Release Blitz and Giveaway – Rick R Reed’s Dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner


Paperback: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner


Publisher: Dreamspinner Press


Length: 67,000 words


Cover: Aaron Anderson


Blurb

Blurb


A monster moves through the night, hidden by the darkness, taking men, one by one, from Seattle’s gay gathering areas.

Amid an atmosphere of crippling fear, Thad Matthews finds his first true love working in an Italian restaurant called the Blue Moon Café. Sam Lupino is everything Thad has ever hoped for in a man: virile, sexy as hell, kind, and… he can cook!

As their romance heats up, the questions pile up. Who is the killer preying on Seattle’s gay men? What secrets is Sam’s Sicilian family hiding? And more importantly, why do Sam’s unexplained disappearances always coincide with the full moon?

The strength of Thad and Sam’s love will face the ultimate test when horrific revelations come to light beneath the full moon.

Excerpt

From the moment Thad stepped through the front door of the Blue Moon Café, the décor cleared up any mystery about what kind of food they served. The little café, with its mahogany bar along one wall, its grouping of maybe a dozen tables, and its faux-tin ceiling, could have been straight out of central casting for “Italian joint.” Thad saw the requisite checkered tablecloths, the oil paintings of Italian landmarks like the canals of Venice, the Coliseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and St. Peter’s Square. And yes, each table sported a candle plugged into the opening of an empty green-glass Chianti bottle. A TV sat above the bar, thankfully turned off.

“Buona Sera” by Louis Prima played from the overhead speaker system. Thad was certain the rest of the evening would be peppered with the likes of Dean Martin, Jerry Vale, Rosemary Clooney, and of course, Sinatra. Underneath the music was the usual restaurant orchestra: conversation, laughter, the clink of glassware and the tinkle of silverware.

The scents of garlic, oregano, basil, and tomatoes perfumed the air. Over a counter at the rear of the restaurant, Thad could see into the kitchen: a wood-burning oven, chefs busy at their stations, the occasional upsurge of flame as one of them poured alcohol into a pan and ignited it by tipping the pan. Thad’s mouth began to water.

He already liked this place.

And he liked it even more when he saw the bartender, who was busy drying wineglasses and reaching up to hang them upside down on a rack above the bar. He was a compact little guy, olive skin and shaved head. His muscles tested the endurance of the black T-shirt he wore, and even from his vantage near the hostess stand, Thad could make out the thick black five o’clock shadow that covered his jaw. He was just the kind of guy Thad fantasized about. One who would take him roughly and be in charge.

Stop it, now! I’m in Green Lake, not Capitol Hill. This guy probably has a wife and two kids at home and would not appreciate how I’m imagining how he would look should the seams of that tight T-shirt burst and reveal a defined and hairy chest. He wouldn’t cotton at all to my thoughts of wondering how his asshole would taste, for cryin’ out loud.

Or maybe he would….

Thad grinned and bounced up and down a couple of times on his heels, feeling strangely energized and definitely a little smitten.

Shut up, horndog. Behave yourself.

 

 

Author Bio 

Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love.

He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories. He is a three-time EPIC eBook Award winner (for Caregiver, Orientation and The Blue Moon Cafe). He is also a Rainbow Award Winner for both Caregiver and Raining Men. Lambda Literary Review has called him, “a writer that doesn’t disappoint.”

Rick lives in Seattle with his husband and a very spoiled Boston terrier. He is forever “at work on another novel.”

Stalk Rick

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RickReedWRITER
Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/
Website: www.rickrreed.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rick-r-reed

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“Brush with Catastrophe” By Tara Lain Cover Reveal Blitz (excerpt)

At night, he paints. In a world where the supernaturals can bring down lightning and manifest wealth, Sammy can paint. What happens when a witch’s “prophetic” paintings always come true and his latest painting is of the human he has a crush on? The answer? Magic!Check out the brand new cover for the 2nd Edition of BRUSH WITH CATASTROPHE!!

