Category: 5 star Rating

A MelanieM Review: Blown Chance (Whispering Winds, #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #15) by Havan Fellows

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

PF4_BlownChance400x600Rowen Smithe had been anticipating the worst when his past came calling in the form of his former partner. Once through the initial explosions (and when all first aide supplies were put away), the truth about Rowen, the warped nature of his childhood, previous profession, everything came to light.  And his Mountain Shadow family didn’t abandon him.  In fact it brought them all closer together.

But not everyone in Rowen’s past is willing to let Rowen off so easily.  An old acquaintance arrives quietly in Mountain Shadows and his target is Rowen Smithe.  Recovering from the turmoil of the recent events, none of Mountain Shadows campground are prepared for what is to come, the least of which is Mick Rutger.

Mick Rutgers is in love with Rowen Smithe and has been working hard to break down the barriers Rowen has raised to protect himself.  But when Rowen’s former partner appears and their history together comes out, Mick thinks the time has finally come for them to have a future together.  It seems that Fate has one last hurdle for the pair to overcome.   One more dangerous element from Rowen’s past.  Is this the one that brings them closer together? Or is it the one to break Mick’s resolve and destroy their chance at happiness forever?

Blown Chance is guaranteed to break your heart in more ways than you might think possible.  The previous 3.5 (yes, .5) stories have been setting us up for this emotional rollercoaster.  The scrabbled together family of Mountain Shadows has just undergone an emotional tsunami resulting from the revelations about Rowen’s past, including childhood and dubious profession.  Still once the shocks have worn off and the wounds patched up (ok part of that was deadly funny), all the characters we have come to love over this series (and some from last year’s) pull together once more in love and support.   Its has been emotionally draining for all, and yes, I am including the reader here too.  But peace is such a fragile thing, especially when the people involved are such explosive individuals with past histories that refuse to stay in the past.

I have to admit I laughed out loud at portions of Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5).  But humor has little place here.  Rowen’s past is one of horrific events of which sometimes he has been the cause.  And that past refuses to let him go.  It returns silently and swiftly just when you think Rowen and Mick are settling down enough to talk about a relationship.  Havan Fellows lulls us into temporary complacency and then smacks us down with a tide of events and people that we really should have seen coming.  She builds us up and then brings us down but not so far at first that we think we’re safe.  Because no one is.

I love the suspense  and anticipation Fellows builds into her plot.  It’s crazy white knuckle ride of action, stealth, and surprise!  Still, amongst all the shocks and tremors here, Havan Fellows never forgets the complicated men at the center and their strained journey towards love and acceptance.   Rowen quickly became a favorite of mine with his tortured demeanor and his ability to become a part of the woodland environment around him.  Rowen is such an interesting, quixotic personality that he just draws you to him.  So we can understand Mick Rutger’s fascination with Rowen and ultimately his love for him as well.  Their tentative bonds have been constantly under stress, but the worst is about to confront them all.  How is all plays out  is wildly inventive, crazily satisfying, and totally frustrating.

I get the ending, I really do.  It makes absolute sense.  But now I need book 5.  I need to see what happens next.  I care for these characters and want them to have their happily ever after.  They deserve it and so do the readers.  I know its coming but waiting is get harder by the minute.  How I love the anticipation!

This is an outstanding series.  The fact that it gets intertwined with the Pulp Friction 2013 series is just the icing on the cake.  Loved that series, love this series too.  Whispering Winds and all the other Elemental Connections series are easily at the top of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2014.  If you have started reading them yet,  (perhaps there is a binge reading fest ahead), start at the first story and work your way through.  It’s the best way to understand the characters and to watch the relationships change and  grow.  Pick them up today.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  These covers are tremendous, great for branding the series and the characters.

Sales links:            All Romance eBooks              Amazon             Blown Chances

 

Here are the books in the Elemental Connections series to date:

Round One:

Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1) by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by T.A. Webb
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

Round Two:

Controlled Burn by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth by T.A. Webb

Round Three:

Backburn by Laura Harner
Cold Feet by Lee Brazil
Blow Hard by Havan Fellows
Tremors by T.A. Webb
Taking Chances  by Lee Brazil– bonus book, In From the Cold

Round Four:

Flare-up by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold by Lee Brazil
Wicked Winds by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Blown Chance by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks by T.A. Webb

Book Details:
Published August 15th 2014 by Appleton Publishing Avenue (first published August 14th 2014)
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #15, Whispering Winds #4

Author & Book Spotlight-Angel Martinez, Endangered Fae and No Fae Is An Island! (contest)

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I have invited Angel Martinez back today to talk about her latest release, No Fae Is An Island, and the Endangered Fae series in general.  

