5 star Rating

So Squirrels. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Standard

So… Squirrels

 

So as I counted down the days until Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words went on hiatus, I had things to do and wanted everything to go in a tidy, organized manner.  So of course, everything rapidly descended into chaos.  The dishwasher broke down, I had to deal with family RL issues, and then there were squirrels.  Well, a squirrel.  In the house.  For an extended stay.

Looks around.

I think he or she is finally gone.  Of course, with this one, you just don’t know.

Had squirrels in the house before.  Some brought in via the many animals, furkids who have lived here over the years.  Moles, voles, shrews, chipmunks, and the occasional field mouse have all made it in as the unfortunate “living gifts or toys” from various cats and dogs over the years.  Most actually made it back outside.  Then there are the visitors down through the chimney., that wonderful artificial “tree hollow” that has seen so many over the decades (my father built this house).

Most of the squirrels and I have come to a tried and true method when they arrive into the family room that way.  I open the back doors into the yard and boom, out they go.  No drama, all very  neat and quick.  I had assumed we, the squirrel community and I had an agreement on this. All very civilized of course.

But it seems in every small group there exists a rebel.  One who goes left, when all the others go right.  That is the squirrel who came down the chimney several days ago.

They did not go right out the door into the yard.  Nooooooo.  They went  left.  Dashing madly up the stairs into the living room where my tubby little dog awaited!  With glee!  They then proceeded to zoom around many levels of house, levels of rooms, well the squirrel did, tubby didn’t.  Then it happened.  I lost track of the squirrel.  And it went stealth.  No chattering, nothing.

And its scent was everywhere so said dog couldn’t find him.  Although to be fair my sausage with a head gave it his all.  All day and all night tracking the now quiet and unmoving squirrel. I had looked with my trusty flashlight.  The next day, we had a sighting!  And then it went quickly hiding until located once more. I mean is this squirrel a secret Russian operative?

Found!  Unbelievably in the closet full of Christmas Nutcrackers (honestly who writes these things) in the library, up behind all those boxes.  Couldn’t get to it and that squirrel wasn’t coming out.  So new tactic.  Call Animal Control with the nets to come and get it to release.  Right? Nope. I should have remembered.  Unless it’s actually in a trap, nope.  Back to square one. My own method.  While I was pondering what to do, Rambo squirrel made a move, busted out of the louvered door closet and out of the library for another round of madcap chasing.  Door propped up, and again I didn’t see it go out.

Sigh.

Tubby is investigating my desk in the library and the closet as I write this.  No idea if the squirrel is out or in.  Time will tell.

Good news, my little dog has had more exercise than if he’d had a zillion Peloton workouts.  Yay squirrel.

Honestly, I think its out, don’t you? 😬

In the meantime, I am thinking the hiatus will be more like me making intermittent reviews and ramblings until we are back fulltime in June 2020.  Too many books to talk about and apparently things to say.

So stay tuned, more on this later on.

 

 

 

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 

 

Sunday, January 26:

  • So Squirrels. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, January 27:

  • Review Tour – Garrett Leigh – The Edge Of The World
  • A MelanieM Review: The Edge of the World by Garrett Leigh
  • A MelanieM Review: Ted of the d’Urbervilles by Rob Rosen

Tuesday, January 28:

  • Book Blast – Earnest Ink by Alex Hall
  • AUDIOBOOK TOUR – Love’s Trials by Janice Jarrell
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady:Howling on Hold by EJ Russell
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice

Wednesday, January 29:

  • REòEASE BLITZ Bound to Liberty by Kai Tyler
  • Release Blitz – Hold Me Up by Colette Davison
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Stay Lucky by Leta Blake
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review Asylum by Julian Burnes

Thursday, January 30:

  • BLITZ Better Than Beginnings by Lane Hayes
  • Tour: BL Dayhoff on The Right Move
  • A MelanieM Review: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice
  • A Free Dreamer Review Out of Time (Out of Time #5) by C.B. Lewis
  • A MelanieM Review:Howling on Hold by EJ Russell

Friday, January 31:

  • Blog Tour – Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice
  • Release Blitz – Say It (Fascination Series Book 1) by Sky McCoy
  • Release Blitz with ARC Reviews – Fight For This by Suki Fleet
  • A MelanieM Review: Head in the Game by Jeff Adams
  • A MelanieM Audio Review:All I Want Is You by DJ Jamison and Wyatt Baker (Narrator)

Saturday, February 1:

  • So What Happens Next?

