A Diary of a Book Addict: Stuck In Books Presents Release (The Protector #3) by M.R. Merrick Blog Tour

Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped.

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna — a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret.

In their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.

MY REVIEW

5 OF 5 EXILED

HOLY EXILED! I have never ever read a book so intense where it had me all over the place. Lord I must have looked like a lunatic yelling at my kindle. M.R. Merrick has crafted and created a world that is so intriguing that I could not get enough.

In Exiled we meet Chase Williams who is a demon hunter. On his 15 birthday he is to step up to the alter and gain his powers. Only when he turns 15 and steps up to the alter he does not receive his powers. At first he is not sure if he has done something wrong but he soon finds out that he the demons have a plan to bring forth their strongest demons to rule the world. Soon Chase has to figure out how to stop them but he is not sure how to do that so he turns to this one person who he thinks can help him out. He turns to a witch named Rayna and he believes with Rayna's help he will be able to stop the demons.

As Chase and Rayna try and figure out what to about the demons Chase finds out that someone close to him someone he is supposed to trust is betraying him.So not only does he have to worry about pure blood demons but he has to watch his back for a person in his circle. Will he be able to defeat the demons in time to make sure the portal stays closed or will he have to fight the demons with no power? Will Rayna be able to help him stop the demons from coming in? Want to know all the answers to these questions well your going to have to read the book. This is the beginning of an EPIC series.

Devastated by a terrible loss, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else—a monster threatening to tear her apart.

As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.

MY REVIEW

5 OF 5 SHIFT

Shift is the second book in The Protector Series and it picks up where Exiled has left off. Man oh man does Chase have it bad. In Exiled he found out some things that just don't add up. While struggling to come to terms with this news he received he is also struggling with his feelings for Rayna. He knows she is a good witch but there are some things that just don't add up. Also to make matters worse he finds out that his father is against him and has put him right in the middle of a supernatural war. What is Chase to do when he finds out his father wants to bring back the evil God Ithereal?

Chase now posses gifts from the Goddess. She has given the mark of a protector which is a tattoo and a ring that gives him extraordinary powers. Chase is not used to these powers and he has to learn to control them and wield them at the right time. But his partner Rayna now has a huge problem. She is possessed by a demon and that demon is determined to kill her. What will Chase do? He has to learn to control his powers real fast because he is under Psychic attacks from Riley. Riley is determined to take him out. So he is constantly attacking Chase and Chase has to fight him with everything he has.

Chase is not sure he can do this he is not sure he can control his powers and save Rayna but he is going to die trying. Chase will not let his father win this war. There are a lot of people at stake here and Chase is determined to prove he can hold his own. The Goddess did not give him the gifts for him to cower in a corner so he is determined to fight his way to safety and figure out a way to rescue Rayna from the demon that is eating her alive. Will Chase be able to save Rayna or will Rayna become what Chase fears? Will the demons win this round or will Chase defeat his father?

After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.

One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.

MY REVIEW

5 OF 5 RELEASE

Release is the third book in The Protector Series and M.R. Merrick has got the lock down on this series. Man oh man poor Chase is going through so much. He has finally come to terms that his father is evil and wants to destroy the world by letting the demons in. And if that isn't enough he has Riley who is also out to destroy him and keeps attacking him. But Chase is determined not to let this get to him. He watches everyone and everything and the one thing he is sure about is that people are not what they seem. He knows he can no longer trust people and he has will have to weed the good people out of the bad. But how do you do that when you are constantly under attack?

Chase has to learn how to control his emotions. He is not so sure he can because his emotions are running pretty high. It seems like every foot he walks forward he has to take two steps back.Being terrorized by a multi-shifter is hard because his emotions are running high and he is always on alert. And if matters couldn't get worse Chase has decided to defend a demon he hates. But for Chase right is right and he knows he has to defend this demon. Chase is still looking for answers about his mark and the ring and every time it looks like he is making way something or someone else comes in and disturbs the peace and answers he is looking for.

Stoping Riley is his top priority and he knows that in order to get answers and keep everyone safe he is going to have to take Riley out. Riley is dangerous and is intent on taking Chase out. If that is not crazy enough for him he is having second thought about Rayna. She is acting weird and her choices are not always good and Chase finds himself questioning every thing he knows about Rayna. Will Chase be able to defeat Riley? Will Rayna show her true colors? What is Chase to do about controlling his emotions?

INTERVIEW WITH M.R. MERRICK

Today we have a special guest author on A Diary Of A Book Addict. M.R. Merrick if the author of a great series called The Protector Series. Book one Exiled starts us of on a journey with Chase a demon Hunter who does not receive his powers when he comes of age. Then in Book two Shift we get to see Chase work out things and find himself and his powers. Then in book three Release we see Chase dealing with trust issues and how and when his powers will be of use to him and his friends. M.R. AKA Mattie I want to thank you for stopping by and sharing with your readers a few things we’re curious about.

What inspired you to write this series?

I’m not sure if it was any one thing. I was having a really rough week, which I would normally escape with a good book, movie, or video game session, but I just couldn’t shake it. I decided I needed a new escape, so I decided to sit down and make one up for myself.

The magical elements of the book were a long-running idea I’d had, and when I started working on Exiled, I realized this was the perfect stage to bring to life what I had often day dreamed about—the ability to control the elements.

All of this came about at a completely random time in my life, but it helped me discover a hidden passion and I haven’t looked back since.

Did you do a lot of research for this series?

I did a little bit, but the research was minimal. Most of the story components were things I’d dreamed or had nightmares about. I adjusted things as I went to help the story flow, and when I got stuck, I closed my eyes and replayed what I had already written, letting the story unfold as it saw fit. As the series has progressed however, I paid closer attention to everything around me. There is a lot of usable material to be taken away from the world around us, you just have to be looking in order to see it.

Is Chase inspired by someone close to you?

Yes and no. Since I started this book as an escape for me, Chase began the story as me. It was my voice and my actions striking down demons. After about five chapters though, I ended up having to go back and completely rewrite the beginning, because Chase had become someone totally different. He wasn’t me at all. He was someone I was unfamiliar with and I had to spend time getting to know him.

What exactly is a demon hunter and what kind of powers do they posses?

A demon hunter, in the world of The Protector series, is a person who has either one, or two parents who are also hunters. Thousands of years ago they were blessed by the goddess of earth, Serephina, and given elemental abilities. All hunters belong to a secret society called the Circle, and for the most part, they’re not a part of the mundane world. They’re raised, educated, and trained with the Circle from a young age, and when they complete the ceremony and unveil their elemental ability, they are true hunters.

The power for each hunter varies depending on their bloodline, but each bloodline is formed from one of the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and lightning. For example, an air elemental might have the ability to manipulate the air, move things with their mind, or they might receive visions. A water elemental on the other hand, might bare the destructive power of an ocean, or perhaps they have the ability to heal. Maybe both. Each element has multiple dimensions, and the ability varies based on the hunter’s individual strength.

How many books will be in this series?

The series will have four books, but there will be at least two standalone novels that have nothing to do with the main series arc. Instead, the standalones will follow one or more of the side characters, either before or after the timeline of the main story.

When will Chase come into his true powers?

You’ll have to keep reading to find the answer to that.

What is really going on with Rayna and Chase?

That’s something else you’ll have to keep reading to find out!

Thank you so much Mattie for stopping by and sharing the gang with us. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Thank you so much for having me and being a part of the Release blog tour!

M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer, and author of Exiled, the first installment in The Protector Series. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast, he's usually found at the computer, between a pair of headphones and in front of a large bowl of cereal.