Saturday Brings a Change in Plans and a mini rant on book endings

So here it is Saturday and the week has gotten away from me. Between lunch at the farm, and several trips to Sun Nursery (one of my favorite addictions), the reading and writing didn’t get their allotted time of my day. OK, I will also have to blame it on this fabulous fall weather we are having here in Maryland. Cool, crisp with sunny blue skies overhead, I just couldn’t stand being inside, the gardens, pond, the farm, they all called to me. And I listened. And went outside. All day long.

The dogs loved it, the birds loved the new feeders that went up and the stones got here for the new deeper winter pond for the fish, all four of them. I wonder how the Great Blue Heron will feel about having to work for its dinner instead of just idly and with no effect at all, grabbing out my fish one after the other. But I learned and now they have places to hide from the predators that visit with the goal of takeout. Really, can goldfish and koi taste that much better than the creek chubs in the stream down the road?

The one book I did finish so frustrated me that I almost pitched the Kindle right out the window. But why blame the messenger when the author is at hand? Never in my life have I read such a beautifully crafted story that the author completely demolished in the last 10 pages. That occupied my thoughts for quite a while. How does that happen?

Does someone read this story of a man self destructing over a sexual compulsion and say to the author “oh, that will never sell unless you have a HEA?” And the author listens? Or does the author fall so much in love with her characters that a HEA becomes the overriding factor that negates everything that goes before, the characterizations as well as the legitimacy of the plot? As you can tell, this is still bothering me big time. I just don’t understand someone treating something so well written in such a cavalier way. It’s as though someone took The Maltese Falcon and attached a My Little Pony ending onto it. *shudders* If anyone out there can shed some light onto this for me, do so. Are these behind the scene shenanigans something that happens at the publisher or the editors? How on earth does this happen? Inquiring minds want to know. And then blog about it.

So two friends are coming over for lunch, one a fellow blogger, the other an author. I will pose the questions to them as well. I feel a mini rant coming on. The review for this book is coming up in the next couple of weeks. I am sure you will know which one it is. I must get going so I will leave you with a repost from one of my favorite blogs, The Blood Red Pencil. If you don’t know about it, you should. They blog on writing from every aspect and its wonderful as well as informative. It’s separate from this post so don’t miss it.

Carole Cumming’s Ghost will be reviewed next week. This is the first in a series and I am enjoying the complexity of her world building and characters. I hope it ends in the same fashion in which it started. I mean really, are there ghost writers out there, lurking about, just waiting to pounce on unfinished novels and trash the endings? That is one explanation. Tell me what others you can think of. I am going back outside. It is safer there.

The Blood-Red Pencil: Writing Purple

The Blood-Red Pencil: Writing Purple.

Here is the repost from one of my favorite blogs on writing. Check them out.

Review of The Melody Thief (Blue Notes #2) by Shira Anthony

Rating: 4.5 stars

Cary Redding is as deeply troubled as he is gifted musically. A world renown cellist sought after by conductors globally, the front Cary presents to others is that of an introspective, music obsessed young man. But inside Cary is haunted by his past, seeking out anonymous gay sex in disreputable bars and drowning his insecurity and anger in alcohol. Cary has so successfully compartmentalized his life that he has two identities. His real one, Cary Redding the musician, and the other is Connor Taylor, gay, slutty, capable only of rough sex in one-night stands. Cary has so little self worth outside of music that he considers himself a liar, a cheat, in fact a melody thief, someone no one would want to listen to if they only knew the truth about him.

It all changes for Cary after he leaves a bar in the early morning hours. Drunk and smelling of sex, Cary gets mugged and his playing arm broken. He is rescued by Antonio Bianchi, entertainment lawyer from Blue Notes #1. Antonio takes Cary to the hospital and then home with him to recuperate. The problem is that Cary has told Antonio his name is Conner Taylor, his alter ego, and the more Cary gets to know Antonio, the more he wants in terms of a relationship. Antonio wants a real romance between them to as well as Antonio’s son, Massi. Antonio and Massi are a package deal, one that Cary finds he wants. But first he has to tell Antonio the truth and see if Antonio can forgive him for the lies. And Cary still has his inner battle to win over his past and insecurities. Only Cary knows if the melody thief will win out or if he will find the path to love.

The Melody Thief is the second in Shira Anthony’s series that revolves around the world of music, from the conductors to the musicians to the entertainment lawyers who represent them and what a fascinating series it is turning out to be. Blue Notes was the first in the series and in that book the focus was on violinist Jules and lawyer Jason, and Paris. Here we switch locations to Milan, the musician is a cellist and Antonio, an entertainment lawyer who we met briefly in Blue Notes, is back in a lead role. One of the elements that makes this such a rich series, especially for music lovers, is that Shira Anthony comes from a music family, and has a deep background herself as a violinist and opera singer. So when Anthony’s characters wax poetic about ‘Brahms Double Concerto’ for cello, violin, and orchestra or when Cary recalls his emotions when playing ‘Dvorak Cello Concerto in B Minor’,they do so realistically and intelligently. And the reader can’t help but appreciate that it is because Anthony understands the music herself, having practiced and played it over and over again. Her experience gives such depth to the musicians here and the life they must lead in order to rise to the top of the field that our understanding of the discipline it takes becomes much clearer. It is not enough to be gifted, one must also be driven as well. To have the music be an all encompassing part of your life has a price, and Anthony brings this theme throughout her series, as all the characters must look at their lives, past, present and future and balance it out with their obsessive need to play and be heard.