Brush With Catastrophe 
(The Aloysius Tales Series, #2) 
By Tara Lain
 
Blurb:
Sammy Raphael is a crappy witch, and on top of that, he can’t seem to get a boyfriend. Where other supernaturals can bring down lightning and manifest wealth, Sammy can paint. Granted, the “prophetic” paintings he creates at night always come true, but they never predict anything important. Sammy feels like a total loser with a worthless ability.
One night he paints a gorgeous guy who turns out to be his secret crush, the human Ryder, but Ryder’s changed so much he’s almost unrecognizably beautiful. Then Sammy paints an angel who turns out to be a witch. But is that witch also a devil—a devil who can bring down Sammy’s whole community and everyone he loves? And why the hell does Ryder keep changing? Aloysius, the black cat familiar, always backs a winner. So why is he backing Sammy?
Available for pre-order at

 

Also available in paperback
 
Release Date: 
April 14th 2017
Excerpt

 

Ryder cocked his head. “You’re so talented.”

Gods, Sammy’s heart had to slow down, or he’d pass out. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

Ryder looked up with a soft expression. “You mean coming from a dumb historian who doesn’t know a palette knife from a fork?”

“No, I mean coming from you. My friend.”

“Don’t go out with Lucien, Sammy.”

What the fuck? “Why? Come on, Ryder. Sure, I don’t have a background check on him, but I probably know as much about him as I do you.”

Ryder looked at his feet. “Point taken.” The green eyes flashed up. “But I think he’s cheating on you.”

“What?”

Ryder walked over to the kitchen counter, picked up a glass, filled it from the faucet, and drank.

Sammy wanted to beat him over the head. “Come on. Tell me what you mean. Stop stalling.”

“I can’t prove it, but I’ve talked to a couple of people who seem to have a relationship with him and seem to think they are somehow special to him.”

Sammy couldn’t catch his breath. “Well, we’re not exclusive or anything. I don’t have any claims on him.”

Ryder scratched Al, who was purring so loudly that Sammy could hear it clearly. “Is that true? Or has he implied that you’re his boyfriend?”

“Not exactly.”

“I think you deserve better, Sams. I think you can do better.”

Well, shit! Sammy threw up his hands. “That’s real easy to say when you have an unlimited supply of tits to drool over.” Sammy crossed his arms. Maybe they’d protect his heart. “I haven’t had a real boyfriend in over a year, and even that one wasn’t serious. I’m lonely, damn it. I want to be with someone, and Lucien is smart and funny and charming, and he seems to like me a lot.” He spread his arms wide. “Is that so unbelievable? That a gorgeous guy like that could actually go for a skinny scarecrow like me?” He could feel his ears getting hot, and hurt stored over years poured out of him. “Maybe that’s why you think he’s cheating. You can’t believe he could want me!”

Ryder stared at him, his eyes shiny. “That’s not true. I’d never feel that way. I think anyone with a brain would want you.”

“Then there must be a lot of dumb people!” Sammy’s breath came hard. Shit, he was attacking his best friend. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I know you don’t think that.” He ran a hand through his hair. He probably really looked like that scarecrow now. “Look, he’s going to be here soon. I promise I’ll ask him. I will. Okay?”

Ryder frowned. “I’m worried about you.”

“I know. I don’t understand why, but I know you are. I’ll talk to him.”

“Okay.”

“You better go unless you want to ask him yourself.”

“No, I’ll go.” Ryder walked to the door and turned. He extricated Al from his neck and handed him to Sammy. “I care what happens to you. I care…. I wish…. Hell, be careful.” He opened the door and walked out, then closed the door behind him.

Sammy collapsed onto the couch, still holding Al against his chest, and threw his head back. “Why the fuck does this have to be so hard? Why can’t I just have a boyfriend?”

The Aloysius Tales Series

 

 
Book #1
Spell Cat
Available for purchase at
            

 

Also available in paperback
About the Author

 

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft.  She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books.  Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

 

You can find Tara at Lain

               

Presented By

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: Lickety Split by Damon Suede

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This is one of the strangest love stories I ever read. On the one hand, it felt as if two guys were just getting together for some rough sex mixed in with a lot of down-home talkin’ and good earthy slogans, but under the surface level, when we scratch deep enough, it was really a love story between a 40+ old cowboy/farmer/rodeo rider and a 20+ NYC deejay who comes home to good ol’ Hixville,Texas, after his parents are killed in an accident.