Contest:  I’m offering up an ebook copy of No Fae Is An Island today to help celebrate the release.  To enter, leave a comment (list Angel Martinez’ favorite myth), an email address where you can be reached.  Contest ends 9/13.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

 Angel Martinez Interview – Take 3

STRW:   What happened to Diego in the last story was heartbreaking. Had you planned on that happening all along?

Angel Martinez: From the very beginning, when I wrote the first lines of Finn? No. I had no inkling that this would happen. But Diego’s character, like most people, was more complex than I had originally envisioned. There are hints in the second story of an underlying arrogance – not a huge, egomania kind of arrogance, but the sort that makes a man think his solutions are the best ones. Sometimes a good man, one who wants to do the best for everyone, forgets to do the right things for the people closest to him and ends up running roughshod over their feelings. That sort of arrogance.

So the underpinnings were there. But the question occurred to me as I wrote the second book: what if Diego wasn’t such a compassionate soul? With someone so powerful, what would happen? So not all along, no, but before the writing of the third book began. What happens becomes inevitable, but not irretrievable.

STRW:. A theme here seems to be wrapped up with identity, what a being/person is versus what they appear to be. The outer self, the inner person….what is their true nature? Or does there have to be a difference. This can apply to so many issues. Is that what you wanted to get across?

Angel Martinez: That’s an undercurrent probably in all my stories. Who are we versus who does someone see when they look at us? What is it that makes us who we are? Is there an essential part of our personalities, and are we still the same if that’s removed? We all play a number of roles in life, whether we claim to or not. We adjust our outer selves to surroundings, situations, the people we’re around. How much of that outer self is play-acting and how much of it is us? If we play a role long enough, does it become us?

You’re absolutely right that I toy with questions of identity in a lot of ways in this series. Zack needing to discover that he’s still himself after being infected with lycanthropy. Lugh coming to terms with how his projected image affects those around him. Finn’s gradual evolution from a fairly self-centered though kind-hearted being into a true hero. Diego…oh, my poor Diego…but he had things to learn as well. Diego’s role in No Fae Is An Island shows both how much he’s learned and how much he still needs to understand about himself.

STRW:  We now have a vampire coming into our close-knit company. What other beings are central to the new story?

Angel Martinez:  Oh, we have some fun people this time ’round. Of course, the vamps were in the last story too, but as secondary characters—the dark, brooding Theo and the more tentative, misplaced pastry chef, Jasper. Theo’s one of the reasons for No Fae. I had a lot of questions about him as his author that he wasn’t ready to share in Semper Fae. Seems he was ready to start talking for this one, about his past, his family, why he is the way he is, and what really happened in that Los Angeles alleyway.

Another principle character, Limpet the selkie, is brand new, as are Nusair the djinn, who plays an important role in the story, and some other minor characters including a basilisk and a ghoul.

STRW:   Why choose them?

Angel Martinez:  Limpet came into being because I wanted to explore more of the wild fae, those fae who live outside the sidhe and Fomorian court systems. While I toyed with a bane sidhe character briefly, I needed someone a little more humanly accessible for this book and someone who would be more likely to interact with the human world.

The other new beings, like Nusair, were chosen because of geography. Much of No Fae Is An Island takes place in the Arabian desert. It only made sense to have magical beings that would be native to the area.

STRW:  Will our dragons be back? Love those dragons.

Angel Martinez:  I do want to get back to the dragons. While they’re mentioned briefly in No Fae, this really wasn’t the story to explore their world further. I’d have to think long and hard about having them interact more in the human world. Just don’t think it would be something they’re willing to do. So when I do a dragon-heavy story, it will have to have a plotline largely centered in the Otherworld.

STRW:  When writing these stories do you ever waver in what you are doing to some of the characters?

Angel Martinez:  Waver? Yes. Sometimes it’s as hard for me to write terrible things happening to my characters as it is for the reader to read them. I know that’s probably hard to imagine. Readers think we’re sitting with our cup of evil bark tea across the table from Lucifer, laughing about how to torture our characters next. Once in a while. Maybe. But I love my characters – most of the time it’s hard to do the things you know the plot needs.

Yes, there’s wavering, but you have to look at the plot point and ask “Do we need this? Does this make the most sense for where we’re going?” If the answer’s yes, it’s time to pull on the big-author pants and write the terrible thing.