Characterizations are also a strong point with Shira Anthony. Cary/Conner is such a torn, angry young man whose past and his relationship with his mother continues to cast a bitter hue over everything he is and does. Brought up by a widowed mother as driven as he was, all he can recall of his childhood is playing, practice and concerts with nary a stop to celebrate his birthday. And when his mother called his gayness a “perversion” and told him he could not both play and be a monster when he came out to her at 16, then the hurt and anger he felt at her was directed inward at himself. And so the melody thief was born. Someone who lied about who he was, someone who flirted with alcohol addiction, someone who never felt worthy of the acclaim accorded him over his gift, his cello. A complex, hurting man locked into a pattern from childhood, Cary has to continually work on himself to accept the mature Cary while trying to forgive and understand his mother and his upbringing. I loved Cary. Antonio too has his burdens which include major spoilers for the story. But they are as heavy and authentic as Cary’s. Antonio has loved and lost and is much better equipped to deal with relationship issues. He works hard to keep Cary in his life as Cary doesn’t have all the skills to realize that relationships need communication as well as love in the sheets. Massimo, Antonio’s son (with his childhood best friend and her partner) is adorable and just like any other 5 year old I have know. From character to character, we have real, caring, less than perfect people to listen to and entrust with our affections throughout the story.

As she did with Paris, Milan comes alive on our pages too. The small cafes, the walkways and parks, the warmth of the buildings and the age of the city contribute to the overall pastiche of old world charm, art and the music that makes up Milan. It made me want to board a plane immediately to its environs.

There is very little to quibble about here. A few of the issues I saw with Blue Notes, like too many references to “older man, younger man” are missing here, which makes sense given the two men are closer in age. But the descriptions work much better with Antonio and Cary than they did with Jules and Jason. I do wish we had a little more of the music here as we did in Blue Notes but the scores she does bring up are so incredible beautiful that I enjoyed listening to them again as I read the book. The author always includes a playlist for her story. Listed below is the playlist for The Melody Thief. There are at least 3 more books she plans to write in this series. Aria (Blue Notes #3) is coming out in December and features Aiden and Sam who are both briefly mentioned here. I can’t wait.

Pick up this book, settle in,and cue up the iTunes with Dvork, Brahms and Beethoven. I just know you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Cover: Catt Ford was the cover artist and this is perfection from the two models standing in for Antonio and Cary, down to the Italian countryside and Massimo with his airplane.

Here is the series in order they were written. However, they do not have to be read in sequence in order to appreciate the stories and the characters:

Blue Notes (Blue Notes #1) Jules and Jason

The Melody Thief (Blue Notes #2) Antonio and Cary

Aria (Blue Notes #3) Aiden and Sam. coming in December 2012

Shira Anthony’s Soundtrack for The Melody Thief with links found here:

Musical Soundtrack for “The Melody Thief”

Dvorak Cello Concerto in B Minor -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftNQzZ8NkRY&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL9B8486D6CDA7F362 (Yo-Yo Ma, Lorin Maazel)

Dvorak “New World Symphony” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuqyfEyNXQo&feature=related

Elgar Cello Concerto -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM9DPfp7-Ck (and this one is with the Chicago Symphony!)

Bach Cello Suite 2 (Prelude) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSheWcRGbF0 (Mstislav Rostropovich) or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXGLrZMrpuw&feature=watch_response (Yo-Yo Ma)

Brahms Double Concerto – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WKpSDBvn9w (Rostropovitch and Oistrakh, two of the best ever) or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRMeyDdplj4 (Isaac Stern and Yo-Yo Ma)

Review of Making Contact Anthology

Rating: 4.25 – 4.5 stars

Space, the final frontier, as a certain well known Federation Captain would say on his 5-year mission into space, has always consumed our thoughts and dreams. We have always wanted to know what is out there, its vastness and mystery ever present. All we need to do is look up to be faced with the unknown. How will we get there and what or whom will we meet once we do are questions innumerable authors have tried to answer in poems, movies, stories and graphic novels. Making Contact is a new science fiction anthology from Dreamspinner Press that examines some of those questions along with what type of love will be found among the stars?

Making Contact gives us ten stories by eight authors. The stories range from aliens attempting to “fit it=n” among the human inhabitants when they arrive on Earth, humans trying to live in isolation on a lonely outpost, intergalactic conflicts among the races, an alien drunk tank and pirates in space. There is humor, mystery, heartbreak, and a swashbuckling yarn of space pirates and derring do.

I found this to be a really strong anthology and the variety of stories and themes keep me glued to the Kindle one after another. Don’t expect cohesion other than the fact that they fall under the science fiction m/m banner. Just a look at the authors represented should tell you that their visions of space are as unique as they are. Their narratives explore space from so many different perspectives. The first story, Better Than Cola by JL Merrow is the only one to feature an alien so far removed from the humanoid mold that the author had to come up with an equally alien method of sexual exchange. I loved this story as it left me with more questions running around my head than was answered. Some of the aliens are recognizable in form that the authors have put their own twist to, aliens with fur, aliens with different skins tones and facial markings, and even a new take on vampires in space that will break your heart as it did mine.

Normally when I review anthologies, I only mention the stories I loved. In Making Contact, that includes them all in varying degrees. Here they are in the order they appear in the book.

Better Than Cola By JL Merrow

Newly arrived on Earth to work in the Melliti embassy, Summer Storms meets Nathan Chambers, who is tasked with teaching the alien visitor how to deal with human social interaction. The thrill of casual touch exposes an immediate attraction between them, but how far can intimacy go between two totally different life forms?

JL Merrow has done a fantastic job of giving us an alien so far removed from us but still one whose thoughts and emotions can stir attraction in another. Summer Storms is a plurality of beings contained inside a “human shaped envelope”. They have to adjust themselves to casual human touch and the way in which their “envelope” reacts to the human sent to help them deal with interspecies interaction. This story has so much charm while still being sexy and alien. Merrow left me wanting to know more about their physiology and culture while giving me a satisfactory glimpse into the unknown.

Revolving Realities By Cari Z.