Even blindfolded, I’d know Damon Suede wrote this due to his inimitable way of spitting out rough, tough, rapid-fire dialogue. Add to that the deep Texas accent of the older MC, and the often back-to-his-roots twang of the younger MC, and at times I found the dialogue and narrative difficult to follow.

The story in a nutshell: Patrick “Patch” Hastle, New York City-based international “circuit” deejay, is notified that his estranged parents left their farm to him when they were killed as his dad tried to beat a train through a crossing. Heading back to Hixsville, Texas, is the last thing he wants, but he needs the money from the sale of the farm to invest in a new club that he and his BF are planning to open.

Once there, he runs into good ol’ Tucker Biggs, his father’s BF and his one-time crush. In fact, that crush is still happening and may explain why his one-night stands in the city are always based on his fantasies about Tucker. Long story short, after being caught eavesdropping on a masturbating Tucker, the two fall into a fuck-buddies relationship that takes a turn for the better—or worse, depending on your viewpoint—when Patch realizes he loves the old guy and then later realizes the feeling might be mutual. But too many years of denying any feelings and too many years spent running (for Patch) and going too slow (for Tucker) make for a major communication gap.

Can the two find their way to much-needed communication? Can Patch possibly make a living down in Texas when his deejay work takes him all over the world? And can Tucker finally acknowledge his own needs, fears, and feelings? That’s what makes this story tick and what left this reader feeling very close to two very unlikely lovers. So despite sometimes being lost and not being a fan of the good ol’ boy twang in the dialogue, I still felt connected with the characters and I can’t seem to ferget ’em as the day goes on—a sure sign that this one needs to be at least a 4 star book.

~~~

The cover by Reese Dante is quite attractive, featuring a close-up of an older cowpoke on a brightly colored background.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 286 pages
Expected publication: March 13th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781635335736
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Alisa Release Day Review: Dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe by Rick R. Reed

Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5

 

A monster moves through the night, hidden by the darkness, taking men, one by one, from Seattle’s gay gathering areas.

 

Amid an atmosphere of crippling fear, Thad Matthews finds his first true love working in an Italian restaurant called the Blue Moon Café. Sam Lupino is everything Thad has ever hoped for in a man: virile, sexy as hell, kind, and… he can cook!

 

As their romance heats up, the questions pile up. Who is the killer preying on Seattle’s gay men? What secrets is Sam’s Sicilian family hiding? And more importantly, why do Sam’s unexplained disappearances always coincide with the full moon?

 

The strength of Thad and Sam’s love will face the ultimate test when horrific revelations come to light beneath the full moon.

 

Thad has been wallowing while he has been on unemployment, with pretty much only his dog for company.  When he decides to treat himself and visits the Blue Moon Café he finds much more than he was expecting.

 

Sam first pushes Thad away despite their connection, but just as Thad begins to look for other options he has to call him while volunteering.  Speaking to each other seems to reawaken Sam’s feelings and they decide that even if it isn’t the right time they can try and make it work.

 

This story is told from Thad’s point of view, so we know what he is thinking and feeling.  For the length of this book we don’t see these characters together very often, I felt that we saw his budding friendship with Jared more than we saw Sam.  We learned a lot of Thad’s thoughts an doubts, but there was a lot of information that was inferred or was easily assumed.  I don’t know when there are big gaps in time and we are only seeing one person a majority of the time it is hard to connect with the story and how their relationship is building in the background.  I liked that they were happy in the end, but wasn’t sure about how they got there or the way Sam rationalized his actions throughout the story.

 

Cover art by Aaron Anderson is wonderful and eye catching.

 

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Published: 2nd edition, March 13, 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 9781635332926

Edition Language: English

A Lila Release Day Review: Step by Step by K.C. Wells

