where we celebrate all things scary, I decided to go with the theme of what you fear the most on my blog during October. I am asking authors to share what they fear the most, should be an interesting month, right? To help me start the month, Cambria is here to share her fears. Please welcome Cambria:
My Top Five Fears
by Cambria Hebert
5. Clutter. I hate clutter. It’s all… well, cluttery. I can’t think when my house has too much stuff lying around. Its distracting. And you never know… you might get lost in the mess and never get out!!

4. Spiders. When a big one is in my house and my husband isn’t home I do one of two things: suck it up in the vaccum OR place a bowl over top of it for my husband to get when he comes home.

3. Toilet snakes. For real. I look inside the toilet every time before I sit. Even in the middle of the night I turn the light on and look to be sure there is nothing lurking in there. Hey. It could happen.
2. Crickets. They’re gross. They’re noisy. They jump at you. *shudders* And I swear every cricket around my house is ALWAYS missing a leg. Have you ever seen a three legged cricket? It’s creepy as hell.

1. Chickens!!!! They are creepy. And I’m sorry but how in the heck do those spindly legs hold up their nasty bodies? They look like they should fall over. Ew!

I totally agree with everything on your list, except the chickens. Clutter drives me crazy, and I am horrified by the Hoarding shows! Spiders creep me out, especially because they lurk and scare you when you are least expecting it! Crickets are kin to grasshoppers, and I am terrified of grasshoppers! Oh and toilet snakes, I remember hearing and seeing photos of snakes in toilets and alligators in the sewers when I was young, so I have been checking my toilets for signs of alligators and snakes since I was a kid! Cambria's list reminds me of the first post she did for my blog when she was a debut author. I convinced her to write a story featuring some of these fears and it was called Zombie Chickens! Still funny!
Okay, now to the best part of the post.....the lovely Cambria is offering a chance to win a signed copy of Torch! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (don't worry International folks, Cambria will be back at the end of the month with fantastic International giveaway for you all). To enter fill out the Rafflecopter after reading the Contest Policies. Good Luck! This is just the first of many fabulous giveaways to come, so be sure to tune in daily for your giveaway fix!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Here is my review:
Torch(Take It Off #1) by Cambria Hebert

If you can’t take the heat… stay away from the flame.
Katie Parks has been on her own since the age of fifteen. All she’s ever wanted is a place to call her own—a life that is wholly hers that no one can take away.
She thought she finally had it, but with the strike of a single match, everything she worked so hard for is reduced to a pile of smoking ash.
And she almost is too.
Now she’s being stalked by someone who’s decided it’s her time to die.
The only thing standing in the path of her blazing death is sexy firefighter Holt Arkain.
Katie’s body might be safe with Holt… but her heart is another story.
As the danger heats up, sparks fly and the only thing Katie knows for sure is that her whole life is about to go up in flames.
Kindle Edition, 252 pages
Published August 13th 2013
Source: Purchased

Four Stars: A thrilling NA suspense novel with a sizzling romance!
Katie wakes to a horrific scene. She is tied to a chair in her own living room. The stench of gasoline assaults her nose. How did she get here when she was sleeping comfortably in her bed? Before Katie can further assess the situation, she hears a sounds that strikes terror into her soul. It is the sound of a match being lit. Quickly, she is engulfed in flames, and she prepares to die, but then someone comes crashing through the fire and pulls her out just in time. Katie wakes in the hospital to find herself badly burned, but at her bedside is her handsome rescuer. Before long, Katie is losing her heart, and for someone who has been alone it is frightening. That is the least of her worries, as she seems to have attracted a killer. Who is trying to kill her and why?
What I Liked:
- I have quickly lost interest in the NA genre because I feel that too many of the books are built on the same thing: two broken individuals with loads of baggage coming together, falling in love and healing. I am desperate for something fresh in this category. Thankfully, author Cambria Hebert is here to save the day. This is her second go in the NA genre. Her first book, Charmed, is another must read. This time around, her book brings us something that I haven't read in NA. A suspenseful mystery, oh and there is plenty of heat as well. I loved that this book was an exciting page turner without all the drama and angst. This is a book you can pick up and read in a couple of hours as it is a pleasant escape. For those of you who are bored with the redundancy in NA, here is a breath of fresh air.
- I always appreciate Ms. Hebert's likable characters. She does it again with Katie and Holt. Katie is twenty two, a librarian, and someone who has been on her own since the age of fifteen. She is shy, reserved and determined to lead a quiet, simple life. That all changes when she wakes to find someone trying to burn her alive. In spite of it all, she maintains her spunk and sense of humor. Then in walks Holt Arkain. Can I just say, could I have a Holt please? He is a sexy, hot fireman who has a heart of gold. He is incredibly kind, generous and he falls for the damsel in distress. These two collide and the sparks that ensue are not for the timid.
- For all of you who like your romance spicy hot, this book delivers. The sex scenes are simmering with passion, but not over the top. There is enough detail to fuel your imagination, but not so much that your cheeks will flame, and you will feel compelled to hide your book from prying eyes.
- I enjoyed the suspenseful mystery and it was hard to guess as to who would be stalking Katie and why they wanted to kill her. It was definitely a surprise once the killer and the motives are revealed.
- I loved that this was a fast paced and entertaining read. I picked this up and read it in a couple of hours. There was a delicious romance, a thrilling mystery and it moves along at a brisk pace.
And The Not So Much:
- I am used to Ms. Hebert's books being told with dual narratives. I have always appreciated being able to get inside both her male and female protagonists' heads. I was a little disappointed that his book is told through the eyes of Katie alone. I very much wanted to see inside Holt's thoughts and learn more about what made him tick. I was very much wanting to know why he felt compelled to follow up with Katie in the hospital and why he decided to care for her. Was it her looks? The whole damsel in distress thing? Or an inexplicable love at first sight attraction? Ms. Hebert excels at two point of view narration, and I hope she will continue with what she does best in her next book.
- Let's talk about that smoking hot romance. I know many of you may be put off because it feels like it is insta love. Sure it moves very fast, but yet it doesn't. It is a bit strange that Holt offers Katie a place to stay while she gets on her feet. There is a lot of chemistry and plenty of attraction, but it does take awhile before it ignites. I thought it was paced about right, aside from the fact that I thought it was a little forward of Holt to take Katie home.
- I was in the dark regarding the whole murder mystery until Katie meets with the lawyer. Once he reveals certain information, it became crystal clear to me who was after Katie. Not a big deal, but I wished that there was more surprise.
Torch is a NA book for anyone looking for something unique in the NA genre. This is a fast paced, thrilling mystery with a sexy romance that will leave you smiling. If you are looking for a book without the heavy drama and you want a read that you can breeze through and enjoy, definitely check out Torch.
Favorite Quotations:
"He was ruggedly casual. He had the kind of look that women of any age would follow with their eyes until he was completely out of sight. It was as if he put not a single thought into the way he stepped out of the house."
"Unfortunately. We were high school sweethearts. She grew out of being a sweetheart."
"He was the anchor to my drifting boat. The roots to my growing tree. Without him, I surely would have floated away into some kind of unreachable place within the confines of my brain."
"Mom always said the key to life was playing the cards you were dealt. Well, how could I play when I didn't understand the game?"
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
That's a wrap for the first Something Wicked Returns post. Watch for the Hop later today and be sure to check in all week for more exciting posts and giveaways! A big thanks to Cambria for helping me get things started!