A Free Dreamer Review: Time Turns (Out of Time #4) by C.B. Lewis

Standard

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

As a consultant analyst for the most technologically advanced firms in the country, Danny Ferguson knows he’s seen a lot of crazy stuff, but nothing comes close to his newest position at the Temporal Research Institute, the world’s foremost time travel organisation.

The corrupted piece of code Ferguson found on the TRI’s closed network is a serious concern for Lysander O’Donohue, the director of the TRI. Unable to trust his own people—any one of whom might be the source—he’s forced to put all his trust in Danny to solve the mystery of the corrupt code and find the identity of the enemy within.

But when an unexpected temporal gate opens, a straightforward code analysis becomes something a lot more complicated.

I read and really enjoyed part three of the series, so I was eager to get my hands on the next book. And Time Turns certainly didn’t disappoint.

While this is part four of an ongoing series, I think it works perfectly fine as a stand-alone. The protagonists from part three get barely any on-page scenes and the important events are summed up early on. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t read part three, though, because it’s just as good as this one, albeit quite different.

Coding isn’t necessarily something I’m crazy about. The few times I’ve been exposed to it, I found rather boring. But this book actually made it seem really fascinating. The way Danny works with it is like a new form of art. You don’t need to understand it to appreciate its beauty. And the author didn’t delve too deeply into the theory, so it never got boring or confusing.

I was utterly captivated from the very beginning and I used every free second to continue reading. Neither of the protagonists actually did any time-traveling and there wasn’t actually all that much action. But somehow there was this suspense that just made it extremely hard to put down the book. This is the kind of book that should come with a special warning: “Do not read if you don’t want to be late.” Seriously, I was almost late for work more than once.

Lysander is a really interesting guy. He’s a very private person and has some unexpected secrets. And Danny is just plain adorable. Sure, he’s cocky and overconfident, but also extremely loyal and hard-working.

I absolutely loved the relationship dynamic. Danny was so mindful of Lysander. And Lysander never took advantage. The progress felt natural and the sex scenes, while few and far between, were really hot.

As for the mystery part, the revelation of the bad guy was completely unexpected to me. I don’t read a lot of mystery, though, so maybe an avid crime/mystery reader could have deduced who the culprit is sooner.

Overall, “Time Turns” was a brilliant book and my first 5-star-book of the year. And it’s made me even more eager to read the rest of the series.

The cover by Natasha Snow fits with the rest of the series and the story, but it’s a little nondescript. I’m not a fan of covers where the models make up the largest part of the design.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book details:

ebook, 400 pages

Published September 16th 2019 by NineStar Press

Out of Time Series

Time Waits

Time Lost

Time Taken

Time Turns

Out of Time

A MelanieM Review: The Hunt for Red Fluffy (Brimstone #6) by Angel Martinez

Standard

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Someone abandons a pedigree hellcat right where Shax can conveniently claim her and sets off a cataclysmic domino line of events. It’s time for the other shoe to drop since the Brimstone has a shadow cabal after them—partly due to Shax’s own, er, interesting decisions and partly due to the presence of Agent Julian Parallax onboard.

As ship security officer, Ness has a lot on his mind—a dangerous new pet, even more dangerous criminals tracking the Brimstone, and yet another unexpected rescued guest. The last thing he needs is a distraction and Julian, who confuses and confounds him more every moment, is exactly the distraction he doesn’t need. Between Shax’s reckless gambits and Julian’s disregard for his own safety, how is Ness supposed to keep anyone safe?