STRW:  Where will the next book take the series?

Angel Martinez:  Well, No Fae took us across the world into the desert. I’m not entirely sure where I want to go with the next one. There probably will be more Otherworld interaction, possibly with some folks who aren’t as human friendly as some of the ones we’ve met.

STRW:. Favorite myth as a child or grownup.

Angel Martinez:  Oof. That’s hard. I love myth desperately. So much myth involves betrayal, lost love, death- tons of depressing stuff. I think if I had to pick one myth that caught my attention most as a kid, it would be the Epic of Gilgamesh. Here’s a guy who just couldn’t lose. At anything. Heroic and partially divine, the gods throw harrowing trial after trial at him, and he wins every time. They send a wild man, rumored to rival him in strength, to kill him and they become best friends instead, most likely even lovers.

But the gods finally catch up to him and kill his beloved Enkidu. All of Gilgamesh’s strength, all of his arrogance and bravado can’t defeat death. He realizes before the end of the story that he is mortal, like everyone else, and he has to accept it. It’s one of the few myths where the hero, who was admittedly sometimes a jerk, actually learned something.

STRW:  Thank you, Angel, for such a great and thoughtful interview.  Endangered Fae has become one of my favorite fantasy series and I can’t wait for this one to release!  For more about Angel Martinez, check out her bio and contact information below.  

I have listed all the Endangered Fae stories in the order they were written and should be read to understand the events and character development. Put all on your must read list today!

No Fae Is An Island,Endangered Fae 4
NoFaeIsAnIsland_200Author: Angel Martinez
Cover Artist: Lex Valentine

Buy Links to follow: MLR Press    All Romance eBooks (ARe) Amazon

No Fae Is An Island Blurb:

Three years ago, Danu banished Diego for a time from the human world. Three years and three days doesn’t seem that long to be away from home but living among the wild fae can change a man and the human world returns the favor by changing while he’s gone. There’s a vampire on Tearmann Island’s security force. A curious selkie’s followed him home. So much to do to keep the world safe…but Diego’s no longer sure he has the right to interfere.

Theo Aguilar started his vampire life on the wrong side of the law. He’s killed and knows he’s dangerous if he doesn’t stay in control every moment. But the fae took him in and Prince Lugh has given him a position of trust. So when Diego and Finn are arrested on a diplomatic mission far from home, he knows his duty. He’s striking out on his own to rescue them, a lone vigilante once again, this time for the good guys. The only glitch? The selkie, Limpet, can’t seem to understand the alone part.

No Fae Is An Island Excerpt

“You don’t need to come with me.” Theo fought clenched teeth. The selkie was a friend of Mr. Sandoval’s and Finn’s, too—Finn who had been so kind to him after accidentally squashing him in dragon form. No need to be rude.

“Quite all right. I’ve nothing better to do.”

“You can’t come with me,” Theo said in the chilliest, sternest tone he could muster.

“Oh, of course I can. I see quite well at night.”

Theo squeezed his eyes shut against the headache. It shouldn’t have been there. He’d fed that morning and napped the rest of the day in lethargic, sated bliss. Fine. He’ll get bored and leave soon. “All right. But you have to be quiet.”

“Yes, yes, of course. In case something bad is here. A pack of nixes maybe. Oh, they’re bad. Or a kraken tries to swim close and ambush you, yes? You’re a real warrior, then? Have you seen many battles? Do you have scars? I have scars, but only because I was very young—”

“Limpet.” Theo stopped and took the selkie’s chin in his hand, holding his head still. “Whispering is not being quiet.”

“Right you are. Sorry. You have beautiful eyes.”

Theo dropped his hand and walked away, shaking his head. It was going to be long night.

 

Author Bio:

While Angel Martinez is the erotic fiction pen name of a writer of several genres, she writes both kinds of gay romance – Science Fiction and Fantasy. Currently living part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware, (and full time inside the author’s head) Angel has one husband, one son, two cats, a changing variety of other furred and scaled companions, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.

Author Contact:

Website: Erotic Fiction for the Hungry Mind
Facebook 
Goodreads 
Email: ravenesperanza@yahoo.com

In the Author Spotlight: Interview with Havan Fellows on her Hard, Sexy Men! (contest)

Blown Away coverBlown Kisses coverBlown Hard

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Meet Havan Fellows!

Up Close and In the Author’s Interview Chair!

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 Contest:  Havan Fellows has stopped by for interview and brought a contest with her as well.  To enter to win, visit this rafflecopter link for the entry form and additional  contest details.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Meet Havan Fellows! Creator of Wick, Rowen and so many other memorable characters and one of the authors of the Pulp Friction Author Group:

Oooooh…thank you for having me again, Melanie. You know I love visiting you and the cutie pie puppies! *sneaks puppies treats* What? Oh nothing is in my hands…um…now. 🙂 So you had some questions you wanted to ask me? *clears throat*

First maybe I should introduce myself…my name is Havan Fellows…I’m an author. I’ve written in different genres—het and M/M romance…but I’ve only so far published M/M romance (it’s my pleasure…guilty or otherwise hehe). I’m published with Breathless Press, Totally Bound, and self-published…and I also write with two terrific groups; Story Orgy (SO) and Pulp Friction (PF). I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a lucky lucky person…the amazing authors at Story Orgy and Pulp Friction have taught me more than any workshop or class could’ve…I owe a lot to them…especially my best friend—the multi-talented Lee Brazil (who writes for SO and PF also), Lee’s the one that kicked my assets into drive when I explained I wanted to write but was afraid to put myself out there. Did I mention really really lucky?

Now, a bad habit I have is the gift of babble…my father once said that I kinda just throw words out there and the listener has to collect them and put them into proper order to understand anything I say (maybe that explains my love of em-dashes and ellipses? lol)…and since I don’t want to prove him right…um…let’s get on with the questions, shall we?

STRW:  Where did you get your inspiration for Rowen?

Havan Fellows: Well, back in September or October of 2013 the PF group (Laura Harner, Tom Webb, Lee Brazil and myself) were having another one of our get-togethers…the wine was flowing, the laughter was contagious and the sexy pictures were stimulating…oh crap, TMI? Anyway, we were talking about next year…and if there would be a next year. Of course we all wanted to give PF another go…and Flagstaff seemed like a terrific idea for the backdrop…but I was faced with my normal fears. I always worry that I’ll just recycle characters—and Wick is an epic character in my opinion…but not one I want to take on for another year (he’s very high maintenance, let me tell you! lol). So I was wondering what would be the opposite of Wick? What about a quiet recluse? That had merit, and would work well in a cabin in a campground in the middle of almost nowhere. So Rowen was born…and grew in my mind very quickly.

STRW:  Sometimes characters are too big for one series. Wick is like that. Is Rowen another?

Havan Fellows: I think that goes back to my Wick is epic comment, huh? Guess I jumped the gun…lol. I don’t know if Rowen is, yet. I don’t plan stuff like that out ahead—and I’m very grateful when others think that way toward my characters. In fact, even though Rowen wormed his way into my heart before I finished writing the first book, I didn’t think others would take to him like I did. He doesn’t make it easy for people to understand or like him, but the feedback I’m getting about Rowen is amazing and really makes me smile. Thanks to all the Rowen lovers – you have spurred me on throughout all the books. 🙂

STRW:  How many stories are you working on at one time?

Havan Fellows: Well I always have a PF book going it seems (already started on Final Blow – you should see the opening for it *blinks*)…and I have my Monday prompt story with Story Orgy (free reads every Monday yay!!!)…and sometimes (like now) I have a third book I’m trying to get to a publishable state of mind.

STRW:  Will there be a Pulp Friction 2015?

Havan Fellows: Ahhh…now that is the question…and soon we might actually have an answer to it.

STRW:  Favorite character of yours?

Havan Fellows: Now now now…I love all of my main characters equally (eyes the trouble makers—Wick & Shan). Now that I’ve given the PC answer…there is something about an imperfect person finding redemption and becoming someone they never thought they could be…and having others see the good in them they don’t feel is there. I believe I hit that mark with Jude from Judging Jude. Even though he thought he was trash, a select few always saw the good he didn’t even realize he did.

STRW:  Do you listen to music as you write and if so, is there a type of music?

Havan Fellows: Nope…I may listen to a song before I write to get me in the mood, but during writing I kinda need quiet. I like to sing and move when I hear music…and my hands don’t stay on the keyboard…lol.

STRW:  Favorite book you read as a child. What impact did it have on you.

Havan Fellows: I think all of Christopher Pike’s books hit me hard. I remember dragging my mama to the bookstore and picking out two of his books each time…from him I worked my way up to Stephen King and Dean Koontz (OMG Lightning by Dean Koontz will stick with you forever!) If you are looking for a specific classic book, I’m not sure I could name one. I was awful at keeping my concentration on books I was forced to read…but the ones I chose to read—now they were something else!

STRW:  If Wick could have super powers, what would they be?

Havan Fellows: HA! Dangerous. Probably nothing that would make him invincible…taking away the threat of defeat or death would lesson his fun in a situation. No x-ray vision or anything like that either…he doesn’t go where he isn’t openly invited, it’s half the fun to make something beg him for it, lol. Oh wait! He does have super powers…he’s named them Banyu…lmao.

 STRW:  What’s next up for Havan Fellows?

HF: Hopefully something brilliant and quirky and funny, with a side of steamy and interesting? Am I aiming too high? How about settling for Final Blow from PF and maybe the first book in a trilogy I’m working on unofficially titled Chance at Trust – the trilogy itself isn’t named yet, darn that always gets me. 🙂

Once again, thank you Melanie for having me and thanks to all that stayed long enough to read these thanks…lol. I would love it if you left a comment—perhaps telling us what type of character worms their way into your hearts most often? That would be interesting (and I might take notes for a future book! lol) But seriously, play with the Rafflecopter (he’s loves being manhandled)—there are two prizes up for grabs for two different winners…a $10 gift card to All Romance e-books and a complete set of my Pulp Friction 2014 books (including Final Blow, which will be whisked to you when it is available!)

Thanks, Havan, for stopping by and all the wonderful stories offered up as part of the contest.  I can’t wait for Final Blow to come out!

Follow Havan Fellows at:PF4_BlownChance400x600

August 2014 Summary of Reviews and Best August 2014 Covers

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 Scattered Thoughts

And Rogue Words

August 2014 Book Review Summary

*Key:
STRW S series
C contemporary
F-fantasy
SF-science fiction
PN-paranormal
SP-supernatural
H-historical
HR-horror
N-Nonfiction
YA-young adult
Rating Scale: 1 to 5, 5 stars is outstanding, 1 not so much.

Note:  Starting in September, there will be an additional notation to credit the reviewer.

5 Star Rating:

Dissonance by Shira Anthony STRWCS
Deep Plunge by Rory Ni Coileain STRWFS
Double Up by Vanessa North STRWC
Finding Jackie by Lou Sylvre STRWCS
Head-On by John Inman STRWC
John and Jackie by TJ Klune, STRWC
Out In The Cold by Lee Brazil PF2014, STRWCS
Prevailing Winds by Laura Harner STRWCS
Semper Fae by Angel Martinez STRWFS

4 to 4.75 Star Rating:

City of Monsters by Andrea Speed (4) STRWSN
Delsyn’s Blues by Lou Sylvre (4.25) STRWCS
Designated Bottoms Anthology (4) STRWA
Devil’s Own by Susan Laine (4.5) STRWSNS
dr.a.g (A Photographic Journey) by Christopher Logan (4.75) STRWN
Gale Force by Rory Ni Coileain (4.75) (STRWFS)
Hard Act To Follow by Kimber Vale (4) STRWCS
Hero by Heidi Cullinan (4.25) STRWF
Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming by Kiernan Kelly, Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga (4.75) STRWSNA
Moving Mountains by Laura Harner (4.75) STRWCS
Not Fade Away by SE Jakes (4.25) STRWCS
Summer Son by Anna Martin (4) STRWC
You Can’t Go Home Again by Michael Murphy (4) STRWC
Wicked Winds by Havan Fellows (4.75) PF2014 story

3 to 3.75 Star Rating:

My Favorite Uncle by Marshall Thornton (3.5) STRWC
The Choosing by Annabelle Jacobs (3.25) STRWSF

2 to 2.75 Star Rating:

Queer Dirty Laundry by Jason Lloyd (2.5) STRWC

Best Covers of August 2014

City of MonstersDelsynsBluesLGDevil's Own coverDouble Up cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

City of Monsters, artist Simone
Delsyn’s Blues, artist Reese Dante
Devil’s Own, artist Brooke Albrecht
Double Up, artist L.C. Chase

FindingJackieLGHero cover

John & Jackie cover

My Favorite Uncle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding Jackie, artist Reese Dante
Hero, Art director of Wilde City Press
John and Jackie, Reese Dante cover artist
My Favorite Uncle, Art Director of Wilde City Press

 

NotFadeAway_500x750Semper Fae coverSummer Son coverThe Choosing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not Fade Away, artist L.C. Chase
Semper Fae, Winterheart Designs
Summer Son, artist Aaron Anderson
The Choosing, artist Brooke Albrecht

