Happy Friday! I’m very excited to be sharing with you all about Aileen Erin’s latest series which kicks off with INVOCATION, the first book in the Days of Iron and Clay paranormal romance series! If you’ve read her Alpha Girl series then you’ll spot some familiar faces and if you haven’t, no worries! You don’t need to have read that series at all to enjoy this one but it’ll probably inspire you to! Okay okay let’s get back on task. Keep reading my post to find out more about the book and its author, a lil sneak peek, my review, and the awesome goodies that came in the promo box!

The Book

Invocation
(Days of Iron and Clay #1)
Aileen Erin
NA Paranormal Romance
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo

From USA Today Bestselling Author, Aileen Erin, comes an all new action-packed, romance-filled, paranormal series.

There are three things I know without question. One, demons are real. Two humans make awful mistakes that get them in demonic trouble more often than you’d think. And three, I’m the only one who can help them.

I straddle the line between the mortal and spiritual realms every day. People might think they’re two different places, but they’re not. They lay on top of each other. It’s messy, and that’s why so many people need my help.

Since I was little, I’ve been called all kinds of names—unusual, abnormal, even insane. Which is fitting since they keep throwing me in to mental facilities. I’ve been in and out of them my entire life.

But no matter what people say, no matter what I’m risking, I will always help those in need.

Because there’s an endless war carrying on all around us, every minute of every day. One that can’t be seen by mortal eyes. But I can see it, the spiritual battle for mortal souls, and I’m working hard to make sure my father is on the losing side.

My father—Astaroth, Satan’s general—is why I can do this. He’s why I’m not normal. I hear him, whispering my name at night, his taunts echoing through the spiritual realm. He’s hunting me, and I know the day will come when I must face him again.

Every portal I open could be the one that finally pulls me back to Hell, and I wonder if I will brave enough, strong enough, good enough to fight him.

My name is Samantha Catherine Lopez, and I am Nephilim. This is my story.

Coming March 19, 2024!

Sneak Peek

I slid off my bed and dropped to the ground. I slowly lowered my head to the floor and pressed my ear to the carpet. I closed my eyes and listened.

The TV down there was turned on, but the arguing was getting louder again.

I didn’t know the people downstairs, but from what I could hear, they were probably either dating or married, and it wasn’t going well.

But under the TV and argument, I heard something else.

Something other.

The muffled scratching noise was actually demonspeak.

I squeezed my eyes tighter as I tried to make out the words. “Hit her. Hit her. She’s no good.” A group of demons were chanting it.

Layered over that was another one. “He’s cheating. You smelled her perfume yesterday. He doesn’t love you. He doesn’t care. He’s a loser who—” Another group was chanting.

It wasn’t particularly original, but why mess with something that worked?

I opened my eyes and started to sit up.

“Saaaaamaaaaantha,” another voice called my name. Not demonic, but way more evil.

I froze. No.

I knew that voice.

I hated that voice.

That was my father—fallen angel, Satan’s general, bio-dad.

I hadn’t heard his voice in months. Why was he calling out to me now? Why now that I was back home and with my mom? Why tonight when my neighbors were having a demon-fueled fight?

I closed my eyes and dropped my chin to my chest.

Because it couldn’t be just one thing to deal with.

It was always everything at once.

But I wouldn’t let him get me again.

(Excerpt courtesy of Ink Monster’s blog! ♡ Be sure to subscribe to their newsletter! )

pooled Ink Review

Thank you to the publisher and author for sending me an eARC to read and review!

Invocation kicks off an intense yet exciting delve into the spiritual realm with a quirky badass female lead and an addicting thread of romance spun around the chaos. Days of Iron and Clay is a spin-off from the Alpha Girl series that follows Samantha and the terrifying challenges she faces from the spiritual realm including the dark obsession of her father in Hell. It was pretty cool if wild witnessing Samantha at work cleansing souls, vanquishing demons, opening/closing portals to Hell, etc. but there was also enough humor and the lightness of romance to keep the horrors of Hell and that plot line from becoming too much. Familiar werewolves and fae (familiar if you’ve read the Alpha Girl series) make a return which is fun to see and I can’t wait to see how Samantha and Phoenix’s relationship develops. If I had to try and describe this book in a sentence, I might say it’s a bit like The Exorcist but with other supernaturals backing up the action and a romance with a hot neighbor thrown in. 

You don’t have to have read the Alpha Girl series to be able to pick up this one, but (as someone who has only read the first book in that series *hides face in shame*) I will say it probably helps. There were times when I struggled to grasp the importance of characters or their relationships to Samantha because I was not up to speed via the other series. So, it’s totally not necessary, but it will probably amp up the enjoyment of this series further if you do.

The cover is pretty epic and the idea had me hooked and I look forward to reading what happens next in Sam’s story. Hopefully not Armageddon, but…👀

PROMO BOX

Check out this amazing promo box I received from Ink Monster for Aileen’s latest creation!! I absolutely love it!! It has holographic stickers, a glow-in-the-dark bracelet, a candle, a yummy recipe, CHOCOLATE, a bookmark, a pin, a mini Becoming Alpha sampler, and of course a copy of Invocation itself! I’ve already devoured the eARC of course, but it’s so much cooler having a physical ARC to hold in my hands (plus how pretty is that cover??)! You definitely need to add this one to your TBR!

The Author

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Aileen Erin is half-Irish, half-Mexican and 100% nerd-from Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek (TNG FTW), she reads Quenya and some Sindarin, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband, daughter, and mischievous mini bernedoodle in Texas, and spends her days doing her favorite things: reading books, creating worlds, and kicking ass.