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Supernatural Tournament #1
Vampire Deception: Thieves & Liars
Power is a game, and this one is rigged.
Some people would be excited about the first magical tournament in thirty years; the first in my lifetime. It's basically the supernatural Olympics, a chance for all five magical races – Wolves, Witches, Trolls, Fae and Vampires – to get their shot at real power. Or at least that's how it's supposed to work.
Too bad the vampires have fixed every tournament for the past three centuries, keeping an iron grip on the rest of us through dark dealings, subterfuge and political betrayal. The mundane human world doesn’t even know we exist, and nothing's ever going to change.
As an undocumented changeling, I’m forced to pose as a low-level witch so they don't strip me of my rights and tear me away from the only family I have left. I just want to stay out of trouble, keep my younger brother in school, and hopefully earn enough to put food on the table.
But all that goes out the window when a vampire strolls into my life with a killer smile and an offer I can’t refuse: one impossible heist, for a lifetime of stability and comfort.
Picking the lock and untangling the magical defenses is the easy part, even in a gorgeous but seriously impractical ball gown. Making it out alive without tipping off the handsome boy scout detective, or the six thousand year old vampire who wants to take me home as a party favor – now that's a little more challenging. And then someone had to go and get murdered.
What was supposed to be one last job triggers a lethal chain of events that will destabilize the vampires’ centuries of supremacy, unearth a secret that could rewrite the history of all magic-kind, and reveal a power that could change everything, if it doesn't kill me first.
Vampire Deception is the first book in a riveting urban fantasy series where 5 supernatural races fight for control of the magical communities. It’s Hunger Games meets Harry Potter, but with a dark and gritty magical realism and some unique applications of Fae mythology. Will the vampires be able to hold onto their control or will their power slip as Evie unravels an ancient conspiracy? Scroll up and one-click today!
Titles in the Supernatural Tournament series:
1 - Vampire Deception: Thieves & Liars
2 - Changeling Exception: Trials of Tiamat
3 - Dragon Champion: Empire of Blood
Some people would be excited about the first magical tournament in thirty years; the first in my lifetime. It's basically the supernatural Olympics, a chance for all five magical races – Wolves, Witches, Trolls, Fae and Vampires – to get their shot at real power. Or at least that's how it's supposed to work.
Too bad the vampires have fixed every tournament for the past three centuries, keeping an iron grip on the rest of us through dark dealings, subterfuge and political betrayal. The mundane human world doesn’t even know we exist, and nothing's ever going to change.
As an undocumented changeling, I’m forced to pose as a low-level witch so they don't strip me of my rights and tear me away from the only family I have left. I just want to stay out of trouble, keep my younger brother in school, and hopefully earn enough to put food on the table.
But all that goes out the window when a vampire strolls into my life with a killer smile and an offer I can’t refuse: one impossible heist, for a lifetime of stability and comfort.
Picking the lock and untangling the magical defenses is the easy part, even in a gorgeous but seriously impractical ball gown. Making it out alive without tipping off the handsome boy scout detective, or the six thousand year old vampire who wants to take me home as a party favor – now that's a little more challenging. And then someone had to go and get murdered.
What was supposed to be one last job triggers a lethal chain of events that will destabilize the vampires’ centuries of supremacy, unearth a secret that could rewrite the history of all magic-kind, and reveal a power that could change everything, if it doesn't kill me first.
Vampire Deception is the first book in a riveting urban fantasy series where 5 supernatural races fight for control of the magical communities. It’s Hunger Games meets Harry Potter, but with a dark and gritty magical realism and some unique applications of Fae mythology. Will the vampires be able to hold onto their control or will their power slip as Evie unravels an ancient conspiracy? Scroll up and one-click today!