The Brimstone and her intrepid crew do all they can to stay one step ahead, but this time the hunters are closing in

Let’s see.  You have giant demon cats, singing millipedes, lost octopi space beings, a drag queen IA, and a freaking spaceship being pursued through the galaxy while a devil prince, a fallen angel, and a intergalactic operative try to figure out their love life?  Yep Angel Martinez and her insanely wonderful Brimstone gang are at it again in The Hunt for Red Fluffy (Brimstone #6) by Angel Martinez .

Am I thrilled?  Why hell yes!

I can not get enough of this series and just plain out there group of characters.  From pink hedgehogs with their futuristic iPads, cowboys and their horses, imps, the aforementioned millipedes, Nephilims, and more demons, cargos of floating cows, squishy frogs, and so much more, each story more indescribably imaginative and mind bogglingly delightful.  Now its demon courser cats.  Of course it is.

Cuz we haven’t had those yet.

And junior lost octopi in space.  I mean.  0.0  Jaw droppingly wonderful how drawn into it/them I was and its plight. And wavy arms.

Plus as all the fast action pursuit is going on, there is hot sex, and relationship dynamics to figure out between Shax, Julian, and Ness.  This is something that has been brewing over the course of the series and the author brings it nicely to fruition here.  Although there is so much more to go with this triad and Julian.  Especially with Julian’s career.  For the heart of these stories remains the characters, their relationships with each other, and the found family aboard  the Brimstone.  That’s the true heart here.  The one that pulls at me time and again.

I adore this author and this is one series I never hope to see of finale for.  May the Brimstone sail on and on and on.

One of my most highly recommended series and definitely this story!

Cover art is perfection!

Sales Links:  Mischief Corner Books | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition
Published September 12th 2019 by Mischief Corner Books, LLC
ASIN B07XJL5DSH
Series Brimstone #6
Brimstone Series
The Brimstone Journals: Collection One

A MelanieM Review The Edge of the World by Garrett Leigh

Standard

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Shay Maloney is living his dream—on tour with his pirate/folk-rock band. But you can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re from, and that’s where moody filmmaker and researcher Ollie Pietruska comes in.

The band’s management persuades Shay to let a television company film a documentary about his roots beyond his adoptive Irish family, and Ollie comes into his life knowing more about Shay than Shay’s ever known about himself.

But while Ollie holds the key to Shay’s past, he’s also hiding deep scars. Even as the hardships of the tour bring them closer, Ollie’s demons threaten the blossoming romance. They might both reach the breaking point before Ollie realises he’s been standing on the edge of the world for too long, and it’s Shay who holds the key to his future.

A friends-to-lovers, rock star, road-tripping romance, with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

Shay Maloney and Ollie Pietruska just may be my favorite Garrett Leigh couple yet.  And that is saying a lot after all the wonderful stories I have read by this author.  But it didn’t take long for me to fall under the spell cast by these men, their incredible chemistry, and the intriguing format that Leigh created for their tale in The Edge of the World by Garrett Leigh.  

Add up two indelible characters, a memorable ragtag fusion folk band on tour, and a mystery of a lost ancestry, and Garrett Leigh had me hooked not only on a hurt/comfort romance but a mystery as well.  A narrative rich in intriguing characters, nationalities,  with a realness seated in one man’s coping with diabetes and another’s trauma, this story has it all.

And connecting it, an elusive music just out of reach, full of drums, flutes, pianos, and a pounding of feet the reader so dearly wants to be a part of .

This is a book of the  senses we ache to feel, beautifully written, gorgeously constructed.  With men so believable I hung on every part of their relationship. so fully invested I couldn’t bear to put down the Kindle until it was finished.  And then was sorry to leave them there, happy and in love.

Definitely a story for me to revisit, I love them that much.  I think you will too.   I guess you already you I am recommending it. Of course you do!

Cover Design: Black Jazz Designh:  How perfect is that cover!

