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Of Vice & Vindication (Broken Saints Series Book 3) Book Tour

Cover Blurb

In Hell The Anchor Never Reaches The Bottom... The most dangerous voyage of their lives has now begun-- a suicide mission to rescue one of their own. A werewolf, a vampire, a dragon slayer, a pair of witches and a lovely lady pirate who captains a ship laden with a mysterious and dangerous cargo. Only this small band, and the secrets they carry within; some in their minds, some in their hearts, and for those who still have them, some in their eternally tarnished souls. For the saints are still broken.
One is already trapped in Hell-- the others are trapped in their own tortured pasts. One of them knows how to get into Hell-- but none of them know how to get out. Too many secrets, too many obstacles; too few answers. A stalwart ship with broken saints, traveling along wind-driven seas to a Hell they can't find and a guide they can't trust...

Other Titles By the Author

M. M. Shelley

Author Bio

In the ultra-competitive marketplace of books and book writers, you’ll find the strong, the weak, and the in-between. Sometimes the work is wonderful; sometimes it’s not. Sometimes storylines are too thin, characters are too weak, and tall tales can be too long, too short, or too incomplete. And sometimes, regardless of the work and the effort, they’re just not satisfying. Many disappoint, but M.M. Shelley isn’t one of them. Her stories are filled with bold adventure, her characters are beguiling and believable, and her ideas seem to originate from timeless histories of people and places that lie only on the farthest fringe of our imaginations. This happens because M.M. Shelley is . . . different. Born and bred in Southern California, raised in a typical middle class household, she comes from a normal childhood and a public education. Nothing special. Nothing extraordinary. Nothing amazing. And yet, she’s still . . . different. Not in a bad way; more like in . . . a better way. But still . . . different. There’s something about her that makes her very unique. Not strange; not peculiar. Just different. Rare. Distinctive. An inner quality that seems to hide just below the surface, and yet rises to the call of her creations. Her books. Her characters. Her plots, twists and turns. She’s not like other writers. She follows the rules of writing only until they no longer serve her purpose — then she simply breaks them. Never because she doesn’t know or understand — but always to make a point.

The Book Tour

Day 1 - Favourite Quotes

“How much sin can one consume until it crushes you with its vast weight?” From The Book Of The Damned. (Andrew Bell)

I had been reborn throughout the millennia. The same soul in a new body, but I had found an ancient way that would keep me from dying. (Michelle Marshall)

It was the legendary Sword of Death, and it was made of Damocles Steel. Long told tales say it was flamed and formed thousands of years ago, perhaps not long after God created the world, by ancient artisans for reasons unknown. Nothing could stand up to it and nothing could stop it. It was an irresistible force, and it was not to be reckoned with. (Yvonne Weston)

“It had been five hundred years since I had last seen her walk this earth. Every time I would see her I would remember the first words she had ever said to me.” (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

Death knows each time I find her. And every time it takes her from me… (Eryn McConnell)

Before I could tap on the door, it opened. Ahmed Bennani stood stone cold on the other side of the threshold, his skin a sickly grey and his eyes vacant. “You be ill?” I asked. Whatever illness had befallen the Bennani family, I was sure it was not done with them yet. “Do you have the coin to pay?” (Tim Marshall)

"We? We unleashed it? You unleashed it! And just exactly how are 'we' supposed to kill what is already dead?" She snapped. "Will you bite it again?" (Kirsty McKay)

Day 2 - Character Summaries

Aurora Lopez: Despite her impairment, she is stronger than all her fellow characters. A determined lady that will stop at nothing to achieve her objective, despite the crippling odds against her. “I have to find a way to get into Hell and get him out!” (Andrew Bell)

Edyth: She has both a softness and a strength to her. She is kind and considerate of others and has a curiosity about the world around her. She gives off calmness and has a dignified air. A good team player, she’s the kind of person you’d want on your side when going into battle. (Michelle Marshall)