Dr. Eliot Hollister is desperate to locate the Ulysses and her crew before tragedy strikes… again. The lone survivor of a hostile attack compounded by human error, Eliot is using an alien artifact to search through alternate realities, trying to change the outcome in a parallel dimension. Eliot’s challenge once he finds the ship? Convince Captain Paul Alvarez he’s for real before the Ulysses falls prey to the same trap.

Cari Z brings alternate universes into play with her story of a lone survivor grabbing as a last chance to save his lover from death, even if it is not his actual lover, but the man he is in another universe. Wonderful characterizations play off against time as Eliot tries to stop the scenario from playing out again in the new universe but runs up against the same scientist hell bent on exploring the world beneath them. His frustrations become ours because we know what will happen if he can’t stop the mission. My only quibble is that it ended too soon.

The Sacrifice By Sue Brown

After twelve years, the leaders of the Free Worlds have finally found a man willing to sacrifice his life to the gods of Segelian to ensure an alliance with the mineral-rich planet. But when Stane raises the dagger to perform the rite, he looks into the human Steven’s eyes and is horrified to discover he is destined to kill his life partner. If Stane doesn’t complete the ritual, it will destroy any chance for a treaty… and it might also change the world of Segelian forever.

Sue Brown uses two worlds, one homophobic (human), one a male/male warrior culture and the extended war between them that will end with a human sacrifice. She does a nice job of world building including a world divided by religious caste and the warrior caste and makes us believe it. I loved Stane and Steven however implausible the final intervention.

Alone By Andrea Speed

Scientist Logan Murakami doesn’t have much to keep him company during his lonely vigil at Outpost Proserpina. But he knew that going in, and it’s the perfect place to focus solely on his work: a neuro-optical interface that would be the perfect engine for artificial intelligence… an intelligence that Logan hopes is taking on a life of its own.

What I loved most about this story is that it plays out internally in the mind of Logan Murakami. Solitude and remoteness are definitely two of the factors to be considered when talking about space travel. How to achieve it, do we need a base of operations to extend our exploration? And what type of person will be able to handle those conditions? All compelling questions that need viable answers and Speed attempts to provide some of them in the person of Logan Murakami. Raised in isolation in Alaska and solitary by nature, he unexpectedly ends up alone at the outpost and uses this time to perfect his neuro-optical interface with the goal of having it attain intelligence. What happens exceeds his expectations and gives him something so much more. Just outstanding.

Losing Sight of the Shore By Emily Moreton

Secondary communications officer Jay is assigned to a boarding crew when the Hydra discovers a seemingly abandoned, powerless ship floating in space. While exploring the derelict ship, Jay finds a barely conscious man with purple skin and silver eyes. After surviving a raider attack, Felix is understandably afraid to let Jay go—even when cultural differences threaten to stop any contact between them.

Moreton gives us romance in space that emerges from survivors of an attack upon their ship. I liked the romance even if I wanted a little more of the alien culture and history of the purple skinned people living in ships among the stars. I got some lovely bits of characterization from Jay and the other members of the crew, I just wish I felt I got the same result from the aliens. A really sweet story that could have been fleshed out a little more to make it absolutely terrific.

Gifted in Tongues By JL Merrow

After inadvertently outraging local sensibilities, space pilot Torvald “Spitz” Spitzbergen faces a five-year stretch in a Lacertilian jail. His only consolation is trading insults with his cellmate, Tao, a six-foot libidinous Felid. But Tao seems to have a distinctly fuzzy understanding of the difference between fighting and foreplay…

Merrow gives us an alien drunk tank! How could you not love this? Spitz seems like the very type to get his drunk on, outrage the locals, and be very surprised to find himself with the remains of a hangover, two very different cell mates and the worst morning after he has had in a while. I chuckled throughout this story, Merrow’s descriptions painting the scene so perfectly that I had no problems picturing it all as it happens. Cracked me up, made me blush, and left me wanting more. Now if only I can talk the author into bringing Spitz and Tao back for further adventures. Pretty please?

Analytic Geometry By Andi Deacon

Kevin Ikoro has an incredible opportunity: his boss at Helix Multicorp wants an analyst’s view of how the corporation’s Exploration division works, and Kevin is now a member of explorer team Alpha 3IG. His teammates, a set of brilliant twins named Cameron and Theo Banark, are fascinating, and Kevin finds himself harboring a serious case of lust for Cameron. But exploration is unpredictable, and his teammates may not be what they seem. The shortest distance between two bodies isn’t always a straight line.

Another neat story full of twists that added dimension and depth to this little space gem. I don’t want to go into this except that I loved the characters where the attraction of the mind trumps attraction of the body. Sexy, humorous and with a little bit of mystery thrown in. Again the characters that Deacon creates here are so terrific, so unique that as the end I wanted so much more. The surprise alone is worth the story but it is the family that is forming that captures my interest, imagination and heart. Just a great job.

The Monsters Below By Lyn Gala

Brai’s never dreamed of fighting the monstrous sub-humans who infest Kestia, but when his lover joins the service, Brai does what he always does… he follows. Then Rick is lost on his first mission, and Brai is left alone in a murderous rage. Now on his own first mission gone terribly wrong, Brai has his chance to get back at the monsters for killing Rick—only the government hasn’t been honest about the nature of the enemy, and Brai might find that the caves hide a secret that could change his life.

I was not prepared for the heartbreak that is this story. Lyn Gala gives us an intense, knuckle biter of an update of vampires in space and makes it hurt even as the characters bleed out and die. Again for me to go into detail would ruin it but Gala’s characters are beautifully realized and the situation they find themselves in so dire that our hearts and minds are caught up in their plight immediately. This story kept me up and thinking into the wee hours of the morning.