A MelanieM Review: Deep Plunge (SoulShares #3) by Rory Ni Coileain

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

DeepPlungeCoverFor over two thousand years Lochlann Doran has wandered the continents of Earth, watching as little by little his magic dwindled away to nothing. For Lochlann Doran’s a Fae torn from his war torn world, his soul sundered as he was sent through the Pattern by fellow Loremaster and friend Cuinn to Earth. Now only his faceted aquamarine eyes and the fact that he can’t die remain as reminders of his true nature. Also lost? The ability to heal that goes along with being a Fae of the Demesne of Water.

Stripper Garrett Templar has been dancing along time. The club Purgatory, prior to being bought by Tiernan Guiare, was a hard, indifferent place to work. Garrett turned tricks in the back room to pay his bills and rent, something that would never happen now. But then? The dancers were unprotected by management something Garrett found out the hard way when at eighteen, one of the johns he entertained infected him with HIV. And while it may have been a “manageable” disease” with others, in his system the virus has inexplicably mutated into full-blown AIDS. And no known cocktail has managed to work to slow it down. Now the only place Garrett can find solace is to loose himself as he dances on stage, always alone by necessity and by choice.

Then Lochlann’s travels brings him into Washington, DC and to the very stage in Purgatory where Garrett is dancing.  It only takes a few glances for the SoulShares bond to snap to attention, startling Garrett and freaking out Lochlann deeply.  Lochlann never expected to find his SoulShare after so many centuries alone.  And then he finds out from Garrett that he is dying from AIDS.  Lochlann is devastated.  If he had his magic back, he could heal Garrett immediately.  But his magic is gone.  And Garrett flees from Lochlann, not wanting to hope for a future he is sure they can never have.

But Purgatory has more surprises in store for Lochlann when the SoulShares appear along with his ex friend and now old enemy, Loremaster Cuinn.  It seems their ancient evil, Marfach, has  stirred and wants access to a unSouled Fae to return Marfach to the Realm.  And Lochlann is the key to the  survival of all.

Deep Plunge is the penultimate story in Rory Ni Coileain’s SoulShares series and with it Ni Coileain’s achieves a remarkable bit of storytelling. There is a huge amount of world building going on here.  Two universes, that of the Fae Realm and that of modern urban Washington, DC, are both rendered with equal amounts of realism and imagination.  Then the author builds onto that an epic battle of good and evil (evil being the Marfach) where evil almost conquered all.  It left behind a blackened Fae landscape and a multitude of dead or dying Fae.  To support such a cataclysmic event, Rory Ni Coileain builds a Fae society in dire straits, one that has to re-imagine itself in order to survive.  That aspect of this story is mesmerizing, the history constructed to make all the events that occur in the books not only necessary but manipulated and foretold (yes, two different things are happening here…this layering is magnificent).

Facts about the Fae and the Pattern that we thought we knew from prior events are turned on their head here.  Nothing is as it has seemed.  There are so many elements in play here that you almost have to pause in your reading to make sure you have it all straight, including the latest revelations that have knocked you (and the characters) right on their butts.  I love it when that happens.  Smoke and mirrors, or merely the Fae at work…doesn’t matter because the end result is magical, suspenseful, and downright addictive.

The two protagonists here are unarguably poignant,  deeply damaged characters, each with an emptiness inside where their other souled half should reside (more universe building).  That they have found each other should be cause for celebration.  Instead its marked by pain, and enough angst to fill a bathtub. Ni Coileain pulls off  terrific non-human characters in her Fae.  They do not have the same emotions as humans so that the fact that half their souls end up in humans is not only a neat twist but helps pull all the author’s Fae back down into characters we can empathize with as well as connect with on an elemental basis.  For their human Soulshares it is easy to believe in them and their myriad lifestyles and issues.  All couples from previous stories appear in important roles here as Ni Coileain starts pulling together all the threads she has been sowing in the books so far.  But of them all, Garrett and Lochlann have to be among the most star-crossed.  Garrett who’s HIV became full blown AIDS in almost no time and Lochlann the person who loves him and should be able to cure him but can’t.  It’s both poetic and unbearably painful.