Titles in the Supernatural Tournament series:
1 - Vampire Deception: Thieves & Liars
2 - Changeling Exception: Trials of Tiamat
3 - Dragon Champion: Empire of Blood
149 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 7, 2019
Urban fantasy at its best, a thrilling ride right from the start with so many twists and turns especially towards the end that it just makes the reader beg for the 2nd book asap! Evie is not part of the five fae races, she is a changeling, hence not accepted by the fae and having to pass as a low grade witch. She struggles to make a living for her and her younger brother, but poverty grips her with an iron hand and she is sinking fast. A vampire strolls into her life when it is at its lowest with a proposition which could set her up for life, but she has to carry out a heist during the supernatural tournament being held at Grace Cathedral, where everyone who is anyone including the Triumvirate and champions of the five races will be present. She is to steal for Dante, the treaty of the five races, which was like the magical declaration of independence, no joke, but the poverty noose was round her neck and tightening, bills needed to be paid so she and Domino's gang accepted but of course nothing goes as planned!! Things took such a turn that even our characters where taken by storm. I just know I have to read the next book to find out what happens to Evie and her friends in this very exciting first book in the series.
May 24, 2020
a few days ago I read a UF book (which shall remained unnamed) with a similar premise - magical dystopia, down out of her luck thief, stealing an artefact, setting up a crew etc. and it was so bland. Reading vampire deception, made me realise how this premise can be made riveting and exciting, if the world building and MC is someone who can pull you in.
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February 3, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/3/2020)! 🎁
February 4, 2020
Fae or Changling
Part of the supernatural races, but still struggling when fate steps in against you. Forced to try alternate means to keep family. Pages flowed last with some twists and turns. Join the competition and read on.
Part of the supernatural races, but still struggling when fate steps in against you. Forced to try alternate means to keep family. Pages flowed last with some twists and turns. Join the competition and read on.
September 16, 2020
Pleasantly surprised with how this turned out. It started with my fascination with the author's idea of changelings and ended up with me excited about this mix of the paranormal world and Ocean's Eleven. I really enjoyed the "gang" and was anxious to see if they could pull of the job. That cliffhanger, though!
January 28, 2020
Holy smokes, where has this kind of urban fantasy been hiding all my life?! It is everything I hoped for. By leaning heavily on the characters and the fantastical side of paranormal life rather than being a cookie-cutter magical PI crime drama, it's so much more fun. The description says Harry Potter but that's not quite right - this is fast-pace New Adult, no school angst teenage drama or big bad coming-of-age curses.
We follow the 20-something Evangeline as she struggles to make ends meet. Working a bajillionty jobs trying to make rent and afford school fees for her younger brother, the last thing she needs is a group of werewolves trying to rob the cash register. Or the vampire with a proposition who steps in to "save" her. Or the werewolf cop who's more than just a pretty face snooping around her cover story. Because in the hidden world of supernatural races, she and her brother don't fit in. Not like trolls, gobins and wolves who are snubbed, nor like the witches, vampires or fae who have nothing better to do with their time than plot and scheme against each other. Evie's an anomaly, one the mysterious Dante wants to exploit. She used to play the heist game, and he's got one last job for her. One that'll either solve all her problems, or give her a metric ton of new ones.
My literal only complaint is it could have been longer in terms of setting up Evie and her brother's relationship. That. Is. It. The sudden cut cliffhanger ending is also rather cruel and the blurb gives away a lot of the plot but... As a picky reader, finding something like this in a genre that I'm usually "meh" about is mind-blowing. That's how much I loved it.
Evie's just the right mix of humour, sass and heroics. She doesn't snark constantly in that vicious way lots of heroines do, but she is genuinely Millennial level funny. Of course she's got special powers and is a special snowflake, but it's not rubbed in your face. Heck, she makes a point of using her abilities as little as possible because they weird even her out. And you know what makes her my new favourite special snowflake? She can be around attractive guys without turning into a drooling paranormal romance lead. She also reads as a genuine female character (despite that lack of swooning - le gasp!) which is something lots of urban fantasy ladies seem to struggle with. Her "mundie" problems and jokes feel like real world ones. Side characters are good for their parts, and I was really curious about the inclusion of a grifter who uses sign language.