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 223 pages
Published January 16th 2020 by Fox Love Press

And Still More 2019 Best Of Lists and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Standard

And Still More 2019 Best Of Lists

Here we are mid January and the cold is upon us. After mid temperatures, it is finally feeling like winter here.  Our look at last year’s wonderful stories continues this week with our reviewer Alisa’s choices for her Best of 2019.  Check them out below:

From Our Reviewer Alisa:

 

2019 Best ebooks

Blood Wine by Aimer Boyz

Kept in the Dark by Charlie Cochet

The Hands We’re Given by O.E. Tearmann

Surviving the Shadows by Miranda Turner

Mason’s Run by Mellanie Rourke

All or Nothing by Riina Y.T.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Andi James and Lila Wilde

The Sweetest Thing by E.M. Denning

At Home by Carly Marie

His Two Alphas by Anna Wineheart

Best audiobooks

Untamed by Carly Marie, narrator Bolton Hill

Homeward Bound by HJ Welch, narrator Nick Russo

Mr. Frosty Pants by Leta Blake, narrator John Solo

Nothing Special V by AE Via, narrator Aiden Snow

The Swap by Annabella Michaels, narrator Michael Pauley

Best Series

Finding Home by Carly Marie

Davey’s Rules by Susi Hawke

My Truth by Ann Grech

Brotherhood of Ormarr by Jacki James, Michelle Frost, Steph Marie, Bobbie Rayne, Michele Notaro and Sammi Cee

Bid Bad Wolves by Queenie Wise

 

—

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, January 19:

  • And Still More 2019 Best Of Lists and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday,January 20:

  • Cover Reveal Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice
  • Review Tour – Served with a Twist by Jet Lupin
  • BLITZ Out of Time by C.B. Lewis
  • An Alisa Review Forbidden Bond by Lee Colgin
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Time Turns (Out of Time #4) by C.B. Lewis

Tuesday, January 21:

  • Release blitz Adam Bomb by Kilby Blades
  • BLITZ Winter Masquerade by Kevin Klehr
  • An Alisa Review Don’t Ask Don’t Tell by Miski Harris
  • A MelanieM Review The Edge of the World by Garrett Leigh

Wednesday. January 22:

  • Release Blitz – Fade In (A Tales of Bryant Romance) – V.L. Locey
  • Release Blitz – Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice
  • A Melanie Review Consorts of the Red King by Eden Winters
  • A Melanie Review Fade In (Tales of Bryant #3) by V.L. Locey

Thursday, January 23:

  • Release Festivities for Powder & Pavlova by Jay Hogan
  • AUDIOBOOK TOUR – Love’s Trials by Janice Jarrell
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Rescuing Kyle Special Forces: Operation Alpha by Lynn Michaels
  • An Alisa Audio Review:All the Way to Shore (Stories from the Shore #1) by CJane Elliott, Tim McKiernan (Narrator)

Friday, January 24:

  • Release Blitz Ted of the d’Urbervilles by Rob Rosen
  • Blog Tour – Hathornatum (Pleletus #1) by Taylin Clavelli
  • A Stella Review: Powder and Pavlova (Southern Lights #1) by Jay Hogan
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Hathornatum (Pleletus #1) by Taylin Clavelli

Saturday, January 25:

  • A MelanieM Audio Review:All I Want Is You by DJ Jamison and Wyatt Baker (Narrator)

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn with Michael Ferraiuolo (Narrator)

Standard

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

I sat on this review for a few days because I needed to absorb just how much the story meant to me. I was overwhelmed with not only the plot but with Michael Ferraiuolo’s performance. Let’s say I know which audiobook I’m nominating for best performance next year.

On the surface, this looks like it will be a book about a priest who yearns for the love of a rock star, but it’s far from that. It’s the story of a young man who loved another young man in their teens, but not enough to overcome his desire to enter the priesthood. Add to that some (poor) advice from his mother, who focused on the wrongness of loving another man rather than the rightness of having the freedom to love whoever he chooses in whichever way he chooses, and you have a gay priest who is an LGBTQ advocate. He also runs a center for homeless LGBTQ teens supported in part by the church and in part by grants and charitable donations.

The boy he loved, Nicholas Blumfeld, had been adopted at birth by two loving and supportive parents, but Nicky ran from them and his ghosts when Jasper turned from him, and he ended up as Nico Blue, lead singer and songwriter for Vespertine. After the demands of his career, his tour, and his manager lead him to one drug too many, he ends up in rehab and ultimately returns home to the parents who still love and support him.