Edyth: Edyth, from the first book, is the most relatable to me. At 19, she is looking after her younger brothers as she feels responsibility for them after having to flee from their home country. She is also aware that she has her own life to lead, and with her magic, she can have a certain immunity to some dangers. Patrick, her partner (sometimes referred to as her husband), is part man, part werewolf and will protect her at all costs, especially as he is immortal. Despite this, Edyth is determined to live her life her way, often unintentionally putting herself in harm’s way. (Yvonne Weston)

George: My favourite character was George Flavius. He is a grumpy character who has seen a lot. In this book we really get to dive deeper into his past and why he is the way he is. It was interesting to see him as one of Michael’s first chosen warriors and the burden that comes with it. His past is gritty and he shows that being a hero is not the glamour and immediate healing that Patrick or Valentine have. Seeing him realize he’s met Violante’s soul throughout the ages and each time she was destined to die, was touching and horrifying. The interaction with the dragon and how he and the princess worked together was one of my favorites. His cockiness disappears and he truly starts questioning the world and his role in it. He only kills the dragon because the circumstances force his hand, not because he wanted to. He is one of the few characters in the book who thinks about the consequences of his actions. I also enjoyed how he “mothered” Aurora, and tried to keep Violante safe. Saving the women and keeping the party safe was his goal, despite a rocky relationship with most of the characters in the party. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

Lucis Morton: I like Lucis Morton, the Sin Eater. The idea of sin eaters has always interested me, and this one seems quite down on his luck. I don’t think there was much description of him but he came across as having more substance. Violante was also a fairly good character, who has elements of a back story to her. There are a lot of characters in this story. Some, such as Edyth and Patrick, Aurora and Valentine, were in the previous books, but this one has a lot more to contend with, including Archangel Peter, the Dragon Slayer George and a myriad of enemies. (Eryn McConnell)

Lucis Morton: I found the character of Lucis Morton, the Sin Eater, to be the most evocative and interesting and personally resonant of the many characters introduced throughout. He’s ‘gifted with a curse,’ mistreated and ostracised by the people who depend on his work. I found him tonally unique, and the scenes where he features were some of my favourites. (Tim Marshall)

There are a lot of characters that stand out for me, and I have to say that Book 3 has been the best so far, simply due to the array of characters introduced with fascinating skills and backgrounds. If I have to select one it would be Aurora Lopez who is a powerful witch, with a strong heart and mind. She does not let her disability define who she is, and she doesn't let her fear prevent her from doing what she knows is right. A truly admirable and likeable character that we have only scratched the surface of, and I am really looking forward to seeing her develop further. (Kirsty McKay)

Day 3 - Favourite Excerpts

The dragon reacted to the vicious cut of my sword and flew into a backward circle, hovering awkwardly in an attempted retreat. I manoeuvred myself around the beast’s neck and sat on him, but as I raised my sword for another swing, the dragon lurched and the sword flew out of my hand. Pushing a few scales aside, I dug my teeth into its flesh, my hands took up the task of ripping the flesh apart. Reaching inside, I went for the jugular and tore into it with my teeth; blood covered my face and flushed down my chest. (Andrew Bell)

It was a cold, dreary morning, which was unusual since the climate was usually on the warmer side. I regretted not grabbing my coat before I headed up to my ship’s deck and I thought I had felt drops of rain hit my shoulder. I glanced up at the sky where the dark clouds above were foreboding and made me think of my misspent youth dodging the law on the streets of London. How I missed those days. Those were the days of my innocence, before I knew what a heartless place this world can be. (Michelle Marshall)

Patrick promised me adventure and adventure it has been ever since. Morocco was but one stop of many, and so far it was my favourite and I wanted to see more of it. (Yvonne Marrs)