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Jamie’s life is one big financial mess, and it really isn’t his fault. However, the last thing he expected to find in the library was a Good Samaritan. He might have been suspicious of Guy’s motives at first, but it soon becomes apparent that his savior is a good man who has been lucky in life and is looking to pay it forward. Guy being gay is not a problem. Jamie’s not interested… or so he thinks.

Guy is happy to help Jamie, and the two men get along fine. But when Jamie’s curiosity leads him from one thing to another, Guy finds himself looking at the young man with new eyes. What started out as a hand up is now something completely different….

Step by Step starts like a fairytale–with the knight rescuing the young prince and it ends the same way–with a happily ever after. The in-between is a coming of age story that intersects in parts with a mentorship-like relationship. Together, they give love new beginnings and second chances.

I like Jamie, but I need to accept that I love Guy. Perhaps because we are in the same age group. I don’t mind the age difference, but the way they met and how they responded to each other at the beginning of the story was a bit off-putting for me. I think it has to do with Jamie’s interpretation of Guy’s intentions; which he was right about.

The story has a good pacing, but the slow burn between the characters makes the reader want to read faster. I won’t recommend starting this story late at night or if you have something else to do. As soon as you get into it, it swipes you away and it’s going to be a while before you come out for air.

The smexy scenes are sweet and filled with emotion even when they’re trying to get the edge off. It’s more of an exploration than a quick one-off. There’s a lot of sensuality in their small touches and the way Jamie and Guy interact.

I like all the secondary characters and how their lives were interconnected with the main characters. I wanted to see more interaction with Jamie’s parents after they became a couple, but that’s just me.

Overall, this is a lovely story, but you have to keep some sort of suspension of disbelief in order to completely enjoy it.

The cover by Paul Richmond is simple, but the picture by Strangled Photography is everything. It’s beautiful and it captures the essence of the story to perfection. The models are age appropriate and go with the story’s descriptions.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | Nook

ebook, 256 pages
Published: March 13, 2017, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 1635334527 (ISBN13: 9781635334524)
Edition Language: English

Recent Release Spotlight with Ethan Stone on Wild Instincts (Seaside Shifters: Book Two) (author interview)

Wild Instincts (Seaside Shifters, Bk 2) by Ethan Stone
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Available for Purchase at

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words has Ethan Stone here today to talk about Wild Instincts.  What can you tell us about it?

The story stars 18-year-old police cadet Tyson Dakota, a bear shifter. He meets Amante, a mysterious stranger and begins a passionate relationship with him as he also begins training at the Seaside Police Department.

  • Please tell us more about our main characters.

Tyson is young and eager to not only do his best in his job but also to be the best man he can be. His father is quite the ne’er do well and Tyson doesn’t want to be anything like him. Amante is a few years older than Tyson and just in town for a short visit. His motives are secret and not something I want to spoil here.

  • What do you want to tell those who may be new to the series?

Seaside Shifters is set in Season, Oregon, which is a real town BTW. The fictional Seaside is a shifter haven of all breeds. Not only is it a safe place for members of the paranormal to live it’s also a place for them to vacation. This allowed me to bring all sorts of different shifters into one location instead of being focused on packs and families.

  • What about Wild Instincts makes you the proudest?

This was a fun story to write. One of my few recent ones that didn’t involve a serial killer. There is a mystery regarding drugs and it being brought into Seaside, but it’s not quite as heavy as my other books. I usually try not to write insta-love or insta-lust but I went with it here. Tyson and Amante want each other from the get go but they think their relationship has an expiration date, or so they think.

  • What is next for these characters?  Is there more to this series?  If so who will we hear from next?

I’m not actually sure if I’ll write more in the series or not. I guess it depends on readers’ reactions. I’d like to explore MPREG in another tale with a rare species like a white tiger. I also have ideas for a Jonah, a character seen in book one who is still laying in a coma.