Feral By K.R. Foster

Desperate to end a war, the king of the Lunar Pryde agrees to submit one of his offspring to mate with a member of the Sol Pryde royal line. Cynfael, prince of the Lunar Pryde, fled the planet six months ago searching for freedom, and nothing could convince him to return… except his father’s threat to marry off Cynfael’s twelve-year-old sister Adara. After fighting for freedom his entire life, Cynfael must return to Starion to face his unknown mate and an equally unknown future.

What is it about felids or specifically felids that walk upright with many of the same emotions and thoughts of humans that captures our imagination so? I kept running across so many of them from author after author and genre after genre. Still, I end of loving them all. Feral is Foster’s newest addition to felids in space. Cynfael is another prince being forced to wed the son of warring royal line and bring peace to the planet they inhabit. There are so many nice touches here from Cynfael’s ability to communicate with the planet to a comb made of filed down teeth that I wanted an extended version to fill in the gaps left by the story. We are left in the dark about the loss of Cynfael’s mother, the war ongoing, the purity of his genes (does it relate to his color?) and so much more. A little more volume was needed to add layers to an intriguing tale.

Ganymede’s Honor By Cornelia Grey

Colonel Ardeth Connor has been rescued from death, but he’s not sure his new life is any better: he’s effectively trapped aboard a rebel ship that defies the Federation to collect ice meteors, stealing life-sustaining water for the poorest of planets and asteroids. As an anonymous part of Captain Gabriel’s crew, Ardeth is biding his time until he can escape… and learning there’s more to space than just the Federation.

This story reminded me so much of an interview I just saw with an astrophysicist. She was talking about space travel, space ships and the Tardis. Ok, yes, I am a geek. I make no bones about it. She was talking about the fact that our modes of transportation in space didn’t need to be those sleek versions that populate the page and movie screen, that we could travel about in something as funky as a phone booth or a Rubic’s Cube. On in this case, a space galleon similar to those that rode the waves way back when. I loved this story. It left me smiling for hours just picturing the Ganymede under her solar sails in search of meteorites to capture. Cornelia Grey’s story gives us pirates in space or should that be rebels in space and turns it into a swashbuckling story of love, sexy rebel captains who shouts to his crew ‘Unwind those cables, bunch of useless yobs!” as they prepare to harpoon a ice meteoroid out of a swarm, and his crew man the sails and chains as the ship rockets under them. What a scene, what a crew! It got the blood boiling, the eyes wild, the heart pounding…..oh how I wanted to be on the ship with them and maybe snuggled up against Ardeth and Gabriel, just saying. I do have a thing for his tats.

And just the idea of a galleon sailing through space, the stars all around her…that’s magic right there. Grey’s story hit a lot of my buttons and left me cheering the crew on to great glory and many more stories. I feel much the same about every author here with their diverse take on space and making contact. I loved their stories, I wanted more of their aliens and human interaction. I hope this spawns even more novels featuring the being that made me laugh, made me cry and made me exult that space means no boundaries of any sort. No boundaries to the imagination and no boundaries as to who we can love and be loved by in return. More please. Much, much more. Engage.

Cover art by Analise Dubner, cover design by Mara McKennen. Love the cover, great colors and a catchy design.

Review of Gregory’s Rebellion (Shifters’ Haven #6) by Lavinia Lewis

Rating: 4.25 stars

Leopard shifter Gregory Hale has been sent by the supernatural council to pick up a young jaguar shifter in Las Vegas and bring him into Council headquarters as they have determined the young man’s loner status has made him a potential danger to the humans around him. But Gregory has watched Hayden at a distance for days and everything about the young shifter shouts neglect and pain. When Gregory finally contacts Hayden, he realizes that Hayden is his mate but there is no acknowledgement on Hayden’s part that the recognition is mutual. Hayden is skinny to the point of starvation and his face is marred by a raw scar that stretches from eye to mouth on one side of his face, a scar that should have healed when Hayden shifts. Hayden has come from a traumatized past, but he won’t confide in Gregory, not yet at least. More than ever, Gregory is determined not to let Hayden fall into the council’s hands and he pretends to his superiors that Hayden has slipped away from him, to their immediately displeasure. Gregory is, in fact, taking Hayden to Kelan’s Crazy Horse Ranch knowing the Alpha will help him hide Hayden and keep him safe.

Gregory still has the corruption within the council to deal with and a new series of murders to investigate. Someone is murdering the mates of council members, as Gregory knows all too well. Now with a mate of his own to protect, Gregory needs to get to the real culprit behind the killings before its too late.

The Shifters’ Haven series is built around Wolf Creek, Texas and its pack of wolf shifters. Wolf Creek is two thirds shifters in population, a situation that the human population is ignorant of as all shifters have worked hard to keep themselves hidden. Each book brings together a different mated pair with a continuous plot line of dissension among the Supernatural Council which is composed of shifters of all types, from hawk to cougar. From the first installment, you are made aware of the Council who governs all shifters with their rules and regulations and the possibility of corruption within that impacts Wolf Creek and beyond. From book to book, each time a member of the Council intervenes or arrives on the scene, you become less assured as to who the “good guys” are. Also each book widens the Wolf Creek pack with new family members and sometime new species of shifters are given haven.

Gregory’s Rebellion picks up right where Nate’s Deputy leaves off, with Gregory on his way to Las Vegas on council business. Gregory is still heartbroken over the events that happened back in Wolf Creek and unsettled because the real leader behind the shifter problems and crimes has not been fully identified, at least not with proof he can use. There has been a really nice development of Gregory’s character from book to book, from his first appearance as a council member somewhat rigid in demeanor to the compassionate person he is here. But my focus was on Hayden, who was kicked out of his home at the age of 16 by his parents for being gay, an all too real occurrence. Hayden has suffered since being thrown out of his home and family and has done what he had to in order to survive on the streets. He has no self confidence, he is all shame and humiliation, his trauma written across his face in a scar he refuses to heal as a measure of his torment and degradation. When Gregory comes into his life, he has just arrived at a modicum of security, with a boss who regards him as more family than employee and a job he likes. Now all of that is gone in an instant, disrupted by a stranger who tells him the council is after him and wants his trust. Lewis does a beautiful job in conveying Hayden’s confusion and fear. I became invested in Hayden from the very beginning and stayed so to the end. You will too.