World building is on point. Magical world, mundane world, Fae borders - bam. Quick, simple, efficient setting the scene. There's a lot of information, lore and storytelling going on within the narrative itself, but it's natural rather than an info-dump. The pace is fast, furious, and let's face it, just right for the tone.
It's light but dang, it's fun. Book 2 here I come
We follow the 20-something Evangeline as she struggles to make ends meet. Working a bajillionty jobs trying to make rent and afford school fees for her younger brother, the last thing she needs is a group of werewolves trying to rob the cash register. Or the vampire with a proposition who steps in to "save" her. Or the werewolf cop who's more than just a pretty face snooping around her cover story. Because in the hidden world of supernatural races, she and her brother don't fit in. Not like trolls, gobins and wolves who are snubbed, nor like the witches, vampires or fae who have nothing better to do with their time than plot and scheme against each other. Evie's an anomaly, one the mysterious Dante wants to exploit. She used to play the heist game, and he's got one last job for her. One that'll either solve all her problems, or give her a metric ton of new ones.
My literal only complaint is it could have been longer in terms of setting up Evie and her brother's relationship. That. Is. It. The sudden cut cliffhanger ending is also rather cruel and the blurb gives away a lot of the plot but... As a picky reader, finding something like this in a genre that I'm usually "meh" about is mind-blowing. That's how much I loved it.
Evie's just the right mix of humour, sass and heroics. She doesn't snark constantly in that vicious way lots of heroines do, but she is genuinely Millennial level funny. Of course she's got special powers and is a special snowflake, but it's not rubbed in your face. Heck, she makes a point of using her abilities as little as possible because they weird even her out. And you know what makes her my new favourite special snowflake? She can be around attractive guys without turning into a drooling paranormal romance lead. She also reads as a genuine female character (despite that lack of swooning - le gasp!) which is something lots of urban fantasy ladies seem to struggle with. Her "mundie" problems and jokes feel like real world ones. Side characters are good for their parts, and I was really curious about the inclusion of a grifter who uses sign language.
World building is on point. Magical world, mundane world, Fae borders - bam. Quick, simple, efficient setting the scene. There's a lot of information, lore and storytelling going on within the narrative itself, but it's natural rather than an info-dump. The pace is fast, furious, and let's face it, just right for the tone.
It's light but dang, it's fun. Book 2 here I come
June 11, 2019
Humans have no idea the magical world exists; a magical world filled with Fae, Goblins, Trolls, Witches, Werewolves, and Vampires - who rule over all. These groups are considered the Five Races (Side note: Goblins and Trolls are considered the same race). When the Fae have children of mixed blood, those children are considered “changelings” and are abandoned.
Evie has grown up believing she is just such a being, and while she understands most of her powers, she doesn’t exactly understand how to use or control them, or what they can all do. She mostly lives paycheck to paycheck with 3-4 jobs while supporting her younger brother since their parents (her adopted parents) died. She use to be involved in a criminal gang but has quit that life ... until life unravels faster then she can keep up with it and she is pulled back in for one job.
The backer for this job is a Vampire who only gives the team a day to get their plan together and steal the priceless Treaty of the Five Races. And while the job gets completed, it doesn’t go exactly as planned and leaves everyone with more questions than answers.
The book was well written, the dialogue was believable, the characters had chemistry, and there was a hint of world building that wasn’t boring. The only drawback to the book was the ending, which ended on a cliffhanger that felt more like a chapter ending than a book ending. I wanted to turn the page and keep reading!
*free ARC provided by the author for an honest review*
Evie has grown up believing she is just such a being, and while she understands most of her powers, she doesn’t exactly understand how to use or control them, or what they can all do. She mostly lives paycheck to paycheck with 3-4 jobs while supporting her younger brother since their parents (her adopted parents) died. She use to be involved in a criminal gang but has quit that life ... until life unravels faster then she can keep up with it and she is pulled back in for one job.