Nicky and Jasper renew their friendship and ultimately their love for each other. We readers have the pleasure of watching that unfold as Nicky struggles through his recovery and Jasper struggles with his decision to continue as a priest or give it up for the man he realizes he still loves. The teens in the shelter play a major supportive role in this story as does Nicky’s family and Ramona, one of his bandmates. All were well-developed characters, some of whom I’d love to meet. The authors did a beautiful job of bringing this story to life and of showing the internal and external struggles both Nicky and Jasper faced—individually and together. This is one of those love stories I will remember for a long time. In fact, I loved this audiobook so much I bought the e-book as well. I’ll be rereading and relistening for a long time to come. 

The beautiful cover design by Dar Albert features a handsome bare-chested man, a church window in the background and a guitar-playing, sunglasses-wearing rock star to the right—attractive and perfect for the story. 

Audio Sales Links: Amazon | Audible

Audio Book Details:

Audiobook
Published December 16th 2019 (first published September 7th 2015)
Original Title Vespertine
ASIN B082QSFYS8
Edition Language English
Characters Nicholas Blumfeld (Nico Blue), Jasper Hendricks
setting Maine (United States)

More Best of 2019 and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Standard

More best of 2019 Lists

 

We are continuing on this week with more best of lists.  This time from our reviewer Chaos Moondrawn!  Let’s check out her Best of 2019!

 

Chaos Moondrawn Best Of 2019

The Best Of The Best

This year I read approximately 200 stories/books, although I didn’t review them all. If you have been reading my reviews, both here and on my own blog, you’ll know I like quirky–books that do things a little differently than the status quo. They still have to make sense, connect with me emotionally, and tell a good story.  I gave 5 Stars, without rounding up, to these books that were published this year:

Digging Deep, Digging Deep 1, by Jay Hogan

This book gave a realistic depiction of being in a relationship with a chronically ill person with humor, honesty, and dignity whilst still managing to be a romance. The author didn’t cover over the gross or inconvenient things about illness the way most books do.

The Ghosts Between Us, The West Hills 1, by Brigham Vaughn

People handle grief differently and sometimes they fall in love at completely the wrong time with someone others might deem inappropriate. Oh well, that’s their problem.

The Story Of Us by Logan Meredith

Literally, no one agreed with me about this book featuring an older prudish, judgmental man falling in love with a young student and porn star. With breaking the fourth wall and only one point of view, some people didn’t dig it.

Best Covers

The Witchstone Amulet cover by Tiferet Designs, Healing Glass cover by Jackie Keswick,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The King’s Dragon cover by Natasha Snow, Taji from Beyond the Rings by R. Cooper cover by Lyn Forester, Anhaga  by Lisa Henry cover by Tiferet Designs, Hell and Gone by Tal Bauer cover by Danonza, Clean Break by Erin McLellan cover by Natasha Snow, Ramen Assassin by Rhys Ford cover by Reece Notley, Earth Fathers Are Weird  by Lyn Gala cover by Lyn Gala.

The Best Of The Rest

Best Contemporary

Arctic Sun, Frozen Hearts 1, by Annabeth Albert

Best Behavior by Matthew J. Metzger

Heated Rivalry, Game Changers 2, by Rachel Reid

Ramen Assassin by Rhys Ford

The Other Book, Those Other Books 1, by Roe Horvat

We Still Live by Sara Dobie Bauer

Best Fantasy/Paranormal/Science Fiction

Anhaga by Lisa Henry

Dead Man Stalking by T.A. Moore

Empire of Light, Voyance 1, by Alex Harrow

Healing Glass, Gifted Guilds 1, by Jackie Keswick

Space Train by David Bridger

The Shoreless Sea, Liminal Sky 3, by J. Scott Coatsworth

Best Holiday

A Faerie Story by Barbara Elsborg

Best Dark Themed/Taboo

Sick And Tragic Bastard by Rowan Massey

Please read the tags and get ready for a big, fat, ugly-crying meltdown if you have a soul. Then, read or watch the fluffiest, sweetest stories you can find for a week after.