Also carrying over is the issue of corruption in the council and the fact that someone is murdering the mates of council members, but to what end? Gregory gets caught up in trying to deal with his new mated status as well as his investigation into the problems of being part of a council he no longer trusts or believes in. Again, all very credible and in keeping with the persona of an honorable man trying to do what’s right when confronted with the reality behind the supernatural council. Lewis’ wonderful way with location and characterization is in top form here. It is becoming a saga of Wolf Creek versus the old order of council rule, a storyline that has intrigued me since the start of the series.

Once more, I felt the ending rushed and not as satisfactory as it might have felt to have the villain meet his comeuppance. Had the story lasted a little longer and with a more detailed exposition, then the end would feel more complete given the buildup. Perhaps Lewis is doing this intentionally to keep the thread going in the next book up, Pete’s Persuasion (Shifters’ Haven #7). I hope so, for it’s an interesting part of all of their stories and it doesn’t feel finished yet. So I am waiting impatiently for October and the next in the series. Pick up the first book, read them all and meet me here for No. 7. See you then.

Once again Posh Gosh is giving us lush, gorgeous covers for the entire series. Beautiful branding and great design for each and every book.

Here are the Shifter Haven series in the order they were written and should be read in order to fully appreciate the characters, relationships and plots.

Luke’s Surprise (Shifters’ Haven #1) . Luke Morgan and Mark Malone’s story

Cody’s Revelation (Shifters’ Haven #2) – Cody Morgan and Stefan Drake’s story

Kelan’s Pursuit (Shifters’ Haven #3) – Kelan Morgan and Jake Bradfield’s story

Aaron’s Awakening (Shifters’ Haven #4) – Aaron Drake and Cary Lewis

Nate’s Deputy (Shifters’ Haven #5) – Nate and Jared. Read my review here.

Gregory’s Rebellion (Shifters’ Haven #6) – Gregory and Hayden

Pete’s Persuasion (Shifters’ Haven #7) coming in October 2012

Review of Nate’s Deputy (Shifters’ Haven #5) by Lavinia Lewis

Rating: 4.25 stars

Nate Stanford is back home in Wolf Creek, Texas following the death of his brother, Rick. Guilt stricken over his falling out with his brother, of not being there when Rick needed him the most, Nate is determined to buy back his family’s ranch as a way to make amends to his dead brother. Rick’s Alpha, Nate Morgan, has given Nate a place to stay and a job to tide him over. But there is someone else interested in bidding on the family farm to his consternation.

Jared Ambrose came to town to take the job of Deputy in Wolf Creek, bringing with him his younger brother Tristan. Since their father died, Tristan has been getting in trouble, drink binging and hanging out with the wrong crowd. Jared hopes that a change from Lubbock to Wolf Creek will make all the difference to Tristan and their relationship which has become increasingly distant. Now that their family has been narrowed down to two, Jared hopes to make Sheriff and settle down permanently in a town where the wolf shifters outnumber humans 3 to 1, even if the humans aren’t aware of the fact.

When a fight in a bar brings Nate and Jared together, both men realize they are mates. But Jared is afraid the town won’t vote for a gay Sheriff and Rick’s death has left Nate feeling unworthy of Jared, so neither man acknowledges their bond. But someone is causing trouble for the pack in Wolf Creek and the Supernatural Council is sending operatives to evaluate the situation and the current pack leadership. As everything becomes increasingly unsettled, Nate and Jared will have to come together to fight for their pack’s and Tristan’s safety or have their decision to remain apart threaten the stability of those they love.

Nate’s Deputy is the 5th in the Shifters’ Haven series and is being touted as a standalone too. But I would discount that as each book brings more of the backstory of Wolf Creek and its denizens as well as contributes to the mystery concerning the supernatural Council. Lavinia Lewis does a wonderful job with her characterizations of the town’s members as well as her vivid descriptions of Texas, dusty and hot in the summer season. You can almost feel the dirt and sweat accumulate on your skin or fur under the Texas sun. Wolf Creek is populated with all types of personalities, some craven, some hiding secret ambitions and agendas under bland exteriors as well as the stalwart and the noble ,the insecure and the downtrodden. I think Lewis has crafted some wonderful individuals to populate her novels and Nate and Jared are no exceptions. Nate, with his survivor grief to go along with brotherly guilt over his relationship with Rick, is someone we all can relate to. He is so unsettled, so distraught with himself that the idea of someone else finding him worthy is hard for Nate to accept. Jared too is realistic. He earned my sympathy and affection as he tries to assume responsibility for his younger brother, manage his own grief on losing his father and settle into a new town and job while feeling utterly overwhelmed by the challenges in front of him. Jared’s stress is palpable.

Another nice touch in this shifter series is that neither Nate or Jared want to accept or acknowledge their status as mates. Usually in this and other series, the moment a mate is found, it is all about instant bonding with a straight shot to love happily ever after. Not so much here. Jared has his brother to think of and the ambition to become Sheriff in a town not always tolerant of gays. Nate is uncertain about his future in Wolf Creek, still trying to come to terms with his brother’s death and his own lack of a role within the pack. No rush to love here, just two men who happen to be shifters dealing with life’s roadblocks and detours. I really liked their fumble towards a relationship.