The backer for this job is a Vampire who only gives the team a day to get their plan together and steal the priceless Treaty of the Five Races. And while the job gets completed, it doesn’t go exactly as planned and leaves everyone with more questions than answers.
The book was well written, the dialogue was believable, the characters had chemistry, and there was a hint of world building that wasn’t boring. The only drawback to the book was the ending, which ended on a cliffhanger that felt more like a chapter ending than a book ending. I wanted to turn the page and keep reading!
*free ARC provided by the author for an honest review*
June 12, 2019
What a wild and crazy ride!
Evie was minding her business at one of her three jobs when a witch, a vampire and then three punk werewolves walk in. Somehow the vampire knows her name and personal info about her. What the heck? He wants her to do a job for him by stealing something. It would be the answer to her mounting debt, and help keep her younger brother in private school. Since their folks died she did everything in her power to make sure Andrew succeeded. In the middle of this discussion the punk weres tried to rob her. SURPRISE they don't know who they're messing with. So begins this crazy adventure. In a world filled with vampires, fae, witches, weres, trolls, changelings and more Evie has no clue what race she actually is. Her folks lied on paperwork claiming she and her brother are witches...just with little to no ability. Andrew refuses to give up on doing magic, but she knows the truth. They're not witches. Evie is convinced they're changelings, but that's part of the mystery in this book. There seems to be a huge secret amongst all the supernaturals. Having formed a peace treaty among the five species centuries ago, maybe that's not exactly the truth? Will it take a rogue vampire, a cop and a band of thieves to help uncover this secret? Will Evie finally learn what she actually is? This was a great start to a new series! Filled with twists and turns and lots of adrenaline. I can't wait to learn what happens next!!!
Evie was minding her business at one of her three jobs when a witch, a vampire and then three punk werewolves walk in. Somehow the vampire knows her name and personal info about her. What the heck? He wants her to do a job for him by stealing something. It would be the answer to her mounting debt, and help keep her younger brother in private school. Since their folks died she did everything in her power to make sure Andrew succeeded. In the middle of this discussion the punk weres tried to rob her. SURPRISE they don't know who they're messing with. So begins this crazy adventure. In a world filled with vampires, fae, witches, weres, trolls, changelings and more Evie has no clue what race she actually is. Her folks lied on paperwork claiming she and her brother are witches...just with little to no ability. Andrew refuses to give up on doing magic, but she knows the truth. They're not witches. Evie is convinced they're changelings, but that's part of the mystery in this book. There seems to be a huge secret amongst all the supernaturals. Having formed a peace treaty among the five species centuries ago, maybe that's not exactly the truth? Will it take a rogue vampire, a cop and a band of thieves to help uncover this secret? Will Evie finally learn what she actually is? This was a great start to a new series! Filled with twists and turns and lots of adrenaline. I can't wait to learn what happens next!!!
July 8, 2019
It was slow to warm up but had a heart racing ending with a couple of twists that I didn't see coming! I enjoyed every minute of it.
Interesting world-building, interesting characters, interesting to read about the conflicting versions of history between the races. I am intrigued by the mystery surrounding Evie's true identity and strange powers and I'm excited to see how they develop and impact on the story over the rest of the series. I did find some of the motivations for Evie taking on a high stakes job with little preparation implausible. No amount of money is useful to you if you are dead, and she seems smart and experienced enough to recognise the risk was too high not just with the job itself but the likelihood that if she did happen to be successful that the powerful people that she was stealing from would hunt her down and destroy her and her brother and anyone else she holds dear. I am also looking forward to finding out what the mystery is surrounding the item they steal and how it might rewrite history as it is currently known for the five supernatural races and therefore rewrite the future. I hope it will make the world a better place for changelings, trolls and goblins who I've become quite fond of and who have very little power and are treated poorly by society.
Only other real negative for me is that it seemed too brief. I feel like the story needed to be a bit longer to be true value for money. Otherwise a strong start to what I think will be a brilliant series!