Best Rerelease

Release, Davlova 1 and Return, Davlova 2, by Marie Sexton

This dark romance duology (pay attention to the tags) was originally released under the name A.M. Sexton. I don’t think there are any substantial changes. Expect rich, bleak, dystopian world-building.

Honorable Mention

The King’s Dragon, Fire And Valor 1, by W.M. Fawkes and Sam Burns

The Stone Amulet by Mason Thomas

I read so much fantasy this year. These two books stayed with me even though I rated them lower than the others. Why? Maybe I didn’t have enough coffee.

Dec 31, 2019

 

 

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, January 12:

  • More Best of 2019 and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, January 13:

  • Blog Tour Rules to Obey by Susan Hawke
  • BLITZ Breaking the Surface by Rebecca Langham
  • Review Tour – Con Riley – Saving Sean
  • A Stella Review : Saving Sean (Seattle Stories #2) by Con Riley
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Tough Guy (Game Changers #3) by Rachel Reid

Tuesday, January 14:

  • Release Blitz His Fake Prison Daddy by Thursday Euclid and Clancy Nacht
  • BLITZ Unraveling by Rick R. Reed
  • An Alisa Review: Rules to Obey (Davey’s Rules #5) by Susan Hawke
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Wren and Oak (The Rowan Harbor Cycle #9) by Sam Burns

Wednesday, January 15:

  • Cover Reveal – Hold Me Up by Colette Davison
  • Book Blast – Damaged Hearts by Jan St. Marcus
  • Vlog Tour for Unexpected by KM Neuhold
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Rebound (Overtime #1) by V.L. Locey

Thursday, January 16:

  • TOUR Howling on Hold by EJ Russell
  • Release Blitz – Dravyn’s Garden (D’Vaire, Book 15) by Jessamyn Kingley
  • Release Blitz Garrett Leigh – The Edge Of The World
  • An Ashlez Review: Star and Fire by R Parr

Friday, January 17:

  • Cover Reveal – A Summer of Smoke and Sin by TJ Nichols
  • BLOG TOUR International Banker, Beach Boy by Mia Terry
  • A MelanieM Review: Head in the Game by Jeff Adams
  • A MelanieM Review: Consorts of the Red King by Eden Winters

Saturday, January 18:

  • A MelanieM Review: The Hunt for Red Fluffy (Brimstone #6) by Angel Martinez

Announcements and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Standard

Announcements and Less Than Scattered Thoughts

Announcement 1:

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is Going on Hiatus as of February 1, 2020.  We intend on  returning June 1, 2020.

 

Real life has been complicated and incredibly time consuming of late.  The effects of aging is often not kind, and it’s hard to see it’s impact upon one’s parents.  And then have to deal with it.

Sometimes the change is gradual, and then, without notice, like some out of control vehicle, the changes speedup rapidly, veering off in directions you least expected, leaving you scrambling for time, plans, and someone to provide assistance for you and them.

And it all takes time.

I have tried handling  this, my life, and the blog.  And it hasn’t been going well.  So for now, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words will go on hiatus February 1 until June.  Our intention is to return then, restored and recovered.

I hope you will return as well.  Trust me, this was a very difficult decision as I love this blog, our reviewers, authors, and readers so.  We make no money off of STRW and do it solely out of love.

We hope you will stay with us all through January and return to us in the summer.

 

Announcement 2:

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Does Not and Will Not Support Dreamspinner Press Through Tours or ARCs, now or in the future.

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue  Words has not worked or accepted tours or ARCS since October 2019,  and will not,  (even if they manage to pull off some sort of restructuring deal and avoid bankruptcy) from Dreamspinner Press, its owner Elizabeth North, and any of its associated presses.  Like other bloggers, readers, and tour owners, we too had hoped originally that DSP would turn things around.  Then began the long parade of authors out of Dreamspinner, the lengthy tweets and tales of unpaid royalties (still unpaid royalties and unreturned emails), the impact DSP”s action’s have had on these author’s lives, the immeasurable pain and stress that’s been caused, and, their latest maneuver, makes any support impossible.