The part at the end of the book, when George is concerned for Violante after she gets lost in Hell and he thinks he is going to die. We really see him get battered around and he almost dies, but then the dragon he vanquished so long ago ends up being his ally. He reveals to George he is immortal in his own way thanks to the blood he accidentally ingested. George is “reborn” and kicks the butts of the demons around him. That was his star moment. The scene where he and the others have to go back to the mortal realm, and he is so concerned for Violante, reminded me a lot of Orpheus and Eurydice. He almost loses her, but in the end she and Aurora rescue each other and don't need his help anyway. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

George the Dragon Slayer and the princess. The dragon shows himself to be more human, so to speak, and it transpires that he was brought there for nefarious purposes and doesn’t want to eat people at all. My sword tore into the dragon’s side. I cut and ripped him apart until I found the woman. Dragon’s blood entered my mouth, I tried to spit it out, but I knew I had consumed a great deal of it. The taste was sweet. I didn’t stop cutting into the dragon until I found her. She was half dead, but still alive. I yanked her free of the dragon. Fire filled the cavern as the beast tried to save itself from my attack. (Eryn McConnell)

She spat at me once more. “You have no idea what I’m harbouring aboard this ship or who has sent me here.” Her eyes sparkled with mischievous intent as though she had the better of me. “I don’t care.” “Perhaps you should. Better if you would.” She was buying herself time, hoping someone would come and cause a distraction that would help her escape or get the upper hand as she had done once before. “There is nothing you can say that I wish to hear.” “Then you should see it with your own eyes.” She wrestled her hand free and pointed out the door. “It’s down below.” “This is a trick,” I said, doubtful there was anything I needed to see that would allow her to live. I had made up my mind and there would be no changing it. “Are you in such a hurry to see me dead?” That look had returned to her eyes. The look from long ago that I had once seen on the woman from a millennia ago. I feared I knew why she was so similar. The problem with living so long is that there have only been a handful of mortals who had truly meant anything to me. And she had been one. I snapped, “Show me.” (Tim Marshall)

I kept a safe distance. I dint't know who or what was leading her and I was afraid of finding out. I didn't relish the idea of fighting something I couldn't see. I felt a sense of responsibility for the young woman. I had offered her safe passage onboard my ship and I had never fulfilled that promise. How could I leave her to deal with whatever trouble I'm sure she's gotten involved with? The fear in her eyes warned me to stay away, but I knew I wouldn't. I also knew I couldn't. She was going to need my help. She just didn't know it yet...but I did. What I didn't know was how my decision to follow her would lead me into the depths of Hell itself. (Kirsty McKay)

Day 4 - Video Interview

Day 5 - Reviews

Overall Score: 4 stars. A story which is heavily laden with mythology, demons versus angels, and creatures that will haunt and terrorize the reader. We descend into a living nightmare that is wonderfully described in Of Vice and Vindication, the sequel to Of Serpents and Wolves and Of Sin and Virtue. (Andrew Bell)

Overall Score: 4 stars. A well written and engaging story that held my interest throughout. Of Vice and Vindication is part three of the author’s Broken Saints trilogy and although I was able to follow the events of this installment, I would recommend reading Serpents and Wolves and Of Virtue and Sin first. The novel has an epic feel to it and is a fantastic choice for lovers of fantasy settings. Many popular elements of this genre are featured here with pirates, witches, werewolves, dragons and immortal beings all being a part of the extensive cast of characters. Although there are some editing issues present, these were never enough to pull me out of the story. (Michelle Marshall)

Overall Score: 4 stars. Assuming this is your favourite genre, the tale is engaging and full of fantastic twists and turns. Badly needs editing, the same as the previous two books. Interesting that the characters from previous books meet in this one - although they were meant to be very different, there are many similarities. The pace carries the reader well, but the errors/editing jars the reader from the spell around them as they are cast into the world of vampires, werewolves, pirates and demons from Hell. (Yvonne Marrs)

Overall Score: 4 stars. This book has a lot of diverse characters and is a culmination of plots set up in previous books. It was interesting seeing everyone shine and meet each other, united in the quest to save Valentine. All the characters had fairly fleshed out motives and goals, as well as burdens in their past. Because there are so many characters, it was hard to root more for one than the other. Lucis was a good addition to the cast. Edyth was present but only for a short amount of time. Aurora was mostly herself, but some of the independence and sass she had in the previous book seemed to be watered down. Having more insight into George and Violante was good. As a whole, the cast worked, but it seemed some of the inner thoughts a few of the characters had previously were glazed over in favor of the plot.The dialogues also felt a little similar from one character to the next every now and again. The pacing and scenes however were riveting. The book reads quickly because the stakes are high and set early on. There are multiple conflicts and the suspense is thick, especially with Michael getting more involved. One gets invested in the outcome, and the ending is a true cliffhanger. I can’t wait to see what happens next! (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

Overall Score: 4 stars. This is a fairly pacy plot with a lot going on. We have vampires, werewolves, demons, a dragon slayer, a couple of Saints (Joan and Patrick), witches, a daughter of a God, and so on. There’s a fair mix of male and female characters, and the female characters are fairly well rounded in the main. The two female characters who we see through the series pair up with males. Some of the side characters are fairly integral plot wise: at times there is a difficulty in discerning character tone, as they all have similar mannerisms and speech. The plot is one that has woven its way through the three books, starting with Edyth and Patrick, then Aurora and Valentine in Book 2, to all of them in Book 3. The plot threads do start to come together but in the middle it is choppy and a little inconsistent. There is a lot of POV jumping and it is confusing. The pace is suited to action, although there is very little given to an introspective moment. When characters are not in play they are very much NPCs which is a shame. The dialogue is fairly good, there is action and movement within the dialogue but not much change in linguistic style between characters. Editing errors, including grammar and spelling mistakes are jarring and take the reader out of the plot. I am not sure if the author meant the War to be Devine or Divine as she uses both interchangeably. There are a lot of sentence fragments which break up the flow. (Eryn McConnell)

Overall Score: 4 stars. ‘Of Vice and Vindication’ is the third book in the Broken Saints series, but M. M. Shelley does a great job of pulling a fresh reader into the narrative. I enjoyed the first-person storytelling and the multiple perspectives used; I felt that the approach gave a good balance of mystery, pathos, and flow, allowing what, for me, was near-perfect pacing. As a story set in the historical real world with fantasy elements, the novel isn’t without its anachronisms and inaccuracies that may stick out if, like me, you have an interest in history. There are also some editing issues. However, I found the story engaging enough that I enjoyed it despite my own tendency to focus on those details. (Tim Marshall)

Overall Score: 4 stars. Of Vice and Vindication is by far the best book in the Broken Saints series. Whilst M. M. Shelley's first two books (Of Serpents & Wolves and Of Sin & Virtue) give the reader a solid introduction to the characters, this 3rd book cleverly weaves their individual story threads together and creates an exciting cast of characters from witches to werewolves, vampires to dragons, and not forgetting a fascinating introduction of a sin eater. As a fan of this genre, I really enjoy the interactions between the different paranormal species which I find always makes for great drama and story telling. However readers following this series should be aware that unlike the first two books, the variety of characters brought together, and introduced in Book 3, will make it challenging for the reader to root for their favourite character. The emotional connection formed in the previous books may also feel quite different due to the various movement and quick changes in points of views. This is not necessarily a negative for me as I do feel the first two books gave me a sufficient grounding of the characters to continue relating to them and their individual story. But if readers are expecting further development of any one particular character in Book 3 following where the previous books left off, this does not appear to be the author's aim. The writing is very much focussed on exploring the connections to each other and uniting the different species with a common goal. Admittedly there are some editing issues which may distract readers. Personally it was very easy to forgive the author and move past those as I was completely invested in the story itself with its many twists and turns, and the new characters that were introduced. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Broken Saints series and seeing how the plot develops further. (Kirsty McKay)