Interesting world-building, interesting characters, interesting to read about the conflicting versions of history between the races. I am intrigued by the mystery surrounding Evie's true identity and strange powers and I'm excited to see how they develop and impact on the story over the rest of the series. I did find some of the motivations for Evie taking on a high stakes job with little preparation implausible. No amount of money is useful to you if you are dead, and she seems smart and experienced enough to recognise the risk was too high not just with the job itself but the likelihood that if she did happen to be successful that the powerful people that she was stealing from would hunt her down and destroy her and her brother and anyone else she holds dear. I am also looking forward to finding out what the mystery is surrounding the item they steal and how it might rewrite history as it is currently known for the five supernatural races and therefore rewrite the future. I hope it will make the world a better place for changelings, trolls and goblins who I've become quite fond of and who have very little power and are treated poorly by society.
Only other real negative for me is that it seemed too brief. I feel like the story needed to be a bit longer to be true value for money. Otherwise a strong start to what I think will be a brilliant series!
July 9, 2019
The tale takes place mostly in a magical parallel plane of our world - a place where magical beings can exist without scrutiny amongst humans. The protaganist, Evie (along with her brother) doesn't 'fit' in with her supernatural counterparts. She identifies herself as a low level witch because that classification doesn't carry the stigma of what she really believes herself to be - a changeling.
Working 3 jobs, she is still unable to pay the rent and support her younger brother. When a vampire enters her life and offers her the opportunity to solve all of her financial woes for the rest of her life - as long as she completes one near impossible job - she reluctantly agrees. And that's when the wild romp begins!
Slow to start (understandable because the characters and relationships require development), the plot picks up quickly. I found myself jumping around on the page, wanting to see what happens next, then going back to complete the paragraphs I'd missed. I was hooked.
The drawback to me is that this is more half a book than complete. It ends on a cliffhanger. While I will definitely read the next book because I'm dying to see what happens next, the ploy isn't necessary. I am already invested in the series. I like the characters, the 'world', and the writing. Bring it!
Working 3 jobs, she is still unable to pay the rent and support her younger brother. When a vampire enters her life and offers her the opportunity to solve all of her financial woes for the rest of her life - as long as she completes one near impossible job - she reluctantly agrees. And that's when the wild romp begins!
Slow to start (understandable because the characters and relationships require development), the plot picks up quickly. I found myself jumping around on the page, wanting to see what happens next, then going back to complete the paragraphs I'd missed. I was hooked.
The drawback to me is that this is more half a book than complete. It ends on a cliffhanger. While I will definitely read the next book because I'm dying to see what happens next, the ploy isn't necessary. I am already invested in the series. I like the characters, the 'world', and the writing. Bring it!
June 5, 2019
Vampire Deception:Thieves and Liars by Eli Grant and Drake Mason is the start of a good series. I think this first book was meant to lay the foundation down to this unique world the authors are building. It did start out a little slow in the beginning. But that’s not necessary a bad thing. We get to know Evie pretty well. A girl who had to give up her youth to take on her deceased parents role. Everything she does is to give her brother a better life. That’s why when she runs out of options she has no choice but to be involved in the heist of the century.We get introduced to several more key players. But my faves were the 2 that really stole the show...Dee and Flint. I really hope to see more of this funny duo in the next book. The book did end with a cliffhanger. But the excitement towards the end of the book will have you counting down to the next one. Gave this book 3 ⭐️. It’s the start of a promising series!
June 25, 2019
Power is a game, and this one is rigged.
After losing her job, Evie has to undertake a job she really didn't want to take and not just that but for a vampire, she doesn't even like. With the help of her friends will she be able to complete the mission and get paid so she can continue to look after her brother. What a great start to what looks to be an excellent series. I admit it took me a little while to get into the story but once I was in, I didn't want to come back out! The world built by the author is fantastic and the whole story left me wanting more. Can't wait for book 2 to come out!