I am sorry for those authors still remaining at that firm for whatever reason.  If any of you have ARCs that are self published or published with another press, we will be happy to help you promote those upon our return in the Summer and this January.

On a hilarious side note, when contacted by a certain author for Dreamspinner, asking if we wanted to continue with their tours/ARCS, we politely said not at this time.  And were then informed we were put on their blacklist. lol    A company that acts in such a (insert word of choice here)  manner, imo,  and acts towards to many authors but has a blacklist?  That’s irony. #payyourauthors

A last note on this  subject here.

We also fully throw our support towards those blogs, authors, and readers who have been so brave and vocal in supporting the LGBTQIA+ authors who left Dreamspinners and have been outspoken about the reasons why and the impact on their lives and writing.  This includes Jay of Joyfully Jay, RJ Scoot, Avon Gale, TJ Klune, BA Tortuga, Jodi Payne, Julia Talbot, Sean Kennedy, Sean Michael, Anna Zabo, among others. There are over 80 ex DSP authors, all with the same story.  They need our support.  We  will be here to help them through January and again in the summer when we return.

Plus I will be reading all through my blog’s hiatus so I will have a backlog of books to review come return time!  None of which will be DSP!

 

Now on a more positive note.

Here is Lila’s Short Best of 2019 List:

From Lila:

Best Cover – I Was a Gay Teenage Zombie by Alison Cybe

Best Novel – Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke

Best Audiobook – Salt Magic, Skin Magic by Lee Welch: narrated by Joel Leslie

Overall Best – Bishop by A.E. Via

Now onto this week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, January 5:

  • Announcements and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, January 6:

  • BLITZ Love on the Spectrum by Alec Nortan
  • BLITZ Life Minus Me by Sara Codair
  • Blog Tour – Inheritance (Deadly Curiosities #4) by Gail Z. Martin
  • A Melanie Review Inheritance (Deadly Curiosities #4) by Gail Z. Martin

Tuesday, January 7:

  • Cover Reveal Signal – Fade In (A Tales of Bryant Romance) – V.L. Locey
  • Reveal Blitz Shots on Goal (Stick Side #3) by Amy Aislin
  • BLITZ Lord of Thundertown by O.F. Cieri
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Devil’s Hour by Aimee Nicole Walker

Wednesday, January 8:

  • BLITZ Boiling Over by Thea McAlistair
  • AUDIO BLITZ All the Way to Shore by CJane Elliott
  • REVIEW TOUR – A.E. VIA – PROMISES: PART 1 (BOUNTY HUNTERS #1)
  • An Alisa Audio Review A.E. VIA – PROMISES: PART 1 (BOUNTY HUNTERS #1)

Thursday, January 9:

  • BLOG TOUR Devil’s Hour by Aimee Nicole Walker
  • A MelanieM Review: The Hunt for Red Fluffy (Brimstone #6) by Angel Martinez

Friday, January 10:

  • Release Blitz – Biker Daddy (The Grimm Tales of Smoky Vale Book 1) by Gianni Holmes
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Forbidden Bond by Lee Colgin

Saturday, January 11:

  • A MelanieM Review: Head in the Game by Jeff Adams

A Stella Review: For Sam, times infinity by Suki Fleet

Standard

RATING 5 out of 5 stars

After growing up in care, all Sam wants is to make a home for him and Tommy, his kid brother by choice. But it’s not as easy as he thought, especially when his social worker finds him a job miles away. And falling for the surprising boy at work only makes things harder.

Evra is different, his past a mystery. Being truly himself is not something he’s ever felt safe enough to be with anyone, not until Sam, the shyest boy ever, saves his life at work and Evra finds himself inexplicably trusting him. Wanting him.

Problem is, Sam is leaving, unable to stand being so far away from Tommy. And Evra can’t leave, not when he has consequences to face.

Making things work might seem complicated, but sometimes falling in love has its own consequences.

Reading For Sam, times infinity truly killed me, it was a beautiful journey, but I hurted. I felt the characters and their problems with this world and I so wanted to hug and shelter them. Evra and Sam were made to be with each other, a couple so well fitted and balanced. And since I read their first scene together I saw how much love was going to happen in their lives. I feared for both of them when they were alone, especially for Evra, he was at a point in his life where he really couldn’t take it anymore, and Sam was finally the right meeting that will help Evra to change everything, for himself, for Sam, and not only.

I so wanted to have more about these characters, I need to see more of their adult lives, more about Tommy, Sam’s brother, that took all my heart.

Apart from the characters and the plot, what conquered me was the writing, so well done, my reading almost sounded and rhymed as a poetry, it was musical. For Sam, times infinity is a sweet novel, emotional and thoughtful, I will surely reread it in the next future. And I just realized this was my first book from this author, I need her previous releases now. Highly recommended.

The cover art by Suki Fleet is lovely, simple and sweet

SALE LINKS  Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 216 pages

Published November 15th 2019 by Stars and Ink Press

ASIN B07ZXHZ8GN

Edition Language English

Lucy Review : Dances Long Forgotten by Ruby Moone

Standard

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

On Christmas Eve, Dylan, the man of James Pell-Charnley’s dreams, is on the point of walking out. Then they hear the faint strains of a waltz in the library of the empty abbey. The music is said to be heard only by those truly in love, and it gives James the courage to tell Dylan the story.
In December 1841, Lord Hugo Pell-Charnley is in a terrible mess. The youngest son of the late Marquis, youngest brother of the incumbent, never felt to fit. When his life comes crashing down, and his life and his family are threatened, he is forced to face his elder brother and confess his deepest secret. When he arrives at Winsford Abbey he finds he must also confront the shame from his past in the form of Lyndon Cross. The boy he’d loved but betrayed in school.
As they clear the ghosts from the past, they dance in each other’s arms in the library to the soft strains of the waltz, but long buried secrets threaten to destroy their happiness.
Two hundred years later, can those dances long forgotten give James and Dylan the courage to hold on to love? 

This is a story within a story.  James, the current Marquis, must tell the story of Hugo and Lyndon to his own love, Dylan, in order for Dylan to understand how James feels about him.  So we have the modern beginning and end sandwiching the historical story and that worked very well for me.

Hugo is the youngest of the Pell-Charnley family and he believes himself to be nothing spectacular.  He had a terrible time at school, can’t do the one thing he really wants to with his life (own a bookstore) because it is beneath people of his class, and now is being blackmailed.  Things just go from bad to worse when he shows up at his family estate for Christmas only to find three of the bullies from school present, as well as someone he used to like at school, someone who he didn’t treat well because of the bullies.  Lyndon Cross.

It’s funny how people assume things.  Winston, Hugo’s older brother, believes Hugo to have an unencumbered life in London.  “You seemed perfectly happy as you were…” while never realizing “I hated every moment of school.  I never fit in.  I was bullied, beaten, terrified…”  He was bullied to an extreme degree, as was Lyndon.  Now they may have a chance to be together, if only short term.  Of course nothing is that easy.

No secret that I am a huge fan of historical romance but I need it to be believable.  This one hit all my switches.  Sympathetic characters, plot that made sense and with twists that I completely didn’t see coming, and an ending I felt was plausible.

I was thinking four stars for this story until another plot twist showed up, one that I wasn’t expecting yet again, and I had to raise it up.  My heart was breaking for Hugo at that point. “…had talked about him, speculated about him, made him queasy inside.”  I so understood that feeling.  I was angry at people for him – more than he was even! Hugo is a good person and handles things so much better than he believes he does.

“Every Christmas we should definitely waltz in the library.”  “Until we are too old to move….I’ll hold your hand and we’ll sway in time.”  That made me happy, as did the sweetness of the epilogue.

This was so interesting, so sweet and so wonderful.  I especially appreciated a bisexual character in a historical, which may be the first time I’ve read of one in this genre.

The cover, showing Dylan and James dancing against the backdrop of Hugo, is perfect.

Sales Links:   Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 145 pages
Published December 19th 2019
ASINB082QQ7QGF
Edition LanguageEnglish
Other Editions
None found