My quibble here regards the continuing issues within the Supernatural Council and the problems they caused here. The end seemed abrupt and a little too streamlined considering all the events leading up to the denouement, especially considering the main issue for the shifters of whether to remain hidden or come out to the human population is never really addressed. Perhaps that is coming down the line in future books. I can only hope so. My other quibble is the length of the books. All are novellas and could be helped by the addition of more length, more exposition. Still I found this to be a wonderful new installment to a terrific series.

Once again Posh Gosh is giving us lush, gorgeous covers for the entire series. Beautiful branding and great design for each and every book.

Here are the Shifter Haven series in the order they were written and should be read in order to fully appreciate the characters, relationships and plots.

Luke’s Surprise (Shifters’ Haven #1) . Luke Morgan and Mark Malone’s story

Cody’s Revelation (Shifters’ Haven #2) – Cody Morgan and Stefan Drake’s story

Kelan’s Pursuit (Shifters’ Haven #3) – Kelan Morgan and Jake Bradfield’s story

Aaron’s Awakening (Shifters’ Haven #4) – Aaron Drake and Cary Lewis

Nate’s Deputy (Shifters’ Haven #5)

Gregory’s Rebellion (Shifters’ Haven #6)

Pete’s Persuasion (Shifters’ Haven #7) coming in October 2012

Review of Life as a Fairy Thrall by Katey Hawthorne

Rating: 4.25 stars

Tammas and Aeron have just gotten over one shock to their relationship when two more happen right in a row. Emry is successful in his work on their bond and Kamala appears on their doorstep with a problem and her nephew, Firez, in tow. Firez is an old schoolmate of Tammas’ and his sister has been kidnapped by a fae. He has come to ask for their help in rescuing her, knowing it will take all the magic and the assistance of one of the fae to get her back. Firez is not totally welcome in their home. He is a part of those who hurt and bullied Tammas in school. Aeron demands payment for their help and Firez must enter into a Fairy compact if he wants their help.

Kidnapping humans to keep as thralls is illegal. Only those humans who go willingly may become thrall but kidnapping the unwary is occuring in the Fairy Court. But Tammas and Aeron know that if they can get her back, the chances of the fairies coming after her again are nil. So with the help of Aeron’s sister, Awela, Kamala, Tammas, Aeron, Awela, and Firez head out to the portal into the Fairy Realm. The plan is for Kamala to watch the portal until they are safely back while Aeron and Awela travel to the Court with Tammas and Firez disguised as their human thralls.

Once at Court, their plans become even more complicated, as the Lady holding the girl wants more humans to take her place. With danger all around them and the eyes of the Fae upon them, Tammas and Firez must act the part of human thralls right down to the collars they wear. The girl is there but unaware of who they are. All must tread delicately or the ones to pay the price will be Tammas and Firez with the cost of their freedom.

Life as a Fairy Thrall is the second story in the Fairy Compact trilogy by Katey Hawthorne. The first story, The Dangers of a Fairy Compact relates the first meeting of Tam and Aeron, although they have been connected by a fairy compact all Tam’s life. Without giving too much away of the plot of that story, it goes without saying that Fairy compacts always come with a price to be paid, ones that will resonate through the years and even alternate worlds. The trilogy is the story of Tammas and Aeron’s entwined lives and the relationship that comes out of a compact neither made of their own volition. These are not your Disneyfied fairies but the fae of old Gaelic myths and lore. Capable of great cruelty as as great good, their moods interchangeable and indeterminable. They cannot be held to human standards something humans often forget. Katey Hawthorne gives us the Fae made real, from their diaphanous wings and unworldly beauty to the power and magic that swirls around them like an aromatic.

It is through the author’s vivid descriptions and wonderful characterizations that Tammas’ world comes across as realistic as the neighborhood I live in. I can see the small cottage with its gardens and trees surrounding it, but more importantly I can feel it as the story is as tactile as moss on a stone. The magic here engages all the senses, it is smelled, and stroked. It is the burbling of a stream and the mist of the woods and that gives these stories a wonderful depth and realism, both needed when the reader needs to believe in the world and characters before her. This tactile nature of these stories carries just as vividly into the sex scenes. Who knew that winged sex could be so hot? Indeed it is so be prepared when entering Hawthorne’s fairy world or her human world either. At the end of the story we are left with Tam and Aeron’s relationship facing yet another hurdle, with another major decision to be made. It will be a hard one, full of angst as well as love. I can’t wait to see how the trilogy finishes up.

I love stories of the Fae and have since I was a child. Tinker-belle never interested me but the Fair Folk of Irish lore fascinated me as much as they had the ability to terrify me. Katey Hawthorne is giving us a wonderful trilogy in this same tradition. Start with the first one. It can be downloaded for free from either Katey Hawthorne’s website, visit http://www.kateyhawthorne.com/p/fairy-compacts.html. Or visit All Romance Publishers and download it free from there. I think you will love the stories as much as I do plus the illustrations by Ruxandra Lache are not to be missed.

The Dangers of a Fairy Compact (Fairy Compact #1)

Life as a Fairy Thrall (Fairy Compact #2)

Autumn Comes to Maryland, Vote 6 for Equality and the Week Ahead in Reviews

Good morning to all and what a spectacular day it is here in Maryland. The sky is that crystalline crisp blue that I only see in Fall, the clouds fluffy white and a huge flock of Canada geese just flew overhead, their cries trumpeting the arrival of Fall. How I love this time of year, my pulse quickens, my step is a tad more brisk (such as it is these days), and I feel like rejuvenated after the sweltering heat of summer. The Monarch butterflies are flitting through the garden on their way to Mexico, and what a journey they have in front of them, over 3, 000 miles of ingrained need to fly to a place they have never been. Amazing when you consider they are fragility on wings.