After losing her job, Evie has to undertake a job she really didn't want to take and not just that but for a vampire, she doesn't even like. With the help of her friends will she be able to complete the mission and get paid so she can continue to look after her brother. What a great start to what looks to be an excellent series. I admit it took me a little while to get into the story but once I was in, I didn't want to come back out! The world built by the author is fantastic and the whole story left me wanting more. Can't wait for book 2 to come out!
February 3, 2020
This is the first in a series about supernatural creatures. Fae, Goblins, trolls, werewolves, vampires, witches, and changelings. Evie is trying to do the best that she can for her younger brother but things do not go as planned when she working one night and the place is almost robbed. Evie is stronger then she should be and things happen that she can’t explain to the police. Dante is a vampire who is trying to recruit her for a job and happens to be at the bodega when things go down. He seems to know more about her than she cares for him to know. Things go from bad to worse in a matter of a couple of days.
August 22, 2022
A bit of a slow start, but it definitely picked up about halfway in. Great world building, even a bit of back history. The thing that really hooked me was the snarky, strong female lead. Evie was hiding who she truly was throughout the book. The vampire Dante was very cryptic and ambiguous. Evie is trying to support her younger brother and agrees to a job from Dante to steal something precious. Twists and turns along the way. We discover a bit more about Evie and her talents. What a way to end the book but it was such a good cliffhanger. I was left with questions and can’t wait to pick up the next in the series.
June 11, 2019
All kinds of super naturals. Evie is a changeling, but my papers say I'm a low witch. I'm taking care of my brother after our parents were killed. Dante wants Evie to do a job for him, the type of work she doesn't do anymore. She ends up losing her jobs and now I have to take this. Its last minute, can they do it? Its at the Tournament that they have every 30 years. Can her and her group do it? What will happen if they get caught? Will Dante stand by them? What will happen? I will say the story has a cliffhanger. I received a free copy for my honest review.
June 5, 2019
Vampire Deception is such a good book. The world building is fantastic. The story is exciting and the ending - awesome though a bit annoying since I'm not sure when book 2 is coming out.
I want to know more about Evie's background and what the ancient conspiracy is.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
I want to know more about Evie's background and what the ancient conspiracy is.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
June 15, 2019
This storyline is fast-paced with action, good paranormal characters, a job offer that must be accepted to secure a brother's education. The heroine is a changeling who hides who she is, and who struggles to do right by her brother. I liked it. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.
June 28, 2019
1st of all. I recommend this book... It's something you don't read everyday.. it's got an amazing imaginative story and world built around the main character. Character also has a great background build up so far... The book ended a bit sudden which I didn't like as it leaves you with all these questions but I can't wait to read the next one!
June 10, 2019
This is a fantastic read. Especially if your a lover of the Supernatural. Its fast paced and action packed. Theres twists and turns that I didn't see coming. The Characters and world building is great as well. This is definitely a must read. A home run
Shauna Joesten
Shauna Joesten
June 16, 2019
This is a great introduction to a new series. Evie and her friends are hired by a vampire to steal a very old and extremely valuable object. Although everything was planned well, things didn't go quite as planned and all hell broke loose. It all ended with Evie's friends questioning her ancestry.
June 23, 2019
Interesting Paranormal Fiction
This was an interesting story. Liked the mundane and magical setup. Great set of characters and an interesting premise. I do not like cliff hanger ending in series books however, which this book definitely has.
This was an interesting story. Liked the mundane and magical setup. Great set of characters and an interesting premise. I do not like cliff hanger ending in series books however, which this book definitely has.
June 17, 2019
Starts a little slow. Great world building. Interesting characters.
May 31, 2019
Thrilling first book in the new Supernatural Tournament series! Takes you on a quick-paced rollercoaster ride from the first page! Crammed full of changelings, trolls, werewolves, goblins, witches & dangerous, ancient vampires. Great characters, descriptive writing, together with an exciting storyline; make this a 'must read' book that's, unfortunately, over too soon! Can't wait to see what'll happen to Evie & her team in the next book, hopefully, soon? Highly recommended magical read.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews