I’m very pleased to welcome the Cover Reveal for Anca Antoci’s Pierced by Silver to The Irresponsible Reader this morning! This novel is an an urban fantasy (with a romantic subplot) focused on Romanian mythology (by a Romanian), if you’re like me, that alone will pique your curiosity. The blurb will crank that up for you. Before we get to revealing the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all feast on the cover.
Book Details:
Book Title: Pierced by Silver by Anca Antoci
Series: Paranormal Misadventures, Book 2
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
Release date: March 21, 2024
Preorder: Yes
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
About the Book
Where the boundaries blur between the living and the dead, the line between hero and monster is thin
Deep in the heart of Transylvania, nestled amidst ancient forests and shrouded in centuries-old superstitions, lies the village of Vânători. A string of gruesome murders has left the villagers terrified, and the authorities baffled. Joining forces are Ella Martin, a witch with a hidden past, Felix Goia, a brilliant but haunted police inspector, and Radu Lupu, a mysterious police captain whose supernatural nature has the potential to unravel everything.
As the bodies pile up and the villagers’ fear turns to rage, Ella, Felix, and Radu find themselves caught in a race against time. The locals suspect one of their own to be a strigoi—a relentless force that hungers for blood. They must uncover the truth behind the killings, whether it’s a human monster or a strigoi, before the village is consumed by darkness.
However, their investigation takes a perilous twist when Radu, as a vârcolac, becomes the target of an unrelenting predator armed with silver tipped arrows. With their strongest ally out of commission, Ella and Felix must hurry to save him and stop the killings before Vânători becomes a ghost town.
*Based on Romanian folklore and mythology, the story follows the events of Midsummer Night’s Curse, but can also be read as a standalone. Each book in this series features a new mystery that will be solved by the end of the story, but the dynamics between the characters may change and evolve, so I recommend that you read the books in order.
Book Links
About the Author
Anca’s overactive imagination pours into her stories bringing otherworldly creatures to life. Her debut novel, Forget Me Not, is the first part of a trilogy published in 2020.
Before starting her writing journey, Anca was active in the blogging community as a fantasy book reviewer. The fanfiction stories she wrote long before she dreamed of being a writer are still popular and available on her blog. Although not as often, she still posts book reviews and book recommendations on her blog www.summonfantasy.com.
Living in Romania, Anca speaks English as a second language and is quite self-conscious about her accent, which is why she never speaks in her videos on TikTok. She loves taking long walks through the parks to recharge her batteries before a writing sprint. Anca loves cooking and can often be found in the kitchen trying out a new recipe while an audiobook keeps her entertained.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Medium ~ Mastodon
and now…
The Cover
Antoci adds:
Fun fact: The wolf head on the cover is called Draco and was a religious and military symbol for the Dacians, an ancient people who inhabited what is now Romania and parts of surrounding countries (before we were conquered by the Romans 2000 years ago). It was a standard, typically made of bronze, that depicted a wolf head with an open mouth and a snake-like body.
The Draco held significant meaning for the Dacians in two ways: military and religious. It was mounted on a pole, carried by a standard bearer, and often displayed proudly during battles and religious ceremonies.
The Draco played a crucial role in uniting Dacian warriors and intimidating enemies during battle. The wolf head contained metal tongues that vibrated in the wind, creating a howling sound resembling wolves or dragons. Its wind-borne howl served as a psychological weapon against the enemy, striking fear into their hearts.
The Draco also represented the Dacian pantheon, particularly the sky god Zalmoxis (serpent) and Gebeleizis (wolf). Both gods embodied power, protection, and connection to nature.
Now, you may be wondering why I’m telling you all that. Since this is the second book in Paranormal Misadventures, I’ll assume you have already met police captain Radu Lupu (by the way, lupu means “the wolf” in Romanian and it’s a pretty common surname). Just in case you haven’t finished Midsummer Night’s Course, I’ll avoid spoilers. Let’s just say it’s relevant to the story. There’s actually a Dacian legend of the Great White Wolf I drew inspiration from. I hope you’ll enjoy the pieces of my culture and heritage I included in this story.