Random Questions:

  • What one story made you lose sleep as a kid?

The Amityville Horror. In the story the little girl has a ghostly friend who happens to be a pig name Jodie. My mom collected pig items and outside my bedroom attached to a pole was a ceramic pig whose eyes glowed in the dark. Creepy.

  • What’s your favorite thing to wear?

Pajama pants. I shamefully admit I wear them all the time. I put on real pants only if I leave the house. Well, If I leave the house with plans to get out of the car. Picking up the kid or going to a drive-thru is a different story. I have many different types of pajama pants and they are so freaking comfortable. The perils of working at home, I guess.

  • If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

I’d love to be able to turn invisible and be able to sneak around unseen but that would make me a bit of a creeper. It would be interesting to have powers like Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic Four because then I’d never be fat and I could adjust the size of my…feet.

Rapid Fire Time

  • Salt or Pepper?

Pepper all the way. Sometimes I add so much I sneeze because of it.

  • Top or Bottom?

Yes.

  • Tropical Island or Snow Covered Mountain Cabin?

Screw snow. Can’t stand the stuff. Give me a tropical island any time.

  • West Wing or Friday Night Lights?

I’ve seen all of Friday Night Lights and loved it. However, I wish West Wing was reality right now. Jed Barett for president. Hell, Martin Sheen for president.

  • Favorite Color?

Purple.

Light saber or a Sonic screwdriver?

  • I would love to have a lightsaber IRL.

Roller Skates or Ice Skates?

  • Neither. I have absolutely no balance at all.

Windows or Mac?

I’ve been a devoted Windows guy for years but a friend convinced me to buy a Mac and I freaking love it.

  • Call or Text?

Text for sure. I despise making a phone call.

Waxed or Furry?

Furry, baby. My boyfriend is a bear and I love it.

  • Shifters or Vampires?

Well, I’ve written a couple shifter books and no vampire books. What does that tell you?

  • Twinks or bears?

Twinks can be fun in bed but for LTR give me a bear.

  • World of Warcraft or Everquest?

BF is a devoted Everquest fan. I’m an Everquest widower. 😦

  • Fisting or Watersports?

Hell to the no.

Blurb

Police cadet and bear shifter Tyson Dakota looks forward to his on-the-job training in Seaside, Oregon, working alongside his cousin, Chief of Police John Dakota. Their goal is to investigate the growing meth epidemic and identify the kingpin bringing the drugs into their community. All signs point to someone inside law enforcement working with the drug traffickers, and Tyson must find out who before the body count gets any higher.

Along the way, Tyson meets Amante, a charismatic and attractive man in town for reasons he doesn’t want to share. Tyson is drawn to Amante despite his secretive ways and is sure there could be more between them than explosive passion, if he could just get Amante to make his stay in Seaside permanent. But when Tyson’s pursuit of justice puts him at odds with Amante, they could lose more than their fledgling relationship.

They could end up losing their lives.

About the Author

Romance on the Edge

Ethan Stone doesn’t write your typical boy meets boy stories. With a combination of love and suspense he makes his characters work hard for their HEAs. If they can survive what he puts them through, then they can survive anything. He enjoys Romance with an Edge.

Ethan has been reading mysteries and thrillers since he was young. He’s had a thing for guys in uniform for just as long. That may have influenced the stories he writes.

He’s a native Oregonian with two kids. One of whom has made him a grandfather three times over; even though he is way too young.

Readers can find Ethan online.

His books: http://www.ethanjstone.com/my-books

Love Never Dies in ‘Sons of Devils (Arising #1)’ by Alex Beecroft (giveaway)

Sons of Devils (Arising #1) by Alex Beecroft
R
iptide Publishing

Cover by: Simoné

Available for Purchase/Read an Excerpt at

Riptide Publishing

 

About Sons of Devils

British scholar Frank Carew is in Wallachia to study the magic generator on nobleman Radu Vacarescu’s land. There, his party is attacked by bandits and his friends are killed. Pursued by a vampiric figure, he flees to Radu’s castle for help.

Unfortunately, this is precisely where the vampires came from. If allowed, they would feed unchecked and spread their undeath across the whole Earth, but Radu maintains a shaky control over them and keeps them penned in his tiny corner of the country.