Autumn is a time of movement, a time of activity, both measured and frantic. Beaver and muskrats are busy with caches of food and antlers, so too are the squirrels and white footed mice. All have plenty to do to make sure the food stores are full for the winter. Bees zoom around the garden, gathering pollen and nectar from the spectacular profusion of gold, white and purple flowers of the season. The New England asters, goldenrod, the Black-eyed Susans, and the Joe Pye weed that linger on. Most people think of Autumn colors as red, yellow and orange, but the fall gardener knows that the harbinger of Fall also carries the colors of white, gold and purple to all the gardens and fields around us.

Fall brings change. Leaves swirl to the ground as the sap returns to their roots in preparation for Winter, seeds are scattered by wind and animal alike, and the animals start their migration to the winter feeding grounds. The songbirds seek the safety of the night for their travels while the raptors, secure as top predators of the air, wing their way south during the daylight hours, soaring above as they follow the coasts and mountains. I watch the squirrels stuffing leaves into the neighbors chimney with all the energy and enthusiasm of teenagers on energy drinks. I have never seen those neighbors use their chimney and hope that for the squirrels sake that this continues. My old bird feeder finally fell apart from the relentless onslaught from the non flighted visitors and a new one should arrive any day, carrying with it the hope of a squirrel proof feeder. Hah, I say from experience. My money is on the squirrels.

I am hoping for another change in Maryland this fall. It is 51 days until the election and I am hoping that this fall brings Marriage Equality for all in the state of Maryland. If you live here, please vote for Question 6 and make it legal for all GLBTQ to marry here. It is long past time for this to happen, equal marriage rights are long overdue. Let’s be a voice for progress and become a partner in movement for equal rights for all. Vote yes for Question 6 and let’s make the promise a reality! I will be there on voting day and hope you will join me.

Finally, October will see several special events on my blog. First up, actually the very first week is Regency Sci-Fi week with JL Langley in preparation for My Regelence Rake release October 1st. I have an interview with JL, recap of the series to date, a discussion about Regency novels, and a contest to give away a copy of My Regelence Rake to someone who comments during the week! Whew! I am also participating in the Howloween Blog Hope at the end of October where I will be giving away a Amazon gift card during the blog hop! So stay tuned, my pretties, we have a great time planned this fall. Change is in the air, I can feel it. Can you?

Here are the books to be reviewed this week:

Monday: Life As A Fairy Thrall by Katey Hawthorne

Tuesday: Making Contact (Sci Fi Anthology)

Wednesday: Nate’s Deputy by Lavinia Lewis

Thursday: Gregory’s Rebellion by Lavinia Lewis

Friday: The Melody Thief by Shira Anthony

Saturday: Wolf’s Own Book One Ghost by Carole Cummings

Review of Love, Hypothetically (Theta Alpha Gamma series) by Anna Tenino

Rating: 4.25 stars

Paul’s life is not going as well as he had hoped. He’s been kicked out of his apartment, actually Sebastian’s apartment, because he insulted his friend’s boyfriend. He lost Sebastian’s friendship too because when it came down to it, he was actually cruel to Brad the boyfriend, not just insulting. But he had to look out for Sebastian’s best interests didn’t he? After all Brad was one of those awful jock frat boys that can’t be trusted except that he turned out that he could plus Sebastian loved Brad. So no more friend and no more apartment. Now Paul is reduced once more to dorm living at Calapooya College and scouring for tutor gigs to earn extra money. Then he gets a call to meet with the new girls softball coach who needs a tutor for the team and gets the shock of his life.

Trevor Gardiner was once a Major League baseball player until he retired and came out of the closet. Trevor is also the reason that Paul hates jocks and frat boys. Nine years earlier, the two had been secretly in love in high school until they were caught with their pants down in the boys locker room. Faced with the rest of his team,the high school coach, and his future as a ball player, Trevor threw Paul under the bus, saying that Paul had come on to him, outing Paul in the process. Paul’s subsequent years in school were hellish until he escaped to college.

Now Trevor is the new softball coach at Calapooya College. More than anything he wants Paul’s forgiveness for his actions in high school. He also wants them to try again as a couple, something that Paul definitely does not want. Or does he. Can Trevor’s apologies overcome years of pain and hurt or will Paul get the revenge he has always dreamed about.

Frat Boy and Toppy, the first in the Theta Alpha Gamma series, was an absolute delight of a read so I was really looking forward to the next in the series. Love, Hypothetically meets my expectations for another great time to be had exploring love among the disparate groups on campus and clears up some issues I wondered about in the first book. Paul is a carryover from the first book where he was one of Sebastian’s roommates when Brad entered the picture and he was the one whose unwavering dismissal of Brad as anything other than a boy toy so angered Sebastian that he threw Paul out of the house and cut him out as a friend as well. Paul was the one character whose hostility towards jocks and Brad in particular was never explained and it made him a little one dimensional. Love, Hypothetically answers the question why all the jock hatred from Paul?

Tenino makes it clear that Paul had ample reason to despise the jock mentality based on Trevor’s betrayal and his outing of Paul in high school, an event Paul has never recovered from. All of Paul’s fears, hurt and distrust stem from that one traumatic event and he has turned it into a hatred of all things fraternity and jock orientated. Tenino takes Paul from a one layered persona and gives him a depth of background and emotion that makes him totally relatable and easy to empathize with. Paul’s snarky attitude and bitter quips can be embraced when you know they stem from a deeper hurt. I liked the fact that there was no instant forgiveness or instant love factored into the story. Instead Tenino has Paul examine the past, even if hypothetically, to see if he can get through the emotions and memories he has carried all these years to arrive at a new possible future. Not an easy thing to achieve and Tenino lets us see that and that she does so with humor and snappy dialog is to her credit. I will admit to a spew moment when Paul decides to go ahead with his 12 step program for Pricks and ends up on Sebastian and Brad’s doorstep with his awkward apologies in hand. It doesn’t exactly flow smoothly out of his mouth because well, he’s Paul. It turns out kind of snippy, awkward, and has to be pulled out of him. It is a great scene that kept me chuckling even after I finished the book.

