Blood Spirits

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Before last summer, I was just a normal grad student from California, but then I went to Europe to track down my grandmother’s family and my life changed forever.

Mistaken for Ruli, a runaway princess who, it turned out, was actually my cousin, I was drugged, abducted, and taken to Dobrenica, a tiny and very unusual little kingdom in Eastern Europe.

The handsome man who kidnapped me was Alec, Ruli’s fiance, the man who was slated to rule Dobrenica. Like so many things in this odd little kingdom, their marriage would have a magical component―for when certain members of two royal lines married at a particular point in time, Dobrenica…vanished.

The solution should have been simple, right? Find Ruli and bring her home. Except Ruli didn’t want to come home. Alec and Ruli disliked each other, and to complicate matters further, Alec and I…well, I’ve always been a romantic at heart.

In the end we all did the “right thing.” Brokenhearted yet resolute, I returned to America, but I just couldn’t seem to forget Alec or Dobrenica.

But then I learned that though Ruli and Alec had married, Dobrenica was still in our world. Still in my world. The magic had failed, and no one knew why.

So back I went, but my trip became even more dangerous than it was the first time. I expected personal conflict and politics, even sword fighting. I was also prepared for Dobrenica’s ever-present specters. But I was not prepared for murder, mystery, or the chillingly real presence of the undead.Praise for the Dobrenica series:

“It’s a delightful romp, with just enough loose ends to leave some hope that the doomed romance might not be so doomed at all.” ―Locus

“Humor and rapier-sharp wit…a lively heroine, mysterious ghosts, and a complex and intricate plot.”  ―Publishers Weekly

“Highly recommended for all fantasy and general-fiction collections, as the potential readership is wide, from urban-fantasy readers looking for something lighter but still complex to young women who grew up reading the Princess Diaries series.” ―Booklist

“Sherwood Smith skillfully builds tension almost imperceptibly, and keeps the reader off balance and guessing until the final page.” ―Fresh Fiction

“From the very first page, I was swept into the story.” —Night Owl Reviews

“Sherwood Smith is a world-building genius…. The detail didn’t just flesh out the world; it also made the characters and their motivations much more comprehensible.” —Fantasy WorksSherwood Smith started making books out of paper towels at age six. In between stories, she studied and traveled in Europe, got a Masters degree in history, and now lives in Southern California with her spouse, two kids, and two dogs. She’s worked in jobs ranging from counter work in a smoky harbor bar to the film industry. Writing books is what she loves best. She’s the author of the high fantasy History of Sartorias-deles series as well as the modern-day fantasy adventures of Kim Murray in Coronets and Steel. Learn more at www.sherwoodsmith.net or on Twitter at twitter.com/sherwood_smith.US

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