As Frank recovers from his assault, Radu finds himself falling for the young man. But loving Frank and not wanting to lose him leaves Radu vulnerable to his demons’ demands. Can he bear to let them feed on the man he loves? Or must he give in to their blackmail and set them free to feast on his entire country?

Now available at Riptide. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/sons-of-devils

About Alex Beecroft

Alex Beecroft is an English author best known for historical fiction, notably Age of Sail, featuring gay characters and romantic storylines. Her novels and shorter works include paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary fiction.

Beecroft won Linden Bay Romance’s (now Samhain Publishing) Starlight Writing Competition in 2007 with her first novel, Captain’s Surrender, making it her first published book. On the subject of writing gay romance, Beecroft has appeared in the Charleston City Paper, LA Weekly, the New Haven Advocate, the Baltimore City Paper, and The Other Paper. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association of the UK and an occasional reviewer for the blog Speak Its Name, which highlights historical gay fiction.

Alex was born in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and grew up in the wild countryside of the English Peak District. She lives with her husband and two children in a little village near Cambridge and tries to avoid being mistaken for a tourist.

Alex is only intermittently present in the real world. She has led a Saxon shield wall into battle, toiled as a Georgian kitchen maid, and recently taken up an 800-year-old form of English folk dance, but she still hasn’t learned to operate a mobile phone.

She is represented by Louise Fury of the L. Perkins Literary Agency.

Connect with Alex:

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Sons of Devils, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit and one ebook from Alex Beecroft’s backlist! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on March 18, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Fickle, Fickle March ~ Its Snowing? This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Fickle, Fickle March Part II ~ Its Snowing?

So remember all that lovely warm weather I was talking about?  Well, out the window it went and here’s comes the first Nor’easter of our winter season.  The meteorologists are calling from anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of accumulated snow here in the metro area, possibly more.  Oh those poor cherry blossoms, to say nothing of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival that draws visitors from around the world.  Yep, those  blossoms will be history, taken down by nature’s blast this week!

And what will that do to our St. Patricks Day parades?  Will they be marching in the snow?  Most likely.

Oh, this mercurial March. Much like love and romance, it blows hot and cold.  It heats up and then quickly can become ice cold.  Then flare up when you least expect it.  I’m hoping for the more heat to melt this coming snow away quickly.

 

Lucky In Love – A St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway!

So new  giveaway for our  readers.  With it being St. Patrick’s Day this week, what are your favorite books with Irish settings, or Irish men and romance in them?  Lists please and  we will post a special St. Patrick’s Day Romance Book List of Love.  Random reader will receive gift card of $10 from Dreamspinner Press.  Please leave a name and email address with your recs!  I will start you off with one that still makes me cry and grabs at my heart every time I read it:

Where the Grass is Greener (Seeds of Tyrone #2) by Debbie McGowan and Raine O’Tierney

And don’t get me started on those magnificent Morgan men of Rhys Ford’s Sinners series.   I’ll add in more when list time comes.  Our  giveaway ends Saturday, March 18th at midnight.  Slainte’! D’fhéadfadh grá i gcónaí a bheith mise!  May love always be yours, in life and in our stories.  I can’t wait to see what books your lists may bring us.

This Week’s Announcements at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

📚~ Reviewers ~We have a new reviewer coming on.  Her name is Julia.  And we’re thrilled to have her here.  Let Julia tell you something about herself:

Hey, there!

I’m Julia, a mid-twenties gay language student from Austria. I love travelling, Japanese curry, Scotland, the sea and anything and all fiction-related. My current passions are writing (mainly short stories and flash fiction) and playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends (where I play as a half-mermaid cleric with a pet pufferfish named Huffl-Puffington Supreme Conqueror of the Northern Seas).

When it comes to literature, I’m basically open for anything that catches my interest in some way. I love books that make me cry, books that make me laugh, books that make me want to ram my head against a wall with spikes protruding from it – as long as a story can get any kind of emotional response out of me, I’m happily along for the ride. That being said, my most-read genre right now would probably be Fantasy and my favourite author Terry Pratchett with his glorious Discworld-series.

Well, I think that should give you a pretty decent picture of myself. Have a lovely day and as a friend of mine once said: Don’t get eaten by a dragon! (Unless they ask nicely and all around seem like a pretty ok-person.^^)

Say hi to Julia and be on the lookout for her reviews to start appearing soon!  We are still looking for reviewers.  So contact us at scatteredthoughtsandroguewords@gmail.com if you love books and want to tell other about them too!

📚~Last Week’s Giveaway ~ He Turned Out To Be What? Contest and the Winners:  Purple Reader (Stella will be in contact with you)

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, March 12:

  • Fickle, Fickle March Part II ~ Its Snowing?
  • This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, March 13:

  • DSP GUEST POST BA Tortuga on Two Cowboys and a Baby
  • DSP GUEST POST Ethan Stone on Wild Instincts (Seaside Shifters: Book Two)
  • Release Day Blitz Shaper by Christine Danse
  • RIPTIDE TOUR BLOG Sons of Devils by Alex Beecroft
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: Lickety Split by Damon Suede
  • A Lila Release Day Review: Step by Step by K.C. Wells
  • An Alisa Release Day Review:  Dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe by Rick R. Reed

Tuesday, March 14:

  • DSP GUEST POST Andrew Grey on Cleansing Flame (Rekindled Flame #2) by Andrew Grey
  • Release Blitz – Rick R Reed’s Dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe
  • In the Paranormal Spotlight: Insight by Santino Hassell (Riptide Publishing Tour and Giveaway)
  • A Jeri Review: Danced Close by Annabeth Albert
  • A Stella Review: Momo, My Everything by Posy Roberts
  • A Stella Review: Beneath the Stars by Lynn Charles
  • An Alisa Review: Falling Hard: Stories of Men in Love by Dale Cameron Lowry

Wednesday, March 15:

  • DSP GUEST POST Sarah Madison on Unspeakable Words (The Sixth Sense: Book One) 
  • Release Blitz & Review Tour – K.C. Wells’s  Step By Step
  • Who We Are by Nicola Haken Tour and Review
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Two Cowboys and A Baby by BA Tortuga
  • An Ali Release Day Review:  Sophie by JP Barnaby
  • An Alisa Release Day Review:  Running with the Moon by Kiernan Kelly
  • An Alisa Review: Love by Design by Sam B. Morgan

Thursday, March 16:

  • Release Blitz Tour – The Case Of The Guilty Ghost (End Street Book #6) by RJ Scott and Amber Kell
  • RELEASE BLITZ Between the Secrets by S. Ferguson
  • Release Day Blitz An Officer’s Submission by Christa Tomlinson
  • Release tour Who We Are by Nicola Haken
  • A MelanieM Review:  Who We Are by Nicola Haken
  • Step by Step by KC Wells Release Tour
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review:  Fallen Angel by Eden Winters
  • A Stella Review Spark to the Heart (Parkerburg series #4) by Lee Brazil & Havan Fellows

Friday, March 17 – Happy Ēostre or Ostara:

  • Blog Tour for Leaning into the Fall by Lane Hayes
  • Book Blitz Here For Us by AM Arthur
  • A Caryn Review : Bedside Manner by DJ Jamison
  • A Caryn Review: Drinker of Blood (SPECTR Series 2, #3) by Jordan L Hawk
  • A Lila Release Day Review: Falling Into the Black by Caitlin Ricci
  • A Melanie Releases Day Review:  There’s this Guy by Rhys Ford

Saturday, March 18:

  • A MelanieM Audiobook Review: Drama Muscle by Joe Cosentino and Narrator Chip Hurley
  • Blog for the audiobook of DRAMA MUSCLE, the second Nicky and Noah mystery, by Joe Cosentino, performed by Chip Hurley

A MelanieM Recent Release Review: Dragon Soldier (Supernatural Consultant Book 5) by Mell Eight

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

The aftermath of the last battle has left Nickel weak in bed and grounded for the next decade. Despite being in trouble, Nickel wants to return to the battle as soon as he can, but thoughts of Platinum, the dragon helping to nurse him back to health, keep distracting him.

Platinum can’t believe how much his life has changed. He went from being a lonely fugitive on the run to part of a family in only hours. The last few days have been his happiest, especially now that he’s met Nickel. He knows it’s only temporary, though. The enemy that kept him captive for most of his life isn’t finished with him yet, and even Platinum and Nickel’s combined powers might not be enough to save them.