That’s another thing Anne Tenino does so well. She treats serious issues, liking being outed in school, with the gravity it deserves but never loses sight that humor and laughter help get through the memories and a bad situation while never taking away from the pain it causes. We have laughs that help alleviate our fears and pain all delivered with a deft touch that keeps me coming back for more. Whether the humor is delivered situationally or through dialog, it always works.

Tenino creates characters for her stories that come across as completely human, warts, intolerance, fears, snippiness, loyalty and love all included. It makes them easy to understand and sometimes easy to get frustrated with. But above all her characters are easy to cheer for and hope for their happiness. It will also keep me coming back for more. More of the Theta Alpha Gamma series, more Anne Tenino. Read the books, I think you will find yourself agreeing with me.

Cover art by LC Chase. Clean, bright and easy on the eyes. I really like this cover but not as well as Frat Boy and Toppy.

Frat Boy and Toppy (Theta Alpha Gamma series #1). Read my review here.

Review of Isaiah (Leopards Spots #4) by Bailey Bradford

Rating: 4.25 stars

Snow Leopard shifter Isaiah Trujillo has always felt like the dumb brother of his family. He isn’t smart like his brother Timothy, the PhD investigating shifter history and genetics. Isaiah never wanted more than to be a good mechanic, own his own business and be happy. And maybe, just maybe find a mate of his own, like his brother and cousins have. When a customer mentions he volunteers at a GLBT youth center that could use Isaiah’s help, Isaiah volunteers and changes his life forever. At the volunteer dinner, he meets Dr. Bae Allen Warren, a mobile veterinarian and fellow cat shifter. Bae is an Amur Leopard shifter and Isaiah’s mate. But Bae runs from Isaiah at first sight. Confused and hurt Isaiah chases after his mate only to learn that Bae carries with him a truckload of trouble.

Dr. Bae Allen Warren comes from a lepe or clan almost cultlike in its actions and outlook. Amur Leopards are becoming extinct, both as animals and shifters. Bae’s lepe has kept its shifters isolated to keep their bloodline pure, demanding that each contributes by mating with as many other clan members as possible to produce offspring. These children are promptly sent off to other lepes to live in hopes they enlarge the gene pool. No one has ever questioned their leader or the manner in which the lepe live their lives until Bae brings home his mate, Isaiah. Bae is gay and has refused to mate with the females of his or any other clan. That is the only reason his father has allowed him the freedom of an outside education and life. Isaiah changes Bae’s perspective on his clans lifestyle to his father’s disapproval and threats by his grandfather, the lepe’s leader. Even as Bae finds Isaiah, his mate, the lepe closes in around them, threatening their bond and their future together.

Isaiah (Leopard’s Spots #4) is the best of the series so far. Bradford introduced the idea of a spiritual connection between animal and human in the last book, Timothy, that I felt was jarring at the time. But clearly this idea or story thread is becoming a major theme for the series. Isaiah is a spiritual man, good and decent. Only he feels insecure when he puts himself next to his brother’s achievements, never seeing himself as others do. Bae is a shifter forced to fight for his right to live his own life, while feeling the guilt and pressure brought on by his father and clan. Both shifters bring to each other a shift in perspective that each desperately needs, along with the message of accepting who you are.

Bradford also brings back the focus on endangered cat species by including Amur Leopards also known as Korean Leopards. Look them up, they are stunning in their beauty. Snow Leopards remain a center species and the author brings in a hybrid species known as pumapards, which actually existed earlier in the century. Bradford has clearly done her homework on big cat species and wildlife conservation. Timothy and Otto from the 3rd book are back to help Isaiah and his mate, Bae, with several of the mysteries running throughout the series. One is the low shifter population within species as birthrates are at an all time low. Is it due to inbreeding, like Bae’s lepe? The fact that none of the isolated clans are finding their mates? Or something more ominous, that their animal/spiritual side must be nurtured, treasured or they will lose their animal part of themselves, remaining forever damaged. Bradford obviously has a plan with her series that is just now becoming clearer with each new book.

I loved the characters here. I find Isaiah and Bae to be the most captivating of the group so far. And Isaiah with his spirituality and humble outlook charmed me immediately. I really like where Bradford is taking this series which leads me to my main quibble all around. These stories are way too short for the goals Bradford is trying to accomplish with each book. That was my problem with Timothy, which I will now have to reconsider given this story. She set out so many new plot lines in Timothy (Leopard’s Spots #3) that the main story suffered under the lack of space for its development. Here she comes close to doing it again but still pulls off her agenda. If these books would be enlarged even a little, I think the series would benefit as new ideas could be more richly explored.

Another thing about the series is the huge amounts of sex contained within. I find that realistic as the sexual activity helps in the bonding and if you have ever heard the neighborhood cats yowling during their nocturnal activities, well, let’s just say Bradford has that right too. There is one section concerning the pumapards that is left completely unsettled here but I suspect that a future book will find that resolved. At any rate, I am onto the next in the series, Gilbert (Leopard’s Spots #5) with renewed enthusiasm about the series and the vision behind it. I promise I will let you know how it goes.

Cover by Posh Gosh. The glorious covers just keep getting better with each book. Nominated for the best series covers.

Here are the books in the series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters and storylines:

Levi (Leopard’s Spots #1) read my review here

Oscar (Leopard’s Spots #2) read my review here.

Timothy (Leopard’s Spots #3) read my review here.

Isaiah (Leopard’s Spots #4)

Gilbert (Leopard’s Spots #5)

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