Trust me when I say it almost hurts not to spill all the details that are revealed here, the twists, the turns, the “never saw that coming” revelations.  And Deep Plunge sets all the  elements rolling for the final story in the series, Firestorm.  The final battle between the Marfach against the Fae and humans is almost here.  Who will be able to stop them?  I can’t wait to find out!  Mark this series down as a Must Read and this story as one of the best of the year!  What an adventure Rory Ni Coileain has pulled us into!  A multidimensional saga with characters who continue to astonish and deep loves that have me swooning for more.  Consider the series, the story and the author among ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Highly Recommended Reads!

Cover art by Allen Penn.  Does a great job branding the series but missing the fantasy element.

Sales Links:      Ravenous Romance        All Romance eBooks (ARe)     Amazon          Deep Plunge

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 202 pages
Published August 28th 2013 by Ravenous Romance
ASINB00EV7OAYU
edition languageEnglish
seriesSoulShares #3

Books in the SoulShares series in the order they were written and should be read are:

Hard As Stone (SoulShares #1)
Gale Force (Soulshares #2)
Deep Plunge (SoulShares #3)
Firestorm (SoulShares #4)

Our Week Ahead at ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords

 

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September is almost here so things are unbelievably busy here at ScatteredThoughts.  New reviewers getting up to speed, more author interviews, book tours frazzled woman cartoon paid forand contests.  Plus I am getting ready for GRL in October.  Wow.

This week ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords will be one of the featured bloggers at RJ Scott’s blog.  There will be a contest to enter so I’m giving you the heads up early.  I reviewed a remarkable story yesterday.  It was TJ Klune’s John & Jackie.  I sobbed like a crazy person and loved every minute.  That cover by Reese Dante is just as remarkable as the story inside.  Don’t miss out on this one.

Even with 2 new reviewers coming on board, I am still on the lookout for more.  So if you love books and write or want to write reviews, let’s talk.  Email me at melaniem54@msn.com and check out my review info on the front page of this blog.

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Here is our schedule for this week:

Monday, August 25:

  • Author Spotlight: Kimber Vale and Hard Act To Follow (contest)
  • Book Blast: Adrian’J. Smith’s For By Grace Book Tour (contest)
  • Review:  Head On by John Inman

Tuesday, August 26:

  • Cover Reveal for Rae Brewer’s David’s Dilemma (contest)
  • Cover Reveal for Lissa Kasey’s Hidden Gem (contest)
  • Book Tour:  Morticia Knight’s Uniform Encounters (contest)
  • Review:  Not Fade Away by SE Jakes (a Hell or High Water story)

Wednesday, August 27:

  • Book Tour:  Forever Man by A.J. DeWall (contest)
  • Book Tour:  Deconstructing Channing by BA Tortuga (contest)
  • Review:  Double Up by Vanessa North

Thursday, August 28:

  • Book Tour:  Designs On You by Carrie Pack (contest)
  • Book Tour:  Anya Richard’s Satyr’s Lure
  • Review:  City of Monsters by Andrea Speed

Friday, August 29:

  • ScatteredThoughts is Featured Today at RJ Scott’s Blogger Day! (contest)
  • Book Tour: Vanessa North and Double Up! (contest)
  • Review:  Summer Son by Anna Martin

Saturday, August 30:

  • August  2014 Summary of Reviews and Best Covers of the Month
  • Deep Plunge by Rory Ni Coileain (SoulShares #3)

A MelanieM Review: Semper Fae (Endangered Fae #3) by Angel Martinez

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Semper Fae coverAs the Fae settle into their life on Tearmann Island, a Fae nation now established on Earth, Diego and the Fae are busy attending to the new state of affairs and international negotiations on the Fae’s behalf. Fae Collective Ambassador, Prince Lugh mac Ethnenn, and his bodyguard and personal aide, Zachary Morrison, who retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, are in New York City at the Fae Embassy established there to promote Fae Awareness while Diego Sandoval, the Human Consul for the Fae Collective and his Pooka lover, Fionchadd or Finn, remain on the island.

But things are never calm for long.  Finn comes down with an “uncommon cold” which makes him change shape with every sneeze.  Diego is trying to comfort his ill lover and deal with all incoming requests, including one from a group that says they can work magic, and want  Diego to mentor them. But these messages turn ominous when Diego ignores them.  At the same time, Prince Lugh not only kisses Zach, outing him to his family when the picture is posted, but Zach is critically injured when he is attacked in New York City  by a being that looks remarkably like a werewolf. In fact all sorts of supernatural beings are appearing all over earth, from vampires, to ghouls to werewolves….an occurrence that shouldn’t be happening.

That’s just the beginning.  A new love is fraught with problems, misunderstandings and stress,  while an old love pushed to its limits by an evil that is close and familiar. The recently established nation of Fae on Earth is threatened with new sanctions and laws that might making living together with humans forbidden once more.  And the one man they need to help save the situation has lost a piece of his mind.  Now they need to save Diego in order to save them all.

Angel Martinez’s Semper Fae (Endangered Fae #3) elevates a series that was already marvelous and complicated into a saga that is rare in its layers of mythology and whose intricacies of plot astonish at each new twist and turn of the author’s pen.   Angel Martinez has a multitude of important plot threads running through her story and its how the author intertwines them with each other with a richness and depth that is truly amazing.  It really doesn’t seem to matter whether Martinez is dealing with the day to day relationship dynamics of an established couple, even a couple where one is a Pookie and the other a hugely powerful mage or revealing the wider ranging complications that arise when the magical meet the mundane, its how Martinez is able to fold reality into mythology and have the final product feel so real and alive that is an amazing quality all of its own.  I really can’t get  enough of this series or its addicting characters.

The first tale, Finn (Endangered Fae #1) introduced Finn, a lost and ailing Pookie, to Diego Sandoval, a romance author of hispanic heritage.  It laid a solid foundation for the next story and for the love between Finn and Diego, who turns out to be a powerful mage.  Diego (Endangered Fae #2) brings all the other Fae into play and a new cast of characters is established, along with the idea of malignant interference from the American military.  As Angel Martinez has already established the “normal” threats that might appear to Diego and Finn’s happiness as well as that of the Fae now living on Tearmann Island, a new entity is revealed to crush all that they have worked hard to create.  The entity that Martinez creates is both ingenuous and heartbreaking.  And its arrival is on top of  other perilous situations created by the attack on Zach and outside forces is totally unexpected.

It’s frustrating to write a review here because almost any mention of any part of this story can unintentionally bring a spoiler or two.  But Semper Fae is both a recounting of deeply felt love stories as well as a powerful and convoluted tale of mythic beings and a struggle for survival at the most basic level.  Here Martinez brings into question what makes a person or being who they are? What happens if one of the basic building blocks of that person’s character is removed? This haunting idea forms the basis of one of the most important plot threads here.

Martinez also deals with the nature of identity on more than one level.  Zach has been hiding his homosexuality from his family.  A paparazzi’s photograph outs him and then a physical assault changes Zack forever but do either of those events change who Zach is on the inside? Questions upon questions, and not just for the new romance is between ex Marine Zach Morrison and Prince Lugh.   Finn and Diego are also in trouble, one that starts off quite funny as a Fae common cold. Even the recently established state of Fae on Tearmann Island comes under attack.  The problems mounting here are internal as well as external, subtle and outright.  And some are caused by the very people and beings we have come to love.

In Semper Fae, there be dragons (oh how I loved these dragons) with a propensity for Rubic’s Cube and Silly Putty and vampires who lack the taste for blood.  As I said the complications build from the beginning of the story and there will be no easy resolution even at the end. That’s as it should be as this story will feed into the fourth tale of this saga. The issues and complications that Martinez has raised here have huge implications for all and the reverberations will continue to spread through relationships of all types and creature bonds.

I will tell you I cried like a baby at times here.  This story has its lighthearted moments, and its scenes of darkness and terror.  All are beautifully written with vivid descriptions vying with charismatic characters for your attention and heart.  You will want to be there with Zach in the dragon’s lair and flee with Finn and other others from a city street flowing with blood.  In fact, you won’t want to miss a single sentence from Finn to Semper Fae and beyond.  Endangered Fae is one of ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Best of 2014!  Don’t pass it by.  But start at the beginning and work your way through an amazing series and characters that are easy to love.

Cover Art by Winterheart Designs.  Love the cover.

Sales Links:     MLR Press             All Romance eBooks (ARe)            Amazon            Semper Fae

Book Details:

ebook
Published July 11th 2014 by MLR Press (first published January 13th 2013)
edition languageEnglish
seriesEndangered Fae #3

Series in the order they were written and should be read for the events and relationships to be understood:

Finn (Endangered Fae #1)
Finn’s Christmas (Endangered Fae #1.5) folded into Finn.
Diego (Endangered Fae #2)
Semper Fae (Endangered Fae #3)
No Fae Is An Island (Endangered Fae #4) not yet released

Finn_432(1) coverDiego Endangered Fae coverSemper Fae cover