Dragon Soldier was a different sort of story in this series, focusing on the relationship between Nickel and Platinum, and Nickel’s recovery from his last battle which left him comatose and healing.  Now awake, Nickel is having a hard time with his slow recovery and being kept away from the investigation into the man responsible for the dragon kidnapping and experimentation.  Nickel has always been a favorite of mine, so having a Nickel centric book is a plus.

The romance between Platinum and Nickel is slowly heating up.  Think teenagers discovering love and romance for the first time.  Gentle, sweet and endearing and ever so slow that you shouldn’t expect things past a cuddles and a kiss.

I loved all that part of this story.  Even the battles and Platinum’s working through the damage left over from his time as an experimental subject.  All those was typically wonderful Mell Eight.

The only places where I feel this story came up short was in the villain aspect and the conclusion.  I felt shortchanged somehow.  With everything that went before, I wanted rants and ravings of a lunatic or explosions or something.  I don’t know.  It just  seemed sort of quiet.  All the rest was lovely.  The author does seem to be wrapping this series up.  Not sure yet.  But I adored the dragons and this family, so I hope not.  I’ll be waiting to see if there’s more to come.

Cover art by Aisha Akeju includes an element of the story but really doesn’t work as a design.

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press

 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 30,000 words
Published March 7th 2017 by Less Than Three Press, LLC
ASINB06XH1YR8J

A Stella Review: Three Hearts by Grace R. Duncan

RATING 2,5 out of 5 stars

Liam Scott is sick. That’s not supposed to be possible. As a wolf shifter, he’s supposed to be able to heal. The omega gene he was born with means he’s capable of carrying shifter young and Liam is worried that whatever is wrong will mean his one-day hope of having pups will be dashed. But despite the fears keeping him away from the doctor until now, he knows he needs to go.

It turns out the sickness is temporary, but the treatment causes a whole other problem.

Mason’s alpha gene means he’s one of very few wolves who can impregnate an omega male. For two years, he’d been watching Liam, but things kept getting in the way. When Liam shows up in heat, Mason recognizes the opportunity he needs and doesn’t hesitate make to Liam his mate and the father of his pups.

But Liam has old wounds and fears to work through which the pregnancy is only making worse, and Mason isn’t sure how to get past them to show he’s serious about making a life together as loving mates. It’s not until a female wolf decides Mason should be hers that Liam makes his biggest worry known—and Mason can finally put the fears to rest.

I was very enthusiastic to read this new release by Grace R Duncan, I’m a fan of male pregnancy stories and I jumped at the chance at having this book on my hands.

While I love the theme and the general idea of Three Hearts, I have to say I had a couple of problems with it: first of all, too many sex scenes that almost put me off at the start and although I forced myself to go on, it changed nothing. It was a succession of hot, steamy sex, I could enjoyed it some but it was a little too much and too repetitive. And this is the adjective I had on my mind through all the story. Repetitive, and boring too. The chapters told me always the same thing. I followed Mason and Liam through the pregnancy, the causes, the cravings, the delivery, and some scenes were really cute, others made me smile, and I loved all the secondary characters, well defined and all of them positive persons. Being a huge fan of mm stories with children in them, I would have preferred more pages on the MCs and their huge family, where at the end I got very few words about what happened after. I appreciated how the author explained in detail how the male preg functioned, the parts often ignored or just drafted in books I previously read, here were well described and gave almost reality to the male preg.

Three Hearts to me fell a little short, too simplistic, full of sex and attraction and with no romance at all. In my opinion it could have worked better if it had been shorter, more than 200 pages was definitely too much considering the author chose to focus all the story on the pregnancy. It dragged and left me dubious and unsatisfied.

The cover art by Jess Small is nice but not very eye catching.

Sales Links

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 214 pages

Published March 3rd 2017

ASIN B01MYFCBSE

